Freelance Senior Business Controller

Your Role

As Senior Business Controller, you will play a key role in driving financial performance and enabling informed strategic and operational decision-making. Working closely with business unit leaders, operations, and corporate stakeholders, you will translate complex financial and operational data into clear, value-driven insights that support sustainable growth and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted financial business partner to business units, operations, and senior management
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and multi-year planning processes
• Analyse financial and operational performance, including cost drivers, margins, and key performance indicators
• Monitor and optimise cost structures, including raw materials, energy, labour, overheads, and CAPEX
• Prepare and present monthly management reporting with clear analysis, insights, and recommendations
• Support investment appraisals, strategic business cases, and profitability analyses
• Contribute to continuous improvement, efficiency, and value-creation initiatives
• Ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance of financial reporting and controlling processes
• Support ERP, reporting, and data model improvements (SAP or similar systems)
• Challenge and support stakeholders with a critical, constructive, and solution-oriented mindset

Your Profile

• Master’s degree in Finance, Economics, Accountancy, or a related discipline
• 7–10+ years of experience in business controlling, preferably within an industrial, chemical, materials, or technology-driven environment
• Strong expertise in cost controlling, performance management, and industrial finance
• Analytical, structured, and hands-on working approach
• Ability to translate complex financial information into clear strategic and operational insights
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with experience working with senior and international stakeholders
• Solid experience with ERP systems (SAP preferred) and advanced Excel skills
• Fluent in English; knowledge of Dutch and/or French is a strong asset