Chief Accounting Officer – Egypt & Saudi Arabia

About Artelia  Artelia is an international, multidisciplinary consulting, engineering, and project management  group, providing services across key sectors including mobility, water, energy, buildings, and  industry. The Group supports clients throughout the full life cycle of their projects, from consulting  and design to project management and implementation, with a strong focus on sustainable,  practical, and high-quality solutions.  Role Purpose The Chief Accounting Officer will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating the full  accounting, tax, administrative, banking, treasury, and reporting activities for the company’s  entities in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The role requires a hands-on, highly reliable, and deadline-driven  finance professional capable of operating in an international environment and ensuring accurate,  timely, and compliant financial operations in line with local regulations, group policies, and internal  control requirements.  Key Responsibilities Accounting and Bookkeeping  Manage day-to-day accounting operations for Egypt and Saudi Arabia entities,  ensuring complete, accurate, and timely bookkeeping.   Record and review accounting entries, including general ledger, accounts payable,  accounts receivable, accruals, provisions, reconciliations, and intercompany  transactions.   Ensure proper documentation, filing, and audit trail for all financial transactions.   Maintain accounting records in accordance with local statutory requirements,  applicable accounting standards, and group policies.  Payment Processing, Invoicing, and Collections  Prepare, review, and process supplier payments, employee reimbursements, and  other disbursements in accordance with approval workflows and payment  deadlines.   Coordinate customer invoicing, ensuring invoices are accurate, complete, and  issued on time in line with project milestones and contractual requirements.   Monitor accounts receivable, follow up on overdue balances, and support cash  collection efforts in coordination with project and operational teams.  Perform regular bank, customer, supplier, and intercompany reconciliations.  Tax Compliance and Statutory Requirements  Ensure timely preparation, review, and submission of all tax declarations and  statutory filings in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, including VAT, withholding tax, corporate  tax, social insurance, and other applicable obligations.   Manage and coordinate the relationship with external auditors, tax advisors, and  local authorities, ensuring timely provision of information, smooth audit execution,  and effective resolution of audit queries.  Monitor changes in tax and regulatory requirements and assess their impact on the  company’s operations.   Support statutory audits, tax inspections, and compliance reviews by preparing  required schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.  Reporting and Financial Control  Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting packages for the Regional  Finance Director and group finance teams.   Ensure reporting is accurate, complete, and submitted within frequent and stringent  deadlines.   Analyze accounting data, identify variances or unusual movements, and provide  clear explanations to support management review.   Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, cash flow planning, and financial performance  monitoring when required.   Support the implementation and maintenance of strong internal controls,  accounting procedures, and finance processes.  Banking, Cash, and Treasury Management  Manage day-to-day banking relationships and coordinate banking operations for  Egypt and Saudi Arabia entities.   Monitor cash positions, prepare short-term cash flow forecasts, and support  treasury planning.   Ensure timely execution of payments, transfers, bank documentation, guarantees,  and other treasury-related matters.   Maintain effective controls over bank accounts, signatories, access rights, and cash  management processes.  Administrative Operations  Coordinate administrative processes linked to the legal entities, including medical  insurance, social insurance, office management, telecom services, logistics,  supplier administration, and local registrations where applicable.   Ensure administrative procedures are properly documented, compliant, and aligned  with company standards.   Liaise with local service providers, consultants, banks, authorities, and internal  departments to ensure smooth operational support.   Support contract administration, document collection, archiving, and compliance  documentation as required.  Cross-Functional Coordination  Work closely with project managers, operations teams, HR, legal, procurement, and  group finance to ensure financial and administrative matters are handled efficiently.  Act as a key local finance contact for Egypt and Saudi Arabia entities while  maintaining regular communication with the Regional Finance Director.   Contribute to process improvements, standardization, and automation initiatives to  enhance reliability, control, and efficiency. Required Profile  Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related  field; a professional qualification such as CPA, ACCA, CMA, or equivalent would be  an advantage.   10 to 15 years of progressive accounting and finance experience, ideally including  exposure to multinational or international companies.   Strong knowledge of accounting principles, statutory reporting requirements, tax  compliance, and local administrative practices in Egypt and/or Saudi Arabia.   Experience in engineering consultancy, project-based businesses, construction,  infrastructure, or professional services would be highly valued.   Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, and meet  frequent, strict, and non-negotiable deadlines.   Strong command of English and Arabic, both written and spoken; French would be  an additional advantage depending on group requirements.   Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with ERP/accounting  systems.   High level of integrity, confidentiality, accuracy, ownership, and attention to detail.  Key Competencies  Hands-on accounting expertise and strong operational discipline.   Excellent organizational and time-management skills.   Ability to work independently without direct reports while coordinating effectively  with multiple stakeholders.   Strong analytical mindset and problem-solving capability.   Clear communication skills with the ability to explain financial matters to non finance stakeholders.   Resilience and reliability in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.   Strong service orientation and ability to support both finance and administrative  needs of local entities.  Role Success Factors  Reliable and timely monthly closing and reporting for Egypt and Saudi Arabia  entities.   Full compliance with tax, statutory, banking, and administrative obligations.   Accurate bookkeeping and strong documentation standards.   Effective cash, payment, invoicing, and collection follow-up.   Smooth coordination with local stakeholders, external advisors, auditors, and group  finance teams.   Continuous improvement of finance and administrative processes.