Business Controller

The organization operates within the international engineering and manufacturing industry and has more than 40 years of experience in designing and delivering complex industrial projects. From its headquarters in the Netherlands, large-scale technical installations are prepared, executed, and commissioned worldwid

With approximately 350 employees and offices across Europe and Asia (including India, China, and Germany), the company operates in a highly international and project-driven environment with strong technical complexity.

The culture is informal, direct, and hands-on. People work closely together, take ownership, and value initiative, collaboration, and a no-nonsense mindset.

The role

The Business Controller plays a key role in further professionalizing the Finance & Control function. The focus is on improving the predictability of results, cash flow, and business performance, while acting as a true business partner to the CFO and management team.

The role is a 50/50 split between Financial Control and Business Control, combining responsibility for reporting and consolidation with business partnering and performance management.

You will operate in a complex international environment with multiple entities across Europe and Asia.

Key responsibilities

• Prepare, improve, and analyze periodic financial reports, forecasts, and budgets
• Prepare annual financial statements in cooperation with the external auditor (Deloitte)
• Prepare annual plans for international entities within the group
• Support finance teams in India, China, and Germany with reporting and financial control
• Consolidate financial results and prepare internal management reporting
• Monitor budgets, forecasts, and KPIs (including project performance and completion rates)
• Act as a sparring partner for the CFO and management team
• Contribute to risk management and margin improvement initiatives
• Work with Microsoft Dynamics 365 (cloud) and Excel-based consolidation models
• Support BI development and dashboarding together with the BI specialist
• Responsible for the monthly reporting cycle around the 10th/11th working day

International scope & travel

• India: approx. 4 times per year (1 week per visit)
• China: approx. 2 times per year (1 week per visit)
• Germany: 1–2 times per month (day trips)

Your profile

You are a strong, analytical, and independent finance professional with a proactive mindset. You thrive in an international, technical, and project-driven environment.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or similar
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Financial Control / Business Control
• Experience in international project-based environments (e.g. industry, engineering, construction, or oil & gas)
• Strong Excel skills and experience with ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a plus)
• Excellent command of English (must)
• Dutch or Afrikaans language skills are a plus
• Proactive, hands-on, and no-nonsense mindset
• Able to operate independently in a complex international organization

What makes you successful

You take ownership, are highly analytical, and do not wait to be told what to do. You actively seek collaboration, ask the right questions, and are able to translate complex financial data into clear and actionable insights for the business.

What we offer

• A challenging and broad Business Controller role in an international project organization
• Salary between €90,000 – €120,000 gross per year including holiday allowance
• Annual bonus scheme
• 4% CAO allowance and 2% year-end bonus (in addition to base salary structure)
• High level of autonomy and opportunity to shape the role
• International exposure (India, China, Germany)
• A technically complex and project-driven environment
• Professional but informal working culture with short communication lines
• Collaboration with an experienced finance team in a compact structure
• Strong development opportunities within Finance & Control and Business Partnering
• Modern systems including Microsoft Dynamics 365 and BI tooling

Team & context

You will be part of a finance team of approximately 6 people within a broader organization of around 110 employees in the Netherlands. The team includes project controllers, a GL accountant, and a project accountant. The organization is highly international, with around 25 nationalities represented.

Why this role is interesting

This is a unique opportunity to combine financial control, business control, and international exposure within a technically advanced project organization. You will have direct impact on management decision-making and significant autonomy to shape the role.

Robert Walters Netherlands is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.