Chief Finance Officer

CFO – j. awan & partners
Location: International | Type: Full Time | Reports to: CEO

About j. awan & partners

j. awan & partners is a fast-growing international Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Consultancy headquartered in the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), with offices across the UAE, KSA, UK, Singapore, Porto, Pakistan, Qatar and South Africa. We also operate our own RegTech technology company building bespoke cutting-edge solutions. We serve global and regional financial institutions, governments and industry partners across regulatory governance, risk, compliance, finance, recruitment and technology.

Mission of the Role

The CFO will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, driving the financial and business strategy of the firm. This role demands a strategic mindset, high-quality execution and the ability to inspire and lead a team of ambitious colleagues.

What Success Looks Like (12–18 Months)

• Deliver a multi-year financial strategy integrating consulting growth, recurring RegTech/SaaS revenue and potential capital events

• Build unit-level P&Ls across consulting and RegTech within the first 90 days

• Deploy live dashboards with key metrics including utilisation, realization, MRR/ARR, churn and gross margin

• Improve cash conversion and subscription billing cycles

• Implement a global financial governance framework aligned with international and GCC regulations

• Complete internal and external audits with no major findings

• Support M&A activity including financial due diligence, acquisition preparation and post-acquisition integration

• Build and mentor a lean, high-performing finance function capable of supporting rapid international growth

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a multi-year financial strategy aligned with the firm's growth and diversification goals

• Build a comprehensive reporting framework including business unit P&Ls, cash flow forecasts and performance dashboards

• Transition manual reporting to automated, systemised dashboards using BI tools

• Strengthen working capital management and optimise project and subscription billing cycles

• Establish financial discipline around utilisation rates, pricing and employee profitability

• Implement internal financial controls and compliance processes consistent with international best practices

• Ensure audit readiness and support corporate governance across all regional entities

• Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO and senior leadership team on strategic decisions, M&A and technology investments

• Lead financial due diligence and post-acquisition integration across both business lines

Core Competencies

• Executive leadership and influence across senior stakeholder groups

• Strong FP&A skills with experience across SaaS and consulting business models

• Operational excellence in process improvement, automation and dashboard reporting

• Strategic mindset with the ability to turn financial data into actionable insights

• Highest standards of integrity, governance and professional accountability

• Cultural agility with a strong understanding of GCC markets and regulatory environments

Experience & Qualifications

• 15+ years in finance leadership, preferably within professional services, consulting or technology

• Experience with recurring revenue models, MRR/ARR metrics and RegTech/SaaS financials

• Multijurisdictional finance expertise including IFRS, local GAAP, and GCC tax/VAT frameworks

• Proficiency in ERP and BI tools such as NetSuite, Xero or Power BI

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field

• Professional qualification preferred: CPA, ACA, CMA or CFA

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package

• KPI-driven performance bonus

• Long-term incentive plan participation

• Potential equity and partner status

• Comprehensive medical insurance

• Career growth within a global, fast-scaling organisation

• Continuous learning and development opportunities