Finance Director

Job title                                           Finance Director, Canada

Reporting to                                   General Manager, Canada

Country                                           Canada

Date                                                 December 2025

Direct reports                                3

Indirect reports               External accounting and tax service providers

Company Vision 

Asahi Europe & International (AEI) is a subsidiary of Asahi Group Holdings Ltd, a global beverage and food company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan. Employing more than 12,000 people, AEI is the custodian for leading super premium lager brands Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch, Asahi Super Dry, plus international Czech lager brands, Pilsner Urquell and Kozel. The business has world-class brewing and production facilities in 8 markets – UK, NL, ITL, PL, CZ, SK, HU, RO. In most of these markets, we are the leading brewer with a full portfolio of famous brands. Commercial operations in other parts of Europe, USA, Canada, LatAm, Africa and Asia are served through our global distribution network. With state-of-the-art facilities, some of the best brewers in the world, quality ingredients, and a culture based on innovation and collaboration, Asahi offers the best quality of beer to beer lovers worldwide. More information can be found at www.asahiinternational.com. 

EMEAA (Europe, Middle East, Africa & Amercias) is one of the international export divisions of AEI.  Asahi Canada is a key market within this division.  At Asahi Canada, we have a clear mandate to strengthen our position by establishing a premium presence to be a leader in global growth within Asahi Europe and International. Asahi Canada has an ambitious, high-performance culture. It seeks people with an entrepreneurial mindset that thrive in fast-paced, market facing environments. It offers talented individuals a unique opportunity to work in world-class teams while assuming high levels of personal accountability to deliver on the company’s mission. 

Key purpose statement

As a key member of the Asahi Canada Leadership team, to support growth of the business by participating in and impacting the overall strategic direction of the organization ensuring delivery of the country profit, value, and strategic goals.  The Finance Director provides meaningful advice and analysis in support of key decisions which are made by the Canadian business and its leadership team.  As head of the finance function, the Finance Director carries responsibility for and ensures appropriate legal, compliance, internal controls, and audit processes are defined and executed; leads the management accounting, financial reporting, banking, planning, business analysis, tax, payroll, credit management and insurance needs, in conjunction with EMEAA and AEI processes and ways of working.  The Finance Director ensures seamless coordination with the EMEAA Finance team, the centralized Financial Shared Service Centre (FSSC) team and other group functions, based across Europe.

Key responsibilities & outputs

Strategic Financial Planning and BAU Reporting

• Drive overall business performance, through insight generation & constructive challenge while at the same time having prime responsibility for ensuring the governance & control environment is being monitored and improved

• Lead all planning and reporting processes including MTP (3-year plan), annual Budget, PF2, monthly LE and monthly flash within EMEAA and AEI timelines.
• Lead the development of the annual and long-term country budget and business plan financials goals to support and deliver against Canada ‘Big Dream’ ambitions.

• Ensure all the above are aligned and coordinated with EMEAA Finance
• Work with FSSC and external accounting service provider to ensure monthly reporting and analysis requirements completed within required deadlines.
• Provide monthly LE for business performance including R&O and ad-hoc analysis to EMEAA finance team for consolidation to AEI as required.

• Analyse the financial climate and market trends to assist leadership team in creating strategic plans for the future and assist in company-wide budgetary planning.
• Work with General Manager and Asahi Canada leadership team to guarantee short- and long-term financial health of the business, by overseeing, reviewing, and monitoring the budgets for each business department.
• Interpret complex financial information and provide updates and information as needed to provide financial direction and analysis to support the business strategic and operational decisions (including, for example, new brands, markets, and external partners).
• Provide increased support to Sales teams and support development to commercial capability
• Support the finance change agenda through seeking areas for process improvement, cost optimisation, complexity reduction across the whole value chain in Canada.
• Ensure completion of business cases for new SKU requirements, capex, etc. for submission to EMEAA & AEI.
• Lead and / or support future strategic business growth projects.

Accounting, auditing and internal controls

• Implement processes and internal controls to ensure adherence to AEI policies and procedures.
• Ensure that all the company's financial practices are in line with AEI / AGH policies and procedures and within statutory regulations and legislation.
• Monitor cash flow, accounts, and other financial transactions, producing monthly cashflow forecasts to be discussed at monthly Treasury meetings to ensure appropriate hedging takes place.

• Ensure high quality and on time delivery of financial reports according to specified corporate accounting and financial protocols and timelines.
• Responsible for the accounting records and oversee the functions performed by internal and 3rd party accounting service providers including:
  • monthly closing and reporting, tax preparation and audits (internal and external).
  • working capital management.
  • credit control.
  • continuous and effective liaison with the FSSC and other AEI group functions where relevant.
  • Maintenance of up-to-date company filings with federal or provincial authorities.

Working capital management and treasury

• Manage bank balances, and work with AEI Treasury to support coordination of any funding requirements.
• Prepare regular cash flow forecasts and analysis in coordination with AEI requirements.
• Develop dividend forecast and execution in conjunction with AEI Treasury

Payroll, compensation, and benefits      

• Review and approve payroll and benefit processing.
• Optimize the cost and employee value through effective management of supplier contracts and relationships, working with AEI Procurement where relevant.
• Work with HR Director to set and monitor individual and company STI (Short Term Incentive) targets to maximise employee engagement and performance

Annual Tax Returns

• Manage 3rd party tax consultants for the preparation of annual tax returns (including direct tax and applicable indirect taxes (e.g., Sales Tax, Alcohol tax).
• Ensure compliance with tax and reporting requirements regarding royalty and management fee payments to other AEI subsidiary companies, working with AEI tax team where relevant.

Projects

• Understand and manage ways of working with 3rd party external contract brewing partner to ensure correct accounting treatments of all transactions.
• Support ad-hoc projects to deliver long-term future growth to the Canada business.

People / Team Development

• Manage 2-3 direct reports, including goal setting and individual development plans to support their future growth, whilst ensuring they have the required competencies, capabilities, and skills.
• Evaluate and evolve team structure according to business needs.
• Provide informal leaderships across organization as member of Asahi Canada Senior Leadership Team (SLT).
• Lead / Manage key external stakeholders – RTM partners, Business Partners, external account partners and others.
• Role model Asahi Behaviours

Knowledge and Experience Required

• Appropriate University/bachelor’s degree qualification is essential.
• Strong track record as a finance leader, with a proactive approach and ability to adapt to change.
• Qualified accountant, with substantial post-qualification experience.
• Proven leadership, emotional intelligence, interpersonal, teambuilding, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Strong ability to challenge constructively, think strategically and influence decision making
• Ability to understand and manage complexity and communicate in a simplified manner.
• Ability to generate value-adding business insights to influence business decisions.
• Must be a skilled communicator, with well-developed verbal, written and presentation skills.
• Good time management skills with the ability to multitask and delegate effectively.
• Strong IT skills, with knowledge of SAP B1 and HFM preferred.
• Very strong commercially minded individual with broad exposure across marketing, sales, operations.
• Experience with supply-chain / manufacturing finance management.
• Compliance and risk analysis background with an understanding of technical financial accounting as well as strong management accounting skills.
• Experience in or knowledge of setting pricing strategies, value chain analysis, and account negotiations preferred.
• Good judgement and strong ethical behaviour
• Fluency in English essential

Travel: Based in Toronto Head Office, regular travel within Canada for internal and external meetings.