Business Controller, Travel Retail Asia Pacific

Ready to bring passion into your career

Clarins Group is a trusted French family-owned company a leader in skincare and make-up operating in more than 150 countries.

We are looking for a Business Controller Travel Retail APAC

About the Job

The Business Controller TR APAC is the strategic finance partner to the TR APAC leadership team driving business performance through financial insight rigorous governance and sharp decision support. The role leads budgeting forecasting reporting data management S&OP validation and cash stewardship while ensuring clarity alignment and value creation across all markets and functions.

Mission 1: Strategic Finance Partnering & Decision Support

• Act as a trusted advisor to the Travel Retail APAC President and Heads of Departments (HODs) challenging assumptions validating business cases and translating strategy into financial outcomes.
• Build robust financial models and ROI evaluations for launches retail investments pricing Capex Field labor productivity etc. with clear go/no-go recommendations.
• Provide forward-looking insights linking operational drivers to P&L cash and balance sheet.
• Drive optimal resource allocation to maximize return on investment and overall business efficiency
• Maintain strong relationships across all departments within and outside Travel Retail to accelerate informed and aligned decisions.

Mission 2: Planning Budgeting & Business Reviews

• Lead the full FP&A cycle: Budget (N1) rolling forecasts (re-estimates) and multi-year plans setting clear targets assumptions and performance boundaries.
• Form an independent financial perspective on risks opportunities and expected landing versus target.
• Spearhead the creation of budget and business review presentations ensuring synthesis cross-functional alignment and high-impact executive storytelling and decision making.
• Co-lead the S&OP financial governance ensuring consistency of demand vs financial targets sell-in/sell-out phasing; anticipating stock quality risks challenging POP consumption and any other relevant matters.
• Closely collaborate with the regional FP&A and accounting team to ensure transparency and fairness (inventory cost allocation shared service cost allocations etc.)

Mission 3: Reporting Excellence & Performance Insights

• Support Group reporting submissions (HFM and others) with high standards of accuracy and compliance (OTIF mindset: On Time in Full) while collaborating closely with the regional APAC FP&A and Corporate Finance teams.
• Deliver sharp and timely variance analyses versus budget re-estimates past years and YTG identifying risks and proposing mitigation strategies.
• Design enhance and maintain KPI dashboards and reporting tools for instant reliable visibility on business performance (e.g. Sell Out Sell In & Retailers Inventories files Market trends Itemized SO Itemized Net Invoicing Daxium retail management tool budget trackers P&Ls Labor costs T&E BI tool etc.)
• Prepare monthly management accounts for the HODs and monitor P&L by operator geography franchise and any other relevant granularity.
• Monitor margin and trade spend commitments; advise on impacts of mix FX cost changes and retailer negotiations.
• Strengthen financial intelligence across APAC teams simplifying financial concepts and building business acumen.
• Ensure consistency alignment and data integrity across all regional performance reporting streams

Mission 4: Cash Balance Sheet and Credit Stewardship

• Drive end-to-end cash optimisation (e.g. DSO DPO inventory health) including capex planning and working capital levers.
• Steer accounting teams on Balance Sheet integrity and monthly cash budget accuracy detecting and correcting slippages.
• Partner with Credit Management on limit setting payment terms and collection priorities to protect cash.

Mission 5: Governance Compliance & Process Excellence

• Ensure robust adherence to internal controls financial policies and statutory requirements; act as legal coordinator for customer and supplier contracts.
• Co-lead internal and external audits with Regional teams and ensure continuity of audit tax and Travel Retail legal processes.
• Lead finance process improvements (including Procure-to-Pay in WD M3) standardization and change management across the region.
• Support Controlling and Pricing teams with data integrity decision frameworks and best-practice sharing with Regional/Global counterparts.

Mission 6: Any other ad hoc analysis & missions to support the business

About you:

Education/Degree or equivalent:

• Finance & Business Degree (Bachelor or Master degree)

Background including total years of experience:

• Minimum 7 years working relevant working experience in Financial Controlling or financial planning & analysis

Soft and Leadership Skills:

• Exposure to people management with responsibility for supervising and supporting one team member.
• Display a high degree of responsibility integrity attentive to details with an investigative nature.
• Show an entrepreneurship mindset and challenge the existing seeking for perfection
• Capacity to lead projects with stakeholders from various expertise background and cultures.
• Ability to clearly explain financial concepts in lay terms for non-financial collaborators.
• High level of initiative with an ability to commission deploy and monitor effectiveness.
• People Communication and Leadership skills with an ability to influence management.
• Time management efficiency and capable of prioritizing ability to balance the demands of work with study commitments

Technical Skills:

• Advanced in Microsoft Excel (with lengthy and complex formulas)
• Excellent Power Point presentation skills
• Ability to work with large database
• Have a good understanding of multidimensional database usage (for BIA/Cube usage)
• Have a good understanding of system flows in general
• Show high productivity on computer usage

About the benefits:

• 71 years of expertise in beauty and spa with the Clarins and myBlend brands
• Unique products and innovative services
• A commitment to Social & Environmental Responsibility embedded in our raison dêtre
• A caring and inclusive corporate culture
• Development and training opportunities
• Attractive compensation and benefits
• A flexible work environment with up to 1 day of remote working per week

If you have a curious mind a thirst to go further and the drive to boldly take on new challenges join us.

About Clarins Group

A B-Corp certified global leading skincare and make-up company Clarins group is the embodiment of a committed family history with a fierce passion for innovation and spirit of independence. Our purpose making life more beautiful passing on a more beautiful planet is a core commitment outlined in our by-laws.

Operating in more than 150 countries thanks to our 8000 employees worldwide we are now the number one skincare company in Europe and are accelerating our development on all other continents particularly in Asia and the Americas.

In line with our dual CSR mission of Caring for people caring for the planet we take pride in offering a rewarding yet challenging work environment where everyone can thrive.

This culture allowed us to achieve the certification of Forbes Worlds Best Employers 2024 Forbes Worlds Best Employers 2024 for Women.

To learn more about our group and our commitments to people visit .

Equal opportunity employer

We believe in making life more beautiful for our employees and our customers.

Inclusion and diversity are firmly grounded in our core values. We strive to achieve inclusiveness and we foster an equal-opportunity culture where everyone can reach their full potential and do their best

work.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are a member of the ILO (International Labor Organization) and the Employers Network for Equity and Inclusion (ENEI).