The posting
Central Group Finance leadership role in an international pharmaceutical company
Are you an experienced finance leader with a strong background in group reporting, accounting, controls and statutory reporting? Do you thrive in a role where high professional standards, stakeholder management and timely financial delivery go hand in hand?
Xellia Pharmaceuticals is looking for a Finance Director, Group Finance Reporting & Accounting to lead the Group Finance Reporting and Accounting team in Copenhagen. This is a newly established Director-level role with broad responsibility for ensuring high-quality financial reporting, strong accounting governance and continued development of processes, controls and collaboration across the finance organisation.
The role offers a unique opportunity to take a central leadership position in Corporate Finance, working closely with senior stakeholders across the business, extended finance teams and external partners.
The role
As Finance Director, you will be responsible for leading Xellia’s Group Finance Reporting and Accounting function and ensuring timely, accurate and compliant financial reporting across the group.
You will play a key role in safeguarding the quality of Xellia’s financial reporting and accounting processes, while also strengthening reporting discipline, financial controls, compliance, tax responsibilities and accounting policies.
The team is experienced, autonomous and highly skilled. Your role will therefore be both to provide clear leadership and direction, and to act as a professional sounding board on complex financial, accounting and reporting matters.
You will report to the Senior Director Corporate Finance and be based at Xellia’s site in Copenhagen.
Key responsibilities
Your main responsibility will be to ensure reliable and high-quality financial deliveries across group reporting, statutory reporting, accounting, controls and tax-related areas. You will be responsible for leading a team of five finance professionals, overseeing the Group Financial Reporting & Analysis (FRA) function as well as the financial reporting and compliance activities for the company's legal entities.
More specifically, you will:
- Own and ensure timely and accurate monthly and annual reporting for the group, the main Danish production entity and Danish holding companies.
- Lead quality assurance of consolidated reporting, statutory reporting, audit documentation and management presentations.
- Ensure that financial controls, compliance processes, accounting policies, treasury policies and tax responsibilities are clear, updated, effective and followed.
- Lead and support the FRA team through clear priorities, professional guidance, feedback and trust-based management.
- Act as a financial sounding board and go-to specialist for internal stakeholders, including Business Finance, Legal, People & Organisation, top management and external partners.
- Ensure effective collaboration with extended finance teams in Budapest and India.
- Drive process optimisation and contribute to projects that create enterprise value, including opportunities related to automation and AI.
- Balance strategic overview with hands-on contribution during peak reporting periods.
A role with broad exposure and professional complexity
This is a role for someone who combines strong technical finance capabilities with the ability to lead, prioritise and create clarity in a complex stakeholder environment.
You will be expected to handle complex accounting and reporting matters independently, balancing technical accuracy, regulatory requirements, business needs and deadlines.
The role has broad exposure across Xellia and involves close collaboration with Corporate Finance, Business Finance, Line of Business, top management, Legal, P&O, auditors, advisors and international finance colleagues.
Success in the role will be defined by high-quality month-end and year-end closings, clean audit processes, strengthened controls and compliance, improved reporting and accounting processes, and a team that remains engaged, autonomous and well-prioritised through demanding reporting cycles.
Your profile
We are looking for an experienced finance professional with a strong background in group reporting, accounting, audit or a similar finance leadership role.
You likely bring a combination of deep technical finance expertise, strong judgement and the ability to lead experienced finance professionals in a professional and trust-based manner.
We imagine that you have:
- A Cand.merc.aud., chartered accountant certification or equivalent relevant finance/accounting background.
- Significant experience from auditing, group reporting, accounting or a similar finance leadership role.
- Strong understanding of IFRS, statutory reporting, technical accounting matters, tax, controls and compliance.
- Experience leading or guiding experienced finance professionals.
- The ability to communicate clearly and confidently with top management, Line of Business, internal functions and external partners.
- Fluency in English and Danish or another Scandinavian language.
It will be an advantage if you also have experience with reporting systems, process optimisation, finance transformation or working with international/shared-service finance teams. Experience from a production, pharmaceutical or otherwise regulated environment will also be considered relevant, but is not a requirement.
As a person and leader
You are professionally strong, accountable and able to create structure and direction without overcomplicating matters. You bring a high level of integrity and quality orientation, and you are motivated by ensuring reliable financial deliveries in a business-critical function.
You are able to balance detail orientation with business understanding and can translate complex financial matters into clear communication for senior stakeholders. You lead through trust, clarity and professional credibility, and you know how to support a capable team while also setting expectations and maintaining high standards.
You will succeed in the role if you are comfortable working in a complex international organisation where collaboration, stakeholder management and sound professional judgement are essential.
Why join Xellia?
Xellia Pharmaceuticals is an international pharmaceutical company with a strong heritage and a clear purpose within specialty pharmaceuticals. The company operates in a regulated, global environment where quality, compliance and reliable financial processes are critical to business performance.
As Director, Group Finance Reporting & Accounting, you will join a central finance function with significant exposure across the organisation. You will have the opportunity to lead a highly capable team, strengthen the financial foundation of the group and contribute to continued development of reporting, controls and finance processes.
This is a role for a finance leader who wants to combine technical depth, leadership and business impact in an international pharmaceutical setting.
Practical information
The position is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Workplace presence is expected approximately four days per week, and occasional travel may be required.
Contact and Application
The recruitment process is handled by European Search Company on behalf of Xellia Pharmaceuticals. All inquiries are treated confidentially.
For additional information about the position please contact Christoffer Bjørk Petersen on [email protected] or Brian Ranvits on [email protected].
If you see yourself in the position, please send your application by using the apply button below.
