Technical Accounting Expert

Job Description

Assistant Vice President / Director, Group Finance | FWD Group

The Tone:
This is an in-person role at FWD Group, located on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. FWD Group (1828.HK) is a prominent pan-Asian life and health insurance business, serving approximately 40 million customers across 10 markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets globally, aiming to change how people feel about insurance through a customer-led and tech-enabled approach that delivers innovative, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. This pivotal role functions as the Group’s primary technical accounting expert, responsible for establishing robust accounting policies, providing critical advice on significant transactions, and effectively communicating key financial decisions to executive management.

The TL;DR
• Role: Experienced
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

• Team: Group Finance
• Mission: To serve as the Group’s primary technical accounting expert, ensuring sound accounting policies, advice, and financial reporting for all significant transactions and operations.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Group Accounting & Policy Development: Maintain the Group Accounting Manual and policies, develop new accounting policies and guidance, and work closely with business units to implement changes, ensuring alignment with Group policy.
• Technical Advisory & Business Partnership: Provide comprehensive technical accounting advice to business units, acting as a key business partner to resolve complex accounting issues that encompass accounting, business, compliance, and governance considerations.
• IFRS Expertise & Reporting: Serve as the Group’s subject matter expert for IFRS 9 and IFRS 17, preparing detailed accounting memos and board reports on key accounting matters, and reviewing financial statement disclosures related to accounting policies.
• Strategic Transaction Accounting: Lead the accounting assessment and provide support for significant Group transactions, including business operations, M&A activities, investments, financing activities, and other high-profile strategic projects.
• Cross-functional Collaboration & Communication: Work closely with other Group functions such as Legal, Treasury, Actuarial, M&A, FP&A teams, and business units to deliver responsibilities and effectively communicate key accounting decisions to executive management.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Qualified accountant with comprehensive knowledge in insurance and investment accounting.
• Experience: 12+ years of practical experience, with an emphasis on technical accounting, including IFRS 9 and IFRS 17 implementation experience.
• Skills: Strong analytical skills, numeric sense, and attention to detail, coupled with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines; effective team management skills, ensuring the delivery of project goals; strong communication and relationship-building abilities, with a proven capacity to influence executive management; and demonstrated ability to drive change in financial processes and adapt quickly to a fast-moving environment.
• Bonus: Prior background in an insurance company’s accounting policy team.