Top 5 most in-demand accounting & finance jobs in Malaysia

find out what the top employers are looking for

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The best opportunities are generally not found on job boards, but on specialist recruitment websites like Randstad’s.

Take a look at some of our latest accounting & finance jobs.

shared services

What employers are looking for:● Experience with R2R, P2P, O2C● Chartered accountants preferable● Preferably from SSC experience● Big 4 will be considered

head of finance shared services

What you can earn:

MYR 240,000 - MYR 300,000 per annum, excluding bonuses

Malaysia has seen an influx of MNCs setting up their shared services centres in the country in recent years. Strong government support, a skilled talent pool, first world infrastructure, and strategic location have been key factors that have been driving the influx of these organisations.

The role of finance shared service professionals set-up the back office department for these large MNCs in Malaysia. A finance shared service professional will assess trends and best practices and proactively implement solutions to drive business success.

Growing numbers of organisations in Malaysia are predominantly implementing finance shared services, to consolidate all accounting functions into a one stop centre, making it a centre of excellence (COE) which is made up of finance functions and roles to increase efficiencies to promote cost savings and optimize profits.

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chief finance officer

chief finance officer

What employers are looking for:● Corporate Finance● Financial reporting skills● System implementations● Commercial business acumen● IPO experience (for public listed

companies)

What you can earn:CFOs - MYR 360, 000 - MYR 480, 000 per annum, excluding bonusesGroup CFOs - MYR 600,000 - MYR 840, 000 per annum, excluding bonuses

A Chief Finance Officer (CFO) is the senior executive in charge of the financial activities of an organisation, providing high quality strategic and technical advice. Their responsibilities comprise all finance-related decisions within the organisation; including investment, tax planning, financing and dividend policy. The CFO of an organization is intimately involved with treasury operations, tax planning, financial control, management reporting and oversee the overall development of a finance team.

Traditionally, the CFO role was involved in recording and reporting, but now the CFO is expected to contribute to the strategic assessment of the company, initiate corporate strategies and in some cases, to lead those strategic efforts.

Malaysia has seen an increasing trend of international players looking towards acquisitions as a possible option to accompany their expansion and acquisition activities. With the surge in transition and mergers, companies need capable CFOs to take on and refurbish the finance department and rebuild the finance team. Companies face a lot of challenges in times of financial crisis and merges. These challenges require companies to focus on cost, risk and cash-flow management — three areas that fall squarely within the CFO’s skill-set.

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financial controller

financial controller

What you can earn:MYR 216,000 - MYR 300,000 per annum, excluding bonuses

Financial controllers are responsible for the monthly, quarterly and annual management of financial

accounts. They look after the financial reporting for the business and tend to be the CFO’s

second-in-command. Their role is to manage the company’s transactions, such as accounts payable,

receivable, payroll, control accounts and general operational finance.

While CFOs are regarded as the strategists that help with decision-making, financial controllers are

considered to be the deliverers of those strategies. Their key roles include managing and maintaining

day-to-day cash flow and accounting practices, managing accounting department and implementing

and understanding accounting software.

It is necessary to recognize the difference between a controller and an accountant. A controller is

supplementary to an accountant, and they can supervise your accountants and their work as well as

help managing your accounting or finance department much more fluidly.

As more companies seek to integrate the finance function as a strategic part of their plans for growth,

there is more demand for those who can effectively fill this role. It is not simply that financial controller

jobs are becoming more prevalent, either. They are also attracting more remuneration, more

responsibility and a higher calibre of applicant.

A lot of companies are setting up shared services business models to reduce costs and to promote

efficiencies in an organization. Financial controllers are needed to implement new systems and SOPs to

get things in order. Other than implementing new procedures and policies, financial controllers also

manage and comply with local, state, and federal government reporting requirements and tax filings.

What employers are looking for:

● Full set of accounts● Systems savvy (SAP, Oracle, US Gap,

ERP, Microsoft Dynamics)

Tip

The best opportunities are generally not found on job boards, but on specialist recruitment websites like Randstad’s.

Take a look at some of our latest accounting & finance jobs.

finance managers

finance manager

Managing finances is the root of all major business decisions and the role of a finance manager is pivotal to the success of any organisation. A finance manager is responsible for delivering financial guidance and support to clients and colleagues so they can make sturdy business decisions.

Finance Managers typically report to Finance Controllers. Their responsibilities revolve around running the accounts department and financial reporting. Finance managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They are required to produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies and execute the long-term financial goals of their organization.

Malaysia is currently undergoing a period of economic uncertainty and companies are undergoing corporate restructuring to revitalise struggling operations. During this restructuring period, companies need skilled Chartered Accountants to help grow the finance team.

Key skills needed:● Financial modelling● Budgeting, forecasting, reporting ● IFRS (for preferable for MNCs) and

MFRS

What you can earn:

MYR 120,000 - MYR 180,000 per annum, excluding bonuses

Tip

The best opportunities are generally not found on job boards, but on specialist recruitment websites like Randstad’s.

Take a look at some of our latest accounting & finance jobs.

tax managers

Key skills needed:● Transfer Pricing● Big 4 preferable● Regional exposure

tax managers

A Tax Manager will usually be found in larger organisations and their role is to answer all issues relating to tax rules and legislations and what effects they will have on their business. They take a proactive approach - looking to the future of the business to see where they can save the business tax dollars. Their typical profile includes experience from Big 4 or larger 2nd tier firms and have fully up to date tax and regulations expertise.

A Tax Manager is responsible for going through company financials and tax documents to work out the company’s tax obligations. Their role involves a lot of compliance related work, which will predominantly include company tax, FBT and GST.

With growing numbers of businesses going global, more firms are seeking for tax professionals with international tax backgrounds. The demand for tax accountants is not predicted to slump anytime soon due to companies that are largely dealing with necessary government tax documents, ensuring these are completely accurate, and providing solutions

to any tax-related issues that arise.

What you can earn:

Managers - MYR 120,000 - MYR 180,000 per annum, excluding bonusesSenior Managers - MYR 180,000 - MYR 216,000 per annum, excluding bonuses

We know our talents.

pharmaceuticals

FMCG

financial institutions

oil & gas

manufacturing

property development

real estate / construction

information technology

engineering

aviation

our team

Nereshpalteam leader accounting & finance

Song Singconsultantaccounting & finance

Sharmini Annsenior consultanthuman resources

Manveer Singhconsultantaccounting & finance

Triwanasenior consultantaccounting & finance

Inderjit Singhconsultant accounting & finance

Nenaconsultantaccounting & finance

contact usWe hope you like this accounting and finance update. Feel free to forward it to someone else whom you think might benefit from it.

As one of the recognized accounting & finance recruitment teams in Malaysia, our specialists are well-placed to tap into our extensive network and secure the best accounting & finance talent and jobs in the market.

Get in touch for a confidential discussion on your talent and career needs:

Diane CrombieAssociate Director, Malaysia

diane.crombie@randstad.com.my