Financial Controller (HR focus)

Join the EPEX SPOT Team: Innovate, Collaborate, Thrive

Job Summary: We are seeking a Financial Controller (Human Resources Focus) to strengthen our Controlling team and support the financial management of workforce-related costs across the organization.

Reporting to the Head of Controlling, the primary focus of this role is to provide financial oversight, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and analytical support for personnel expenses, while ensuring accurate allocation of workforce costs across business activities and entities. The position will play a key role in maintaining and developing allocation methodologies, supporting future resource management processes, and delivering meaningful workforce-related financial insights to management.

Acting as a key interface between Finance, HR, and business stakeholders, you will contribute to financial planning cycles, monitor personnel cost performance, support payroll-related controlling activities, and develop relevant workforce financial KPIs. Over time, you will be involved in broader people analytics and workforce planning initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Planning, Workforce Cost Control & Resource Allocation

• Prepare, monitor and analyze personnel cost budgets, forecasts and long-term workforce cost projections.
• Support budgeting by employee and organizational unit, ensuring alignment between workforce plans and financial targets.
• Maintain and continuously improve FTE-based allocation methodologies and allocation keys used for business segmentation and management reporting.
• Ensure workforce-related costs are accurately allocated across departments, projects and business activities.
• Translate hiring plans and workforce changes into financial impacts for budgets, forecasts and management reporting.
• Partner with HR and Directors/Heads Of to maintain workforce assumptions supporting financial planning activities.
• Support the future implementation and development of resource management processes, tools and reporting.
• Provide financial analyses and recommendations related to workforce investments, organizational changes and resource allocation decisions

Reporting & Process Optimization

• Ensure the accuracy and consistency of monthly, quarterly and annual workforce-related reporting to management and the Group.
• Develop, maintain and enhance workforce financial KPIs and dashboards.
• Deliver financial insights on personnel costs, headcount evolution, workforce productivity and resource allocation effectiveness.
• Identify and explain variances between payroll, budget, forecast, and actuals: develop and automate analysis tools/reporting

Payroll Accounting & Reconciliation

• Coordinate with HR and Accounting to ensure payroll costs are accurately recorded and reconciled.
• Validate payroll accounting entries and ensure workforce-related expenses are booked in line with established allocation rules.
• Reconcile payroll figures with the General Ledger and prepare workforce-related accruals and provisions.
• Monitor and investigate discrepancies between payroll, forecast, budget and accounting records.
• Validate that payroll expenses are posted to the correct cost centers and projects

Key Requirements:

Hard Skills:

• Strong finance and controlling background, including budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and accounting processes.
• Solid understanding of cost allocation methodologies, profitability analysis and financial performance management.
• Experience in personnel cost controlling, workforce cost analysis or resource planning is highly desirable.
• Basic payroll knowledge and understanding of the interaction between HR and Finance processes is a plus.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to transform complex data into actionable financial insights.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with ERP systems (SAP would be a plus).
• Interest in process improvement, systems implementation and reporting automation

Soft Skills:

• Team player with a strong collaborative mindset
• Effective communication skills to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders, including the leadership team and C-level
• Business acumen, strong customer orientation and strategic mindset
• Attention to detail and ability to translate business insights into reporting or presentations for C-level management

Language Skills:

• Fluent English (written and verbal)

Education and Experience:

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Financial Controlling, Management Controlling, Workforce Cost Controlling or a related finance-oriented role

Location:

Your work location will preferably be Paris, with no specific restriction amongst other EPEX office locations, and an attractive hybrid work policy.

Who Are We?

The European Power Exchange EPEX SPOT SE operates physical short-term electricity markets in Central Western Europe, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Nordics and in Poland. Furthermore, EPEX SPOT newly offers local flexibility markets solution and Guarantees of Origin auctions, to foster the integration of renewable energy sources and to enhance the engagement of consumers and producers in the power market. The heart of our business is to bring together electricity supply and demand across Europe. We shape the future of the European power market by supporting decarbonization, decentralization, digitalization and contributing to the global energy transition toward a sustainable future.

At EPEX SPOT, we believe in fostering a vibrant and inclusive culture where every team member can thrive. Our core values— trustful teams, innovation & agility, and customer centricity— are the foundation of everything we do. Diversity is the cornerstone of our way of working, reflected in how we face challenges and work together as unique individuals to build a stronger organization.

Our DNA is embedded in continuous improvement via constructive feedback, collaboration among colleagues and transparency culture. We believe in true leadership, supporting our vision towards the energy transition, as well as the development of our People.

Why join EPEX SPOT?

At EPEX SPOT, you'll be part of a passionate, talented, and international team dedicated to shaping the future of the European power market. Our offices and inclusive workplaces throughout Europe celebrate diversity and support our employees to unfold their full potential.

We offer a decentralized working system with an appealing Home Office and Hybrid Working setup, serving individuals’ self-determination of working conditions. Our goal-oriented, trustworthy, and flexible approach, given our multicultural environment, allows our employees’ to find a suited work-life balance. We strive for leadership development and provide the right support through an active and modern remote and hybrid teamwork.

We provide numerous career opportunities within the company and within EEX Group, granting a platform for continuous growth that puts you in the driver’s seat of your career.

We are proud of our commitment to gender equality, demonstrated by our strong performance in the gender-equality-index-at-epex-spot. Our HR strategy focuses on our People and Organization, enhancing both motivation and employability, while equally developing individuals’ skills.

Join us at EPEX SPOT and become part of a forward-thinking company where your contributions will make a significant impact, for the energy transition as well as for your career!

Discover more about us and explore career opportunities at https://www.epexspot.com/en

Benefits of working with Us:

• Hybrid Working Conditions: We offer you the flexibility of working from home or other locations for the best possible work-life balance.
• Training Opportunities: We invest in your continuous development with a dedicated annual training budget to enhance your skills through various upskilling programs and initiatives.
• Career Path: We support your career aspirations with clear pathways for advancement within the company and the EEX Group.
• Internal Mobility: We offer and support the possibility to explore new roles within the company to expand your skills and experience.
• Leadership Journey: We promote a culture of recognition and reward with the EPEX SPOT leadership journey that encourages everyone’s progression and development.