Lead Accounts Payable Specialist

Job Description

Lead Accounts Payable Specialist 
KSA 

We are seeking a Lead Accounts Payable Specialist to join our KSA office on a full-time permanent basis. 

About us:

Fragomen is the world’s leading exclusive provider of immigration services. We are a firm of more than 6,200 immigration-focused professionals and staff spanning more than 60 offices worldwide. Immigration has been our sole focus for 70 years, and today we offer support in more than 170 countries. We are problem-solvers, innovators and established thought leaders in immigration, providing strategic immigration advice to a diverse range of clients from individuals to the world’s leading multinational corporations. 
A career at Fragomen will provide you with the opportunity to work in an exciting environment for a broad range of clients, where no two days will be the same. You will face interesting challenges and you will work with dedicated, friendly and ambitious people, where providing exceptional client service is at the core of what we do. We are extremely proud of our diverse workforce at Fragomen, and we are fully committed to providing equal opportunities.  We believe that our differences make us stronger.
Within the Middle East region, we have offices in United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia with an overall headcount of 200 employees. Across all the offices, there is a positive and collaborative working environment, with our immigration professionals partnering with our clients to help them manage their regional or global immigration programmes. 

Whether in the office or working remotely, we are proud of our team spirit and we like to reflect this in the way that we work and everything we do. Our Responsible Business Strategy (RBS) prioritises Fragomen’s social responsibility through one cross-cutting theme and five focus areas.. These focus areas include: Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion, Charity & Pro bono work, Social and Environmental & Sustainability. The RBS initiative offers great opportunities for everyone at Fragomen to get involved and help steer a variety of initiatives and activities at the Firm. These range from social events and activities, to regular wellbeing newsletters and diversity discussions.

About the team:

The Fragomen accounts team is based in KSA and UAE offices and manage accounts for all offices within the MiddleEast region. 

About the role:
The position will provide accounts payable, budgeting & planning and financial reporting support to KSA and UAE based Fragomen offices. The successful candidates will ensure accounting tasks are completed ahead of internal and external deadlines whilst assisting in the development and maintenance of current procedures and workings to ensure that they are completed to the utmost accuracy and in a timely manner. The role will help supporting the varying departments within the finance team including accounts payable, accounts receivable and the disbursements team. 
In addition to the above, other key responsibilities will include:
•    Assistance with budget and forecasts preparation 
•    Financial planning and reporting dashboard preparation 
•    Support during internal and external audit processes
•    Oversee and manage account payable function, ensuring accurate and timely processing of payments and reconciliations across the regional offices
•    Collaboration with teams to address payment-related matters, maintaining strong communication with higher management to resolve issues and provide updates
•    Accounting postings in ERP systems and ability to use other financial and operational tools used within the organization
•    Develop and maintain productive vendor relationships, handling vendor inquiries and issues and managing vendor payments and reconciliations
•    Managing the payments over the government portals across the region including but not limited to Noqodi top-up and SADAD payments
•    Cash flow management and keep track and reconciliation of regional Intra-company transactions
•    Managing Regional banking relationships including bank portals and corporate cards
•    Ability to meet the deadlines while maintaining high standard of accuracy and integrity in all financial operations
•    Assist in the month end process
•    Provide coverage as and when needed for the transactional teams
•    Work collaboratively to achieve results and process improvement
•    Any other general administration and ad hoc reporting

About you:

• The successful candidates will have a background in a similar role and have excellent organizational skills and high attention to detail. Preferable ACCA/CIMA/ICMA.
• You must have good IT skills with a strong understanding and evidence of using Excel.

Also required:

Client Service
•    Plans workload and is able to meet deadlines and priorities own work and support the team where necessary to priorities theirs, taking into account delivery expectations and agreed client service standards
•    Where required, acts as a point of contact to communicate with clients in a timely and professional manner to obtain information
•    Undertakes and delivers work within agreed timescales and service standards without being prompted
•    Develops strong working relationships with internal and external contacts and utilises all forms of communications in developing/strengthening relationships (i.e., email, phone, face to face) and can identify the appropriate method required
•    Assists in the review/improvement of methods/procedures of managing day to day relationships

Productivity, Accountability and Efficiency
•    Good eye for detail with ability to analysis root causes of issues
•    Can work under pressure and to tight deadlines
•    Able to act under instruction with limited management
•    Completes task within agreed timeframes / service standards

Communication
•    Generates clear, well-organized written work-product internally and externally
•    Able to effectively express oneself verbally in an articulate and polished manner
•    Strong listening skills
•    Uses communication skills to influence and achieve objectives

Teamwork and Personal Leadership
•    Accepts responsibility for their work output
•    Plays a key role within the team to promote an efficient and effective team culture
•    Liaises with the Manager on workload and suggests improvements / solutions
•    Adheres to the SRA Code of Conduct, FCPA and UK Bribery Act, in addition to any locally relevant legislation/guidelines as advised

Fragomen in Middle East:  

Within the Middle East region we have offices in United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia with an overall headcount of 200 employees. Across all the offices, there is a positive and collaborative working environment, with our immigration professionals partnering with our clients to help them manage their regional or global immigration programmes. Based in Dubai, you will work closely with the Managing Partner for MEA, who is also located there. 

Whether in the office or working remotely, we are proud of our team spirit and we like to reflect this in the way that we work and everything we do. Our Responsible Business Strategy (RBS) priorities Fragomen’s social responsibility through one cross-cutting theme and five focus areas. These focus areas include: Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion, Charity & Pro bono work, Social and Environmental & Sustainability. The RBS initiative offers great opportunities for everyone at Fragomen to get involved and help steer a variety of initiatives and activities at the Firm. These range from social events and activities, to regular wellbeing newsletters and diversity discussions.

Fragomen is committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity for all employees and applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, heritage, gender, age, religion, and disability.