Group Head of Finance & Controlling

Sécheron Hasler Group is a global leader in railway and industrial electrification systems, offering cutting-edge solutions to enhance transportation and decarbonize industrial processes. With a rich heritage of over a century and a commitment to innovation, Sécheron Hasler Group is growing  worldwide and is looking for a dynamic and experienced Head of Finance & Controlling to lead our Group Finance team, with a strong focus on superior business support and reliable and efficient processes.

Sécheron Hasler Group has three autonomous Business Units (BUs): Electrical Safety Solutions, Traction Power Systems and On-Board Electronics lead by Business Unit Heads with full responsibility for their teams and P&L’s worldwide.

The Group has over 1200 employees worldwide located in 15 local entities and annual sales of 280 MCHF.

Reporting to the CEO of the group, and leading the finance team, your main objectives will be to manage efficiently the finance department and external service providers of Sécheron Hasler Group across all sites in order to assure that:

• All accounting, controlling and financial administration processes are functioning reliably and accuracy of all information and documentation provided internally and for authorities is assured.
• The Board of directors, the management team, business units, service departments and site managers are receiving the required information to take qualified decisions, run their operations efficiently, detect deviations and improvement points rapidly and take corrective actions quickly. 
• Improve processes and tools continuously to improve the service provided and reduce administrative cost.
• Optimize financing, cash management and taxes of the Group.
• Monitor and develop the Internal Controlling System of the Group, identifying risks and taking mitigation measures in close collaboration with the concerned departments.
• Implement efficient insurance coverage for the Group.

Key responsibilities:

• Leads the finance team (39 people of which 7 direct) efficiently including the following departments:
• Accounting & consolidation.
• Controlling.
• Credit management.

Responsible for:

• Legal and contract management.
• Taxes, VAT and transfer pricing (intercompany transactions and documentation).
• Cash management.
• Risk management.
• Insurances and claim management.
• Financial and administrative site management.
• Internal projects (processes, tools, IT) .
• Participates actively in business and operational reviews as "Chief controller”.
• Leads the preparation of the management and board of directors meetings (incl. strategy review, mid-term plan, budget, forecasts).
• Acts as Secretary of the Board of Directors.
• Acts as President of the pension fund's foundation board (President).

• Degree in Business Administration and / or completed studies specialized in Finance & Accounting; a master’s degree is a plus.
• Over 15 years of successful hands-on financial management experience in a multi-country medium-sized industrial company (or production site of larger organization).
• Proven experience in managing financial teams with demonstrated leadership skills.
• Profound experience in accounting, good knowledge of controlling and important exposure to legal, tax, risk management, insurance and administrative topics of finance.
• At least 5 years’ experience in the Swiss environment.
• Deep understanding of accounting and good knowledge of Swiss GAAP FER.
• Excellent understanding of controlling processes and tools.
• Good generalist knowledge about all administrative topics and company processes.
• Good understanding of integrated ERP systems and Business IT tools.
• Skilled in contract management and legal issue resolution in international environment.
• Excellent project management and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills en English and strong communication skills in French. German is a plus.

We have flat hierarchies and encourage direct communication between departments and management levels. This allows us to make decisions quickly.

We give our employees full responsibility for their work tasks. We encourage all employees to take initiative and contribute to the operational excellence of the company, and we provide ample opportunities for them to achieve their personal and professional growth goals.

A valid work visa is required in order to apply for this position; unfortunately, we do not offer sponsorship.