Business Controller

About the Company

We are a rapidly expanding international fashion retail group originally based in Eastern Europe, now operating globally from our Dubai headquarters. Currently undergoing significant transformation and scale-up, we are enhancing our Finance capabilities to better support business decision-making.

Role Overview

We seek a Business Controller to partner closely with commercial and product teams, focusing primarily on category performance and profitability. This role goes beyond traditional reporting; it centers on building frameworks, challenging current practices, and driving impactful decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate tightly with Buying, Merchandising, and Product departments acting as a financial partner on category metrics such as sales, margin, stock levels, and markdowns.
• Critically assess commercial choices using data-driven financial insights.
• Support strategic decisions related to pricing, assortment, and promotions.
• Monitor and analyze profit and loss figures by product category.
• Track and interpret key performance indicators including sell-through rates, gross margins, stock turnover, and intake margins.
• Identify potential risks and opportunities within categories, offering clear improvement proposals.
• Lead budget and forecasting processes at the category level, translating business strategies into financial projections and adjusting forecasts based on emerging trends.
• Develop and implement controlling methods, reports, and procedures from the ground up, enhancing data accuracy and reporting transparency.
• Bring structure to a rapidly growing and sometimes ambiguous environment by standardizing KPIs and performance tracking.
• Engage deeply with raw data to uncover performance drivers, creating actionable insights rather than merely producing reports.

Candidate Profile and Experience

• 4 to 8+ years' experience in Business Controlling or Commercial Finance roles.
• Preferred background in fashion retail, fast fashion, or FMCG retail sectors.
• Exposure to category management or merchandising contexts is advantageous.
• Experience working within fast-paced, evolving environments such as scale-ups, transformations, or turnarounds is highly valued.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Robust financial and analytical capabilities.
• Thorough understanding of retail KPIs and the fundamental business drivers.
• Ability to link financial data with operational realities.
• Proficiency with data manipulation tools including Excel and business intelligence platforms.
• Comfortable creating processes and frameworks from scratch, operating in low-structure settings.

Desired Mindset and Behaviors

• Proactive and practical, willing to engage with detailed data.
• Business-centric, recognizing finance as a driver for decision-making.
• Resilient and composed under pressure.
• Structured, solution-oriented with a collaborative approach when challenging stakeholders.

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to develop and shape finance processes during an international expansion phase.
• Direct involvement with key decision-makers and senior management.
• Fast-moving, entrepreneurial culture.
• Chance to influence business results meaningfully.