Ready to make waves in your career while making a difference for the planet?
Join Fluence – where innovation meets impact! As a leading publicly traded company in the global water and wastewater treatment industry, we're not just offering you a job; we're inviting you to be part of a mission that matters.
Why Fluence? Global Impact: Every day, you'll contribute to solutions that provide clean water and protect our environment worldwide? Innovation-Driven: Work with cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking solutions that transcend traditional boundaries? Multicultural Excellence: Collaborate with diverse, talented professionals from around the globe? Growth-Focused: Join a company committed to continuous improvement and professional development? Proven Success: Be part of a team with an exceptional track record of delivering results that matter.
If you want to be part of a leading company in water treatment, this is your opportunity to grow with us. We look forward to receiving your application!
The Director of Finance will primarily be responsible for leading all finance, accounting, administrative, and commercial finance activities for our municipal water treatment operations in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The role supports a critical infrastructure operation responsible for providing potable water to the city of Abidjan under a long-term Operations & Maintenance (O&M) contract.
The role will serve as the senior finance leader for Fluence subsidiary in Ivory Coast the site and must combine strong plant accounting expertise, operational finance leadership, financial reporting, administration, controls, and business partnering capabilities within a complex industrial / utility environment.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Plant Finance & Operational Leadership
- Lead all finance, accounting, administration, and financial governance activities for the plant.
- Develop and maintain robust plant accounting and cost accounting processes.
- Partner closely with Plant Management, O& M team, Maintenance, Procurement, HR, and Corporate Finance.
- Provide financial oversight of key plant cost drivers including chemicals, energy consumption, labor, maintenance, contractors, spare parts, inventory, and consumables.
- Support operational KPI reporting including production metrics, plant uptime, chemical efficiency, maintenance performance, and operating cost trends.
- Maintain financial visibility over maintenance programs, shutdown activities, repair campaigns, and operational improvement initiatives.
- Support warehouse, inventory, and spare parts controls including cycle counts and inventory accuracy.
Financial Reporting, Controls & Compliance
- Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities.
- Ensure timely, accurate management reporting, forecasts, and financial analysis.
- Ensure compliance with IFRS, local statutory reporting (OHADA), tax requirements, and corporate policies.
- Oversee general ledger, reconciliations, accruals, fixed assets, inventory accounting, and cash management.
- Establish and maintain a strong internal control environment covering accounting, procurement, payments, inventory, and approvals.
- Coordinate external audits, regulatory requirements, and compliance reviews.
Budgeting, Forecasting, Contract & Commercial Oversight
- Lead annual budgets, forecasts, long-range planning, and operational financial analysis.
- Monitor contract economics, operational profitability, cash flow, and working capital performance.
- Support oversight of contractual KPIs, service level agreements (SLAs), performance guarantees, penalties, incentives, and customer reporting requirements.
- Develop financial models supporting staffing plans, maintenance planning, capital requirements, and operational initiatives.
- Monitor customer invoicing, collections, procurement spending, vendor obligations, and cash forecasting.
Administration & Site Leadership
- Oversee plant administration activities supporting finance, HR coordination, procurement administration, compliance, and office operations.
- Ensure strong documentation practices, delegation of authority compliance, and policy adherence.
- Build and develop local finance and administrative capabilities.
- Serve as key liaison between the site, corporate leadership, auditors, advisors, and local stakeholders.
QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERTISE & EXPERIENCE
Core Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related discipline.
- Professional certification required or strongly preferred (CPA, CA, ACCA, CMA, or equivalent)
- 8-10+ years of progressive finance experience, including leadership roles in industrial, utility, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, water treatment, desalination, mining, or comparable plant environments.
- Demonstrated experience leading full-scope finance operational at a site or business unit level.
Technical & Functional Expertise
- Strong expertise in plant accounting, operational finance, cost accounting, administration, and financial reporting.
- Working knowledge of maintenance accounting, inventory controls, procurement processes, and operational cost drivers.
- Experience managing financial reporting, general ledger, accruals, fixed assets, and cash management.
- Solid knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and working capital management.
- Proficiency with ERP systems and financial reporting tools.
- Must be proficient in both English and French, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred Industry & Operational Experience
- Experience in water treatment, wastewater, desalination, or municipal utility operations.
- Background supporting O&M contracts and long-term infrastructure services operations.
- Experience in African, Middle East, or international operating experience.
- Familiarity with CMMS or maintenance management environments.
- Experience supporting large-scale industrial facilities with strong integration between operations and finance.
- Familiarity with local statutory, tax, labor, and regulatory environments is desirable.
- Strong leadership, communication, and business partnering skills.
- Hands-on operational mindset with ability to translate plant operations into financial insights.
Regulatory & International Experience
- Strong understanding of IFRS and local statutory reporting frameworks (OHADA preferred).
- Experience managing tax compliance, audits, and regulatory requirements in emerging markets.
- Experience operating in complex international or developing market environments, with strong awareness of local compliance requirements.
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)
- Establishes strong financial discipline and control environment across all plant operations within the first 3-6 months.
- Build credibility as a trusted business partner to the Plant Manager, O&M, and Corporate leadership team.
- Provides proactive financial insights that improve operations efficiency, cost control, and plant performance.
- Ensures full compliance with IFRS, OHADS, tax, and corporate governance requirements with no audit deficiencies.
- Improves visibility control over key cost drivers.
- Drives accurate forecasting, disciplined budgeting, and strong cash flow management.
- Strengthens local team capability while aligning with global Fluence finance standards.
- Demonstrates agility and sound judgment in a complex, evolving operating environment.
What can you expect as a member of the Fluence team?
- Interesting, engaging, and challenging work
- The ability to make a difference
- Growth opportunities
- Engaged and motivated colleagues from around the world
- Diverse and global organization
- Approachable leadership
- A team-oriented environment
- The ability to make a meaningful impact on sustainability and the environment.
