Finance Director Åkerblå

In June 2023, DNV acquired Åkerblå Group complementing DNV services and adding significant new life sciences expertise to DNV’s knowledge base. Åkerblå Group provides clients with knowledge-based advice and verification through interdisciplinary expertise in fish health, biodiversity and technical services, to use for sustainable practices and operations in the ocean. The Group has over 400 employees based in offices and laboratories in Norway, the UK, Iceland, and Lithuania. Together, DNV and Åkerblå Group want to deliver superior service levels and enhanced value for aquaculture and offshore renewable customers across Europe and beyond. The companies plan full integration to DNV within the next 2 years. 

The Finance Director Åkerblå Group will drive and support the implementation of the common DNV and Åkerblå aquaculture strategy. You will act as a senior business partner for the CEO of Åkerblå to drive growth, operational excellence and financial objectives. You will participate in M&A projects and be responsible for setting up new business models, pricing models and cost allocation models. Further, you will manage the budget & target setting, forecasting and monthly reporting process within the framework provided by DNV Group. 

Utilising your DNV internal and external performance management network, you will play a fundamental role as the common link between global functions in DNV Supply Chain & Product Assurance (SCPA) and Åkerblå . You will be a sparring partner for the DNV Aquaculture and Åkerblå Leadership team and hence it is crucial to build effective and collaborative business relationships. We expect you to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders, improve processes and performance, and support the implementation of the integration activities. With the support of the Finance Director of SCPA and the CEO of Åkerblå, you will verify that activities are carried out in compliance with the strategy, annual operating plan, and DNV management system. 

In addition to the above, you have a high degree of entrepreneurship and a strong interest in new technologies that can be used to further digitalize the service portfolio. You will be working in an environment with mature services as well as with services in the start-up / scale-up phase. 

The Finance Director will report to the CEO of Åkerblå with a dotted line to the Finance Director of Supply Chain & Product Assurance and be based preferably in Trondheim. However, we would consider another location in Norway depending on selected candidate.

Your main tasks may include:

• Ensure that DNV Group and Business Area SCPA governance principles with regard to financial management, reporting and review processes are applied and implemented within Åkerblå entities over time
  
• Support the Åkerblå CEO in setting up robust business models, pricing models and cost allocation models
• Ensure that potential risks and opportunities are anticipated and understood
• Be actively involved in M&A projects (due diligence, post-merger integration and rationalism of synergies)
• Manage and coordinate the annual target setting and quarterly forecasting process
• Manage and coordinate the monthly/quarterly reporting process and set up business review meetings with the Åkerblå regions 
• Analyse performance across dimensions (e.g. countries, regions, service lines, projects) and initiate and follow-up on the implementation of corrective actions wherever necessary
• Continuously improve the use, analysis and visualization of financial and operational data through data analytics and BI tools, and support operating managers to take advantage of using the information
• Follow-up, with support of GSS Finance, that statutory and other reporting requirements for legal entities are met 
• Perform periodic balance sheet reviews, especially related to accounts receivables, work in progress, accrued expenses and cash and bank balances

What we offer

• A meaningful job with one of Norway's most attractive employers
  
• Strong corporate culture with an emphasis on competence development
• Good colleagues who value teamwork and support each other
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• DNV training and qualification program

Be part of a world-leading company that has a global reach with more than 15,000 employees around the world

DNV as an owner of Åkerbla is an Equal Opportunity Employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to gender, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, cultural background, social group, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age or political opinion. Diversity is fundamental to our culture and we invite you to be part of this diversity.

About you

You will be a great fit if you have several years of proven Finance experience and have worked in an international setting.

You have

• Bachelor or Master degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance
  
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Global Controller, Finance Director, or Finance Manager
• Adequate understanding of International Financial Reporting Standards and financial concepts
• Strong process management skills in regards to finance process, system implementation and improvement
• Experience in managing complex projects
• Knowledge of DNV financial systems (Oracle, Basware, OnGuard, OneStream, NGPS Oracle suite)
• Wizz at using Excel, PowerBI, data analytics and data visualization 
• Experience in M&A is an advantage
• Native or close to native Norwegian skills plus strong written and verbal English communication skills

Attributes:

• Proactive, analytical, detailed, organized and passion for numbers
  
• Solution-oriented mind-set combined with pragmatic approach
• Ability to deal with complex situations and have courage in decision making
• Good grasp of business processes and able to identify process improvement opportunities
• Ability to develop excellent working relationships and act as a team player
• Comfortable in working on multiple initiatives at the same time, prioritizing effectively to meet tight deadlines
• Ability to cope with a dynamic and changing environment

Kindly submit a CV and cover letter, outlining your motivation for applying to this position.

Read about us: Åkerblå and DNV

We are the independent expert in assurance and risk management. Driven by our purpose, to safeguard life, property, and the environment, we empower our customers and their stakeholders with facts and reliable insights so that critical decisions can be made with confidence.

As a trusted voice for many of the world’s most successful organizations, we use our knowledge to advance safety and performance, set industry benchmarks, and inspire and invent solutions to tackle global transformations.