Role Overview
We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join us as a Senior Finance Controller to work in a truly global environment, leading financial management, and statutory reporting accurately and on time, while adding value through stakeholder collaboration and delivering insightful FP&A data aligned with strategic objectives, reporting to the Finance Director. The role provides long term development potential for someone eager to demonstrate their skills and experience in the fast-paced soft commodities environment.
Business Overview
Volcafe Ltd is one of the world’s leading international green coffee trading companies, operating in over 20 countries globally. Our expertise spans green coffee procurement and preparation, sustainability, blending, quality control, risk management and export as well as importing and distribution. We supply the world’s major coffee roasters and retail distributors with their green coffee requirements, with significant strategic growth ambitions for the future. We are part of ED&F Man Commodities, a world leading trader of agricultural products including coffee, sugar, molasses and animal feed.
Volcafe works across the whole green coffee supply chain to make coffee business better, together with our partners and employees. We have built and operate sustainable coffee supply chains across all our origins, addressing key economic, social and environmental issues in coffee farming communities. Our Volcafe Way farmer support programme engages with thousands of coffee farmers and provides a holistic response to the challenges they face.
This role will be working for Gollücke & Rothfos, Volcafe’s company, with a hybrid or remote working option from our Bremen office in Germany.
Key Accountabilities
- End-to-end ownership of the financial control environment, including enterprise risk management, compliance with internal policies, external tax and regulatory requirements, and corporate reporting.
- Responsibility for accurate and timely financial and management reporting (IFRS & HGB), along with oversight of ERP systems and related financial processes.
- Ownership of historical financial and management reporting data, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for ongoing analysis and decision-making.
- Lead all regional FP&A activities, including financial analysis and forecasting, budgeting and variance analysis, working capital and balance sheet optimization, as well as providing actionable insights and ad-hoc support aligned with commercial strategies.
- Partner with the Finance Director to drive finance transformation, enhance cross-functional collaboration, and explore structured trade finance opportunities to contribute to the bottom line.
- Provide strategic leadership to build a high-performing finance team, while aligning short-term departmental goals with overall organizational strategy.
- Develop and mentor the finance team, acting as a mentor and leader within the finance team, developing talent and ensuring continuity in financial leadership.
- Cross-functional collaboration, integrating with various teams, working across departments beyond finance.
- Take ownership of finance processes and continuously improve systems to enhance efficiency, compliance, and strategic insights.
- Support data-driven decision-making by identifying trends, generating insights, and improving financial reporting processes.
Skills and Experience
- Professional qualification e.g., ACCA/ CMA/ CIMA/ CPA or relevant equivalent with current membership exceeding 3 years – ESSENTIAL.
- Bachelor’s degree desired, with an MBA in finance, accounting, or related field – ADVANTAGEOUS.
- Substantial and progressive experience in finance and accounting, with the at least 2-3 years of senior leadership within a finance department.
- Background in the commodity trading industry – HIGHLY DESIRABLE
- Manufacturing or FMCG industry background will also be considered
- Big four experience in audit ADVANTAGEOUS.
- Experience with financial modelling ADVANTAGEOUS.
- Experience with project management and IT implementations.
- A good team player with ability to work independently and lead cross functional teams.
- High attention to detail and open minded with a quick learning curve.
- Strong analytical mindset with an interest in process automation and reporting improvements.
- Excellent command of English and German; fluent in both written and verbal communication ESSENTIAL.
- Ability to work with diverse cultures.
We recognise that talent comes in many forms, and we value potential just as much as experience. If this role excites you but you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.
Our Offer
We provide a fast-paced, stimulating and truly global environment, which will stretch your abilities and channel your talents. We also offer competitive salary and benefits combined with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the global leaders in soft commodity trading.
Our Values
Respect, Integrity, Meritocracy, Client Focus, Entrepreneurship
Our values define who we are. They are the fundamental beliefs that determine our actions and guide our behaviour. They influence the way we communicate and collaborate, and define the way we engage with our clients, partners, and communities. Our values are underpinned by a set of essential behaviours, which form part of our performance management approach. Delivering on our objectives is very much about ‘what’ we do, but these essential behaviours also provide a guide and measure for ‘how’ we do things. Our performance essentials are Take Initiative, Self‐Management, Deliver Results and Collaboration.
Our Commitment
We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and are focussed on actively building and developing diverse teams. All qualified applicants will receive equal treatment without regard to race, colour, sex, gender, age, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, marital or civil partner status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment (identity, gender expression), genetic information or any characteristic protected by local law.
