Head of Finance South-East Europe (SEE)

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Head of Finance SEE to lead and steer all finance activities across the South-East Europe region.

The mission of this role is to ensure financial transparency, liquidity, compliance, and profit-oriented steering of the business, while acting as a trusted advisor to regional management and safeguarding the organization against financial and fiscal risks.

In addition, the position has full leadership responsibility for the Hungarian accounting organization, ensuring statutory compliance and acting as the legal signatory for financial statements.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Finance Leadership

• Lead and develop the finance organization across SEE (Controlling, Accounting, Credit Management, IT interface)
• Drive budgeting, forecasting, and strategic financial planning processes aligned with business objectives
• Ensure accurate monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting in line with Group and IFRS requirements
• Provide financial insights and performance analysis to support decision-making
• Initiate and drive profit improvement programs and efficiency measures
• Monitor financial and fiscal risks and implement mitigation actions
• Partner with regional and global stakeholders (Management, HQ functions, auditors, banks, advisors)
• Oversight of the IT function, ensuring alignment between finance and digital systems, and driving efficient, secure, and scalable IT operations supporting business objectives  

Hungarian Accounting Leadership

• Lead and develop the Hungarian Accounting Team (Team Leader responsibility)
• Ensure full compliance with:
  • Hungarian GAAP financial statements preparation and submission
  • Local tax regulations (Corporate Income Tax, VAT, HIPA, other statutory taxes)
  • Statutory audit management and coordination
• Oversee:
  • Month-end and year-end closing processes
  • Communication with the Hungarian Tax Authority and regulatory authorities
• Ensure high-quality and timely statutory reporting and filings
• Provide support of local payroll processes (in cooperation with HR/external providers)
• Act as authorized signatory of financial statements

Governance, Compliance & Operations

• Ensure compliance with:
  • Local legal and fiscal requirements
  • Corporate policies, internal controls, and audit standards
• Coordinate legal and financial matters, including contracts and obligations
• Ensure appropriate liquidity and cash flow management at entity level
• Oversee credit management processes
• Ensure efficiency and compliance of finance-related IT systems 

Leadership & Organization

• Lead, coach and develop a regional finance team
• Build a high-performance, continuously developing finance organization
• Drive talent development, succession planning and capability building
• Act as Deputy Managing Director (finance matters) where required
• A forward-looking, digital mindset, with proven ability to drive finance transformation through process automation, data-driven decision-making, and the adoption of AI-enabled solutions

• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or equivalent
• Chartered Accountant certification (mandatory) – required for signing Hungarian financial statements
• Minimum 10–15 years of experience in Finance (Controlling, Accounting, Credit Management)
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience in international environments
• Expertise in:
  • Hungarian GAAP and IFRS
  • Hungarian taxation and statutory reporting
• Proven experience in:
  • Managing audits and regulatory compliance
  • Leading finance organizations across multiple countries
  • Business partnering at senior management level
• Fluent in English

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking
• Leadership and people development capabilities
• High level of business acumen and performance orientation
• Ability to operate in complex, matrix organizations
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills

What We Offer

• A high-impact regional leadership role with significant visibility
• Opportunity to shape and transform finance in SEE
• Dynamic international environment
• Competitive compensation and career development opportunities
• Company car

Ready to drive with Continental? Take the first step and fill in the online application.

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2024, Continental generated preliminary sales of €39.7 billion and currently employs around 190,000 people in 55 countries and markets.

Tire solutions from the Tires group sector make mobility safer, smarter, and more sustainable. Its premium portfolio encompasses car, truck, bus, two-wheel, and specialty tires as well as smart solutions and services for fleets and tire retailers. Continental has been delivering top performance for more than 150 years and is one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers. Continental's tire division employs more than 57,000 people worldwide and has 20 production and 16 development sites.