Job description
Role Summary:
The APAC Cost Manager role is responsible to manage a team of FPA Analysts supporting various cost activities, including market month-end closing submission, monthly forecasting process, annual budget process, cost recognition & analysis and other ad hoc reporting. Optimizing GFS Target Operating Model, driving standardization and automation while embedding high performance culture is key to success.
The APAC Cost Manager will report to EMAP Regional FP&A, APAC Revenue & Cost Senior Manager in Malaysia and manage a team of 7.
Key Responsibilities:
Managing the team
· Develop a high performing team, with clear progression and succession plan.
· Lead initiatives to upskill team members for complex roles, reduce manual processing, and strengthen analytical capabilities.
· Be role model, you will instill a robust culture of knowledge sharing and working together as well as implementing clear metrics to measure the success of the overall team.
· Manage Team KPI’s and take accountability and ownership of issues that arise.
Empower Advocate and Stakeholder Management
· Develop and coach analysts to increase efficiency and deliver high-quality, insight-driven support to business stakeholders.
· Optimize Target Operating Model through redesigning processes, roles, and workflows to enhance operational efficiency, scalability, and cross-functional collaboration.
· Liaise frequently with other GFS managers to ensure that regional processes are being managed optimally.
· Regular calls with defined stakeholders to resolve outstanding actions. Feedback on team’s performance.
Cost Planning & Analysis Activities
· Managed APAC cost activities and ensure that all regional/global deadlines are met.
· Provide day-to-day support and guidance to the team, ensuring that the regional agenda and guidance is clearly understood and that any exceptions or anomalies are identified at an early stage.
· Leading the Labour TOM support model with Sofia team.
· Drive fast close and fast forecast initiatives through manual journal reduction and forecast model automation.
· Build and maintain robust financial models for cost recognition, budgeting, financial management and analysis to support regional decision making.
· Ensure cost transactions are compliant with Group policy, are suitably documented/evidenced and (where appropriate) monitored at appropriate intervals.
· Champion the adoption and effective use of emerging technologies, including GenAI.
· Continually identify process and report improvements that improve quality of deliverables in the finance cost function.
· Drive a culture of robust operation performance throughout the business by working with the countries to improve consistency and accuracy, especially in support of Finance / Transformation projects and initiatives.
More About you:
The role is high-profile with frequent exposure to senior management (both in Finance and across the wider business). The successful applicant will need to be presentable, confident, and articulate. Ability to work to tight deadlines is a fundamental requirement.
More About you: (Job requirement)
· Substantial and demonstrable experience in a Leadership role with people management skills within a global organization.
· A results-focused, hands-on individual, with an analytical mindset and a track record of developing and implementing new processes and controls – all delivered with a strong Customer and Service focus.
· A proactive approach to providing updates & feedback to more senior members of the team.
· Strong Interpersonal & Communication skills – oral and written – particularly in a multi-national environment.
· Able to communicate across all levels of an organization.
· Able to influence a broad range of stakeholders within the finance community.
· A strong courage of conviction, particularly in times of technical ambiguity and/or when under challenge from stakeholders.
· Strong accounting knowledge and experience in providing sound technical accounting judgement.
· Deep knowledge/awareness of the Experian finance systems, especially those relating to cost accounting, forecasting & Group financial consolidation.
· Good understanding of the Experian global business and its various products and services.
