The Head of Shared Services (HSS) is responsible for overseeing the strategic and operational management of the Finance, Accounting, Payroll, Administration, Telecommunication, Insurance, and Information Technology functions within Gravitas Global, as well as the organization’s External Audit, Annual Reports, VAT, and Corporate Tax workflows and activities in Lebanon, the UAE, and The Netherlands. These integrated functions and workflows are hereby referred to as GGSS (Gravitas Global Shared Services).

The HSS leadership role involves driving efficiency and effectiveness across the GGSS, ensuring they are delivered effectively, meet organizational goals, and align with overall business strategies. As such, the HSS reports directly into the organization’s job top, and collaborates closely with its vertical directors.

The HSS incumbent is expected to act as a Finance & Accounting Manager first and foremost (~60% utilization). The incumbent is also required to seamlessly coordinate workstreams adjacent to Finance & Accounting with both internal/insourced colleagues/stakeholders and external/outsourced vendors / providers (~40% utilization). This includes, but is not limited to, an internal Accounting & Finance Specialist, an external Accounting & Finance Advisor, outsourced IT Advisor & Specialist, and numerous SLAs with various vendors (e.g., insurance provider, telco operator, etc.).

Gravitas Global is a growing organization housing an international community and operating a business model that is unique to the EMEA region. As such, the HSS is expected to consistently demonstrate adaptive agility underpinned by executive maturity. Service excellence and people centricity are non-negotiables.

Position Responsibilities

Strategic Alignment

• Develop and implement strategies to optimize the GGSS, as well as related workflows with external parties.
• Align GGSS strategies with organizational goals and objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.

Finance & Accounting Oversight

• Lead and operate the organization’s Microsoft Dynamics 360 Business Central (MSD360BC) ecosystem in its first year post go-live, in partnership with P&L owners and revenue managers.
• Oversee the maintenance of legacy Accounting & Finance workflows while complete migration to MSD360BC is finalized, including but not limited to mostly Excel-based accounting ledgers, payroll workbooks, and project economics.
• Operate a time-efficient workflow of project economics pertaining to Purchase Orders and Sales Invoices, along with related external reporting to client stakeholders.
• Lead financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes.
• Oversee financial reporting, accounting operations, and internal controls.
• Manage cash flow, investment activities, and financial risk mitigation strategies.
• Manage tax matters with internal and external stakeholders pertaining to VAT, WHT, and other requirements that vary by geography.

Payroll Management

• Manage the monthly payroll cycles for all Gravitas Global workforce types.
• Manage payments of all external/outsourced vendors/providers.
• Manage banking relationships and operate banking platforms.

Administration Management

• Oversee office management, including facility management, travel bookings, visa issuance, and asset management.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies and procedures related to administrative functions.

Information Technology Management

• Manage the entirely outsourced IT function comprising of an end-to-end service provider housing an IT Advisor and an IT Specialist.

Insurance Management

• Oversee the management of all insurance policies in place.
• Ensure timely renewals, claims management, and compliance with insurance regulations.
• Negotiate with insurance providers to secure favorable terms and coverage, aligned with the Gravitas Global needs.

Telecommunication Management

• Manage the end-to-end service provision of mobile devices and subscriptions, predominately with MTC Touch (Lebanon).

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure adherence to relevant regulations, standards, and best practices.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with functions and workflows under GGSS.

Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with senior leadership to support business development and operational strategies.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders, including partners, vendors, and financial institutions, to ensure service excellence and compliance.

Team Leadership

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team across Shared Services, in a hybrid setup of both internal and external team, both members, domestically and overseas.
• Foster a collaborative and results-oriented work environment.
• Set performance targets and ensure achievement of functional goals.

Qualifications

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Financial Engineering, or a related field. MA/MBA or relevant professional certification (e.g., CPA, CFA) is preferred.
• Experience: Ideally 10+ years of progressive experience in Finance and Business Management, with a strong background in Finance & Accounting. Ideally 5+ years of people management experience. Experience in overseeing Administration and IT functions is desirable.
• Languages: Advanced working proficiency in English and Arabic.