Finance Lead – Oman Project (CFO-Designate)
Two-year project assignment, transitioning into Chief Financial Officer of the subsidiary
Reports to: Director, Oman Subsidiary
Engagement: Two-year project role; CFO of the subsidiary upon commercial operations
Industry: Chemicals – Greenfield Manufacturing
About the Opportunity
A leading Indian chemical manufacturer is establishing a greenfield manufacturing facility in Oman. This is a defining build-phase opportunity for a finance professional who wants to own the financial spine of a project from breaking ground to first production – and then step into the CFO chair of the operating company. You will be the Director's right hand on cost, cash, contracts and controls, working alongside EPC contractors, equipment suppliers, technology licensors and consultants drawn from across the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
What You Will Do – Project Phase
During the two-year project phase, you will lead the financial execution of the build, partnering closely with the Director on every commercial decision that shapes the asset and the entity.
- Own the project budget end-to-end – commitments, accruals, cash outflows and variance analysis against the approved capex plan, with early-warning flags to the Director when any line item drifts.
- Partner with procurement and engineering to evaluate vendor proposals, negotiate commercial terms, structure milestone-linked payments, and ensure variations and change orders are properly priced and documented.
- Stand up the local finance function from scratch – chart of accounts, banking relationships, treasury and FX management, statutory registrations, internal controls and the ERP backbone.
- Manage the tax and regulatory canvas across the operations spanning Singapore, China and Oman.
- Run debt drawdowns and lender reporting if the project is financed, manage covenants, and maintain a clean audit trail for the parent board and external auditors.
- Produce the monthly project review pack – a single, decision-ready view of schedule, cost, cash and risk.
- Be the single point of financial accountability to the Director, and the credible counterpart to vendors, banks, advisors and authorities.
What You Will Do – CFO Phase
When the facility moves into commercial operations, you will transition into the CFO role for the subsidiary.
- Own P&L, working capital, product costing, MIS and management reporting.
- Lead audit, tax, compliance and the internal controls framework for the operating company.
- Drive the strategic finance agenda – capital structure, pricing, profitability and capacity planning.
- Build and lead a high-performing local finance team.
What We Are Looking For
A finance professional in the late thirties with twelve to fifteen years of progressive experience, including a meaningful stretch in project or infrastructure finance – ideally a capex project of comparable scale that you saw through from sanction to commissioning.
- Chartered Accountant, CPA, CMA, or MBA in Finance from a recognised institution.
- Strong technical depth in IFRS, project accounting, capex governance, treasury and tax.
- Prior international exposure is essential; Middle East experience (Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Bahrain) is strongly preferred.
- Exposure to chemicals, petrochemicals, fertilizers or process industries is a clear advantage.
- Familiarity with EPC and EPCM contract structures, milestone billing, retentions and liquidated damages.
- Experience in dealing with procurement from China.
- Commercial instinct – the ability to challenge a vendor quote, read a contract clause and spot a margin leakage before it shows up in the numbers.
- Cross-cultural fluency, clear written and spoken English, and the temperament to negotiate firmly without burning relationships.
- Owner's mindset – comfortable being the only finance voice in a room of engineers and contractors, and confident enough to push back on the Director when the numbers warrant it.
Why This Role Is Worth Your Time
This is a rare combination: the rigour of a project finance assignment, the variety of an international posting, and a clearly mapped path into a CFO seat at the end of it. You will build something – a facility, a finance organisation, and a leadership track record – rather than inherit one.
