head, finance operations

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Today, the RSPO is a global, non-profit organisation with over 6,000 voluntary members across 104 countries and territories, representing every link in the supply chain: oil palm producers, palm oil processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social or developmental NGOs.

At RSPO, we believe that our success is built by the passion, dedication, skills, and expertise of our people. They are the ones who drive our organisation to new heights and guide us through the next phase of our development.

This role is responsible for overseeing the end-to-end financial operations of the organisation, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and strong governance across all transactional finance processes. This role provides strategic leadership in driving process improvements, managing operational risks, and ensuring timely and compliant financial activities related to Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, cash management, and other core finance operations.

The location of this role is Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties include but will not be limited to the following:

Financial Operations Management

• Oversee timely and accurate processing of invoices, payments, collections, and billing.
• Ensure accurate reconciliation of accounts and resolution of discrepancies.
• Monitor cash flow activities related to Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable cycles.

Reporting & Analysis

• Provide regular operational performance reports, dashboards, and insights.
• Track KPIs such as payment turnaround time, debtors turnover days, collection rate, aging analysis, automation effectiveness, etc.
• Identify operational risks and propose mitigation strategies.
• Support month end and year end closing activities.
• Support compliance with direct and indirect taxes.

Process Improvements & Internal Controls

• Drive automation and system enhancements to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Implement and strengthen internal controls across all finance operations.
• Ensure segregation of duties, particularly between invoice & payment processing and payment approvals.
• Ensure compliance with finance policies and procedures, accounting standards and internal controls.
• Support internal and external audit requests by providing documents and explanations.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth finance workflows.
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for operational finance issues.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders on process alignment and reporting requirements.

Leadership & Management

• Lead, train and develop the Finance Operations team to ensure high productivity and accuracy.
• Allocate tasks and oversee day-to-day workload distribution.
• Establish clear performance expectations, workflows, and service-level standards.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Apart from the duties stated above, to perform any such duties reasonably assigned.

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT

Education

• University degree in accounting and finance, preferably with professional qualification as a qualified accountant

Experience

• At least 10 years of of relevant finance operations experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable processes, internal controls, and financial systems.
• Proven experience in process automation, system implementation, or finance transformation projects.

Technical and Professional Knowledge

• Strong accounting technical skills
• Deep understanding of operational risks and financial controls.
• Strong technical accounting skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills including verbal and written communication
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Strategic and analytical mindset.
• Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to drive change and lead cross-functional initiatives.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and interact with different stakeholders
• Ability to prioritise tasks, detail oriented and good organisational skills.
• High integrity and a good team player

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants are invited to send in their updated CV giving comprehensive details of educational background, work experience, and related achievements to Please state "Job Application – Head, Finance Operations" in your email subject line.

**RSPO is an equal opportunity employer. Due to the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be notified.