Centrally Managed Expenditure and Third-Party Management Accounting & Reporting Manager

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE JOB!
You report to the Senior Accounting Manager and will service Shurgard’s operations and development business with accounting and other administrative services.
You will be responsible for building a team that oversees the planning, monitoring, analysis, and governance of centrally managed costs across the organization. The centrally managed expenditures include Customer Acquisition and Revenue Optimization, IT, Legal and Advisory. The role ensures accurate accounting, financial reporting, and cost control while partnering with business stakeholders to drive transparency and accountability. Furthermore, you manage the intercompany recharges for the European Support Center.
You are also responsible for reviewing the monthly financials of Third-Party Property Owners, preparing to address areas of concern or requests for explanation. Research and resolve inquiries and requests for information, ensuring transparency and accuracy raised by Third-Party management team and owners.
You will coordinate in a fast-paced environment the flow of information from multiple departments and maintain relationships with external service providers.
You supervise (junior/senior) Accountants and are responsible for managing the team to ensure that work is properly allocated and completed in a timely and accurate manner.

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES!
Accounting and Finance responsibilities:

• Manage all aspects of accounting and financial reporting of the subsidiaries in your area of expertise in accordance with IFRS and local GAAP in order to meet local statutory and group reporting requirements
• Manage partnerships with external service providers (domiciliation agents, consultancy firms)
• Manage the tracking of the company's CARO, IT, Legal and Advisory expenditure against budget
• Manage the IT Project Office project/commitment follow-up
• Manage the maintenance Fixed asset register of the European Support Center
• Manage the intercompany recharges for the European Support Center
• Manage monthly reimbursement and distribution calculations, help manage the month end close procedures, and collaborate with Third-Party management team and owners
• Ensure SLAs towards internal stakeholders are met
• Ensure the review of reconciliation files
• Ensure the delivery of management reporting
• Ensure proper documentation of unusual/significant transactions (Accounting memos)
• Ensure Third-Party Property Owners are provided with high quality of service and support in property operations
• Ensure the preparation of annual (local statutory) accounts (Belgian entity)
• Ensure that all tax declarations and tax compliance activities are met in close collaboration with the Tax department
• Support the preparation of budgets for your areas of responsibility
• Support internal department projects related to our Third-Party Management business
• Support the execution of mergers, acquisitions and integration as necessary
• Support internal/external audits

Process and systems responsibilities:

• Implement procedures and systems necessary to maintain proper records and to afford adequate accounting controls and procedures for all business cycles in accordance with Shurgard’s standards
• Support the testing and roll out of new applications and processes
  Contribute to group projects: systems, maintenance of policies and procedures
• Support the Senior Accounting Manager with special projects and workflow process improvements
• Ensure the application of and compliance with Shurgard’s control framework

People responsibilities:

• Manage a team of 2 people deliver timely and accurate accounting and financial reporting services
• Collaborate with the other finance department managers (FP&A, Consolidation, Treasury, Tax) to support overall department goals and objectives
• Coordinate the flow of information from non-finance departments (CARO, IT, HR, Legal)
• Advise staff regarding the handling of non-routine reporting transactions.
• Provide training to new and existing staff as needed
• Handle personnel issues relating to staff conflicts, absenteeism, performance issues, etc
• Work with each direct report to establish and monitor the enhancement of goals and objectives

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR SKILLS!

• Translate the company strategy or a given strategic direction to team
• Act as a change agent, “selling” and implementing change effectively
• Implement optimal staffing of the team and ensure continuous development of own team by establishing a growth environment
• Get the best out of your team by actively monitoring and evaluating performance and steering where required
• Recognize commercial opportunities in own work as they arise
• Proactively look for ways to increase customer satisfaction and ensure a customer-oriented attitude in the team
• Drive team action to achieve business results
• Effectively influence others and gain collaboration by persuasive two-way communications
• Prioritize own and team’s work, are decisive and take initiative beyond call of duty
• Promote co-operation within own team and between teams and act as an example of effective teamwork

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR PROFILE!

• Bachelor/master’s degree in accounting/finance/economics or similar through experience
• At least 7 years of experience in accounting
• 3+ years of experience in financial management and leadership roles
• Exposure to a multi-country/ shared services environment is considered a strong plus
• Experience in the Services or Retail sector
• Experience in multi ledgers (IFRS, local GAAP,…)
• Working knowledge of Microsoft applications and an advanced level in Excel
• Experience in CRM/ERP migration/upgrade projects (with focus on UAT, acting as key user/trainer
• Experience with SAP, while familiarity with SAP S/4 HANA Public Cloud is considered a strong advantage
• Fluent in English & Dutch or French, both written and verbally. Any other EU language skills are considered as a plus
• Travel in limited cases.