Manager Business Finance - Cost Management
Qatar Airways
Total years of experience :20 years, 11 Months
Work directly with a wide-range of businesses at different stages, with varying degrees of experience and sophistication within a variety of industries.
Work closely with the Vice President of Financial Control to execute day to day tactical cost management efforts and to provide technical assistance to QR department and its subsidiaries. Provide oversight and direction to other strategic cost and investment initiatives dedicated to delivering innovation, process excellence and transformation, by reviewing business case proposals (for CAPEX and OPEX) through a rigorous, robust and watertight review on a Group Level. Provide advisory and consultation to the business units, and will provide cost management analysis on what is wanted vs. what is required.
System enhancement and rollout, such as CMC summary automation, CMC meetings.
Lead-time improvement - Reducing the processing to approval time from 60 days to an average of 30 days
Cost Management Committee is a combination of C Level and Senior Vice presidents of Qatar Airways, a total of 6 members)
Responsible for the management of all Account Payable accounts for Head office/Outstation. Responsible to keep a check on monthly payables activity while managing a team of 50 members, making sure that validation, payment, and reporting activities are carried out per specified dates with full compliance to Finance policies & SOP’s.
• Manage reconciliation and improve process and efficiency for payment
• Establish and maintain internal financial control procedure to ensure veracity of payments
• Develop and recommend policies and procedures to govern payments
• Plan, schedule and direct the work of the accounts payable department
• Ensure accurate maintenance of Accounts Payable ledger
• Work with Contracts and Procurement to ensure best payment terms
• Implementing of e-invoicing and take the department from the manual processing to electronic environment
• Part of the IATA e-invoicing Taskforce team
Achievements
• Savings of approximately QAR 1 Mil due to early payment discount
• Automate the AP process from the time invoices been received via e-mail till payment
• Implementation of e-invoicing fully for Aircraft fuel invoices, automated booking, verification and payment
• Implementation of Edocs, (electronic archival) for invoices and payment, which return annual saving of approximately QAR 100K due to no need of stores
• IATA SIS e-invoicing, being part of the taskforce team and the representative on behalf of QR, am working closely with IATA on the implementation of SIS e-invoicing to all types of supplier
• Implementing if AP Mobile application
• Implementing AP invoices WF service confirmation approval through ERP (Oracle)
• Implementing Contract management system and synopsis
• Regularize the process in AP through SOP and Policies
• Implementation of JDs and Checklist to AP Staff
• Implementation of electronic payments to all kind of suppliers and to all countries
Designation Chronology
• Oct' 11 - Dec-12: Central Account Manager
• May '10 - Sep '11 : Area Jordan Accounting Manager
• Jun '09 - April '10 : Airport Accounting Manager
Central Accounting Department
Key Current Responsibilities
•Obtain and maintain a thorough understanding of the financial reporting and general ledger structure.
•Ensure an accurate and timely monthly, quarterly and year end close.
•Ensure the timely reporting of all monthly financial information.
•Assist the Controller in the daily banking requirements.
•Ensure the accurate and timely processing of positive pay transactions.
•Ensure the monthly and quarterly Bank Compliance activities are performed in a timely and accurate manner.
•Supports budget and forecasting activities.
•Collaborates with the other finance department managers to support overall department goals and objectives.
•Monitors and analyzes department work to develop more efficient procedures and use of resources while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
•Advises staff regarding the handling of non-routine reporting transactions.
•Responds to inquiries from the CFO, Controller, and other finance and firm wide managers regarding financial results, special reporting requests and the like.
•Supervise the general ledger group to ensure all financial reporting deadlines are met.
•Assist in development and implementation of new procedures and features to enhance the workflow of the department.
•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 goals and objectives for each year and monitor and advise on the progress to enhance the professional development of staff.
•Support Controller with special projects and workflow process improvements.
Key Responsibilities
• Follow up the account receivables function from issuing the invoices to collections (Airport Handling, Cargo and Tickets)
• Follow up expenses, such Catering, Airports handling, Technical, Inflight expenses, Fuel and overflying etc.
Achievements
• Automate the AR function (Handling and Cargo) and interface with the financial system oracle
• Automate the expenses such catering and Overflying with operations using the ADFR files.
• Automate the Fuel expense with procurement, to result accurate controlling and insure on time payment
The organization is a global leader in container terminal operations.
Designation Chronology
• Feb '08 - Jun'09 : Cost & Financial Controller
• May '07 - Feb '08 : Chief Accountant
• Sept '06 - April '07 : MIS Executive
• July '05 - Aug '06 : Accountant (Account Payable),
• Sept '04 - June '05 : Accountant Associate
Highlight:
•Controlled Variable and Fixed costs achieving USD 820k in all cost saving projects.
•Targeted USD 1.8 Mil for cost saving during 2009, and12% achieved during Jan-Feb 2009.
•Implement Activity Based Costing (ABC) Reports.
•Setup Management and BoD reporting package.
•Manage one FTE, responsible of financial controlling function.
Key Responsibilities
•Directing and controlling financial resources of the company, establishing accounting policies/procedures to ensure that all financial transactions comply with generally accepted accounting principles.
•Preparing business plans with full financial, cost analysis, qualitative and quantitative analysis, financial modeling, and performance matrices.
•Managing budgeting and financial planning process, including annual budget, periodic re-forecasts, and regular measurement of performance against budget targets.
•Maintaining standard costs in the business systems, analyzing cost reports, recommending effective cost control methodologies to the management and implementing the same.
•Steering the finance team by providing them with leadership and guidance as well as driving process/system enhancements to improve performance and output.
•Reporting of commercial the Operations figures Manager towards to head and reigonal offices.
•Preparation of costs reports to top management team showing gaps and give recommendations to have better saving and process improvements.
Key Highlights & Responsibilities as Chief Accountant (May '07 - Feb '08)
• Conducted risk management assessment workshop for ACT Depts.
• Was part of the core team for PEX (Process Excellence), achieved reduction in purchase lead time from 31 to 18 days/ in collection period (4 days- shipping agents, 24 hrs-collection agents).
• Directed financial accounting activities such as: invoicing, refunds, payroll, collection of accounts receivable, payment of suppliers/contractors.
• Prepared income/ balance sheet statements, consolidated statements and reports, analyzed/reported to senior management.
• Monitored/managed banking relationships, including cash flow, short / long term debts, internal controls authorizing client credit limits, local purchases, fixed asset purchases, and petty cash expenses.
• Analyzed KPI, established financial benchmarks of acceptable performance, initiated corrective actions in procedures, confirming they meet business objectives.
Key Highlights & Responsibilities as MIS Executive (Sept '06 - Apr '07):
• Spearheaded the implementation of IFS system. Was a super user/ troubleshooter for all its modules.
• Devised highly efficient closing procedure to reduce monthly closing cycle to 3rd of the month.
• Analyzed cost/benefits of proposals by establishing decision criteria, performed through research, ensured accuracy of assessments to confirm that decisions made regarding IT system facilitate achievement of immediate and long-term goals.
• Identified IT systems requirements, coordinated design, planning and other system decisions.Specifically involved in set up of inventory and purchase process through physical verification and warehouse management.
• Prepared and evaluated KPIs, recommended reporting standards/ processes compliant with Global container business management reporting standards.
• Performed financial analysis, assisted budgeting, monitored accounting in ERP systems and handled DB2RRIS and HYPERION reporting.
Key Responsibilities as Accountant - Accounts Payable (July '05 - Aug '06)
• Expounded policies and procedures for accounts payable, supervised accounts payable processes including - maintaining records of amounts owed, verifying invoices, computing discounts, coding expenses, and preparing vouchers.
• Processed full-cycle accounts payable, ensured timely and accurate payment of vendor invoices and reviewed/analyzed aging and other AP reports.
• Liaised and built relationships with all vendors, handled all collection matters and vendor issues.
Key Responsibilities as Accountant Associate (Sept '04 - June '05):
• Maintained all accounting books, journal entries and general ledgers, handled month-end/year-end closings, assisted in cash flow projections and forecasting, ensured conformity/ compliance with company policies/ internal controls for all processes.
• Functioned as team leader in stores counting process, coordinated the process and ensured accuracy of all balances in the system and books.
• Prepared management accounts/ reports, financial analysis and various consolidated reports.
Previous Work Experience:
Dec 2003 - Aug 2004: Teller and Cash Controller - National Bank Of Jordan
Responsibilities:
• Managed the cash counter, handled currency exchanges and daily reconciliation of cash to match system balance.
• Entered cash/ cheque transactions in the system. Interacted with customers to provide balance and other account related information and resolved their queries.
Managing Clients accounts
Accountant part time job
Other Professional Trainings and Certifications • Practical Accounting Course –Amman – Jordan • Certified in Letter (s) of Credit – Aqaba – Jordan • Certified in Cheque legality – Aqaba - Jordan • Certified In (IFS) – Aqaba – Jordan • Presenting a Financial Case – Amman – Jordan • Hyperion Financial Management / HFM– Sri Lnaka 2006, Dubai 2007 • Risk Management – Aqaba - Jordan • Certified In Process Excellence & Six Sigma • Business Writing - NYIT, Jordan • Performance Appraisals (PA) Maersk Training Center, Aqaba • On Line GTDP Course. • Certified Stakeholder Management - Aqaba - Jordan