Financial Controller – Fashion, Watches & Fine Jewellery and Corporate – Benelux & Scandinavia – M/F/D
Chanel · Brussels
Financial Controller – Fashion, Watches & Fine Jewellery and Corporate – Benelux & Scandinavia – M/F/D
About the job
As a Fashion, Watches & Fine Jewellery and Corporate Financial Controller, you will be a vital member of our Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) team, reporting directly to the CFO. You will drive financial excellence across Benelux and Scandinavian markets, assisting in shaping strategy, guiding growth, and ensuring the highest standards of financial performance.
In this pivotal role, you will oversee the financial landscape for Fashion, Watches & Fine Jewellery and Corporate, collaborating with leaders across Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway to deliver actionable insights and robust forecasts. You will challenge the status quo, support business decisions with rigour, and help steer the Benelux and Scandinavian markets towards their strategic ambitions.
If you thrive in fast-paced, high-growth environments, are passionate about fashion, luxury, and working with numbers across diverse teams, this is your opportunity to make an impact at the heart of the European region.
What impact you can create at Chanel
Fashion and Watches & Fine Jewellery Controlling
- Oversee P&L construction and all financial cycles (Budget, Quarterly Forecasts, Monthly Forecasts, Multi-Year Plans), ensuring accuracy and timely reporting.
- Maintain direct contact with relevant departments, including Benelux & Scandinavia Fashion & W&FJ Directors.
- Forecast and monitor Advertising & Promotion costs, Boutique Expenses, and proactively communicate risks/opportunities.
- Lead financial closing cycles in collaboration with accounting and other teams, ensuring reliable and timely data in information systems.
- Analyse variances between forecasts and actuals and share insights with management for informed decision-making.
- Analyse sales data by POS, nationality, product line, and month, investigating significant variances.
- Participate in CAPEX requests for new, relocated, or renovated Points of Sale.
- Prepare budget, strategic, and ad hoc presentations for Top Management with the Head of FP&A and CFO.
- Conduct ad hoc financial analysis and reporting as required.
Internal Controls
- Act as a business partner to retail teams on finance and stock operation matters; plan and lead annual stock counts.
- Serve as the main contact for European Retail Procedures, ensuring understanding and application by retail teams.
- Review cash payments monthly for compliance.
- Monitor special stock movements and petty cash; analyse cycle count and RFID reports.
- Track staff quotas, product loans, and conduct quarterly checks on Press and W&FJ stock.
Strategic Financial Projects
- Represent Benelux & Scandinavia FP&A in Global and European IT projects implementing new financial systems (e.g., COUPA, ORION, SCORE, Hero), including pilot initiatives.
- Lead local and European automation and simplification projects (“Future of Finance”) to improve efficiency and reduce manual tasks.
- Identify process improvement opportunities, prioritize automation and simplification efforts, and ensure adequate training for users.
- Collaborate across departments to develop and embed new financial tools.
Structure Costs (SMG&A) Controlling
- Oversee the consolidation, forecasting and actuals of structure costs (SMG&A) across all three CHANEL divisions in Benelux & Scandinavia.
- Challenge financial assumptions, assess risks and opportunities, and provide clear recommendations to support decision-making.
- Deliver monthly structure-cost reporting, presentations and recommendations to finance leadership and budget owners.
- Lead the development of reporting tools and dashboards that improve visibility of cost performance, key drivers and outlook.
What Chanel can offer you
- Career Progression: Exposure to local, regional and global projects, with opportunities for development across the CHANEL Finance organization.
- Strategic Impact: Direct involvement in shaping financial and business strategy for a dynamic, high-growth region.
- Professional Growth: Collaborate with senior leaders and cross-functional teams; gain expertise in advanced financial systems and data analysis tools.
- Team Culture: Join a supportive, passionate, and diverse team committed to excellence, innovation, and personal development.
- International Exposure: Work closely with colleagues across multiple countries and cultures, expanding your professional network.
What you will bring
- 6 to 8 years’ relevant experience in FP&A, financial controlling or a comparable finance role.
- Demonstrated experience as a trusted Finance Business Partner.
- Degree or equivalent qualification in Finance, Accounting, Business or Management.
- Position based in Brussels (Belgium) or Amsterdam (the Netherlands), with periodic business travel within Benelux, Scandinavia and Europe.
- Excellent English; Dutch, French or a Scandinavian language is a plus.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
- Curious, proactive, dynamic and continually seeking improvement.
- Strategical thinking and ability to challenge.
- Rigorous and thorough.
- Positive and team oriented.
- Thorough knowledge of information systems, especially MS-Office and Excel. Proficient and curious about new IT technologies (Power BI, Power Query…).
At CHANEL, we are focused on creating an inclusive culture that nurtures personal growth, contributing to collective progress. We believe the uniqueness of each individual increases the diversity, complementarity and effectiveness of our teams. We strongly encourage your application, as we value the perspective, experience and potential you could bring to CHANEL.