- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Manager
- Department
- Finance, Accounting & Revenue Management
- Posted
- Sep 30, 2026
About Clarins
Founded in Paris in 1954 by Jacques Courtin-Clarins, Clarins is a family-owned beauty house renowned for its plant-inspired skincare, makeup and spa expertise. Combining scientific research with a close understanding of customers’ needs, the brand has built an international presence while preserving its French heritage. As an employer, Clarins brings together specialists across research, product development, manufacturing, retail and corporate functions, united by a commitment to quality and service. Its emphasis on responsible beauty, innovation and long-term stewardship offers a distinctive professional environment for those seeking to contribute to an established beauty house with an entrepreneurial spirit.
Clarins Group seeks a Financial Controller to serve as the finance business partner to the General Manager and Japan leadership team, reporting functionally to the APAC Chief Financial Officer. This role combines commercial partnership with robust financial stewardship, encompassing end-to-end financial management of the subsidiary, team leadership of one Senior Accountant, and responsibility for profit optimization, working capital management, financial reporting, governance, and compliance. The successful candidate will transform financial data into actionable insights, support profitable growth, and champion internal controls whilst building financial capability across the organization.
Role & Responsibilities
- Act as trusted financial advisor to the General Manager and partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Retail, E-commerce, Supply Chain, HR and Training leadership
- Provide timely financial analysis, constructive challenge and action-oriented recommendations to support value creation and protect business performance
- Build dashboards and decision tools covering net sales, advertising and promotion investment, profitability by channel/customer/product, and cost allocation
- Support pricing, promotions, commercial agreements, new channels and boutique openings through scenario analysis, financial modelling and ROI assessment
- Lead Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) and deliver accurate management reporting, forecasts and performance insights to local and regional leadership
- Own the annual budget, monthly risks and opportunities reviews and three-year business plan, ensuring alignment with sales, profitability and EBITDA commitments
- Deliver profit and loss and balance sheet variance analysis, identify risks and opportunities, and drive corrective actions with business stakeholders
- Ensure Group month-end reporting requirements are met on time and in full, working closely with the Accounting Shared Service Centre
- Own the subsidiary profit and loss, balance sheet and regulatory reporting, and coordinate complete, accurate and audit-ready month, quarter and year-end closing
- Review provisions, accruals and accounting schedules and work with the Shared Service Centre to maintain clean financial statements
- Manage cash flow forecasting and working capital with the regional Treasury team, with focus on Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), Days Payable Outstanding (DPO) and Days Sales of Inventory (DSI) optimization
- Partner with Supply Chain on demand and inventory forecasts, monitor stock against forecast, book obsolescence provisions and participate in Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)
- Act as local champion for internal controls, financial stewardship and compliance with Group standards and Japanese legislation
- Maintain documented policies and procedures, coordinate with banks, auditors, lawyers and tax advisors, and follow through on audit action plans
- Contribute to finance transformation, system deployment, Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, legal initiatives, strategic studies and cross-functional projects
- Build financial capability across the organization by simplifying complex concepts and helping teams use finance tools with confidence
- Manage one Senior Accountant and foster a collaborative, high-performance finance function
Qualifications
- Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or equivalent professional accounting qualification
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Business, Accounting or related discipline
- Approximately 10 years of combined accounting and finance experience, including Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) and month/year-end close experience
- Strong business partnership, analytical and financial modelling skills, including scenario analysis, investment appraisal and Return on Investment (ROI) assessment
- Experience in retail, FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods), beauty or another inventory-intensive environment preferred
- Audit firm experience advantageous
- Solid understanding of general ledger, financial reporting, cash flow, working capital, budgeting, forecasting, internal controls and statutory compliance
- Professional written and verbal communication skills in both Japanese and English
- Experience working in an international environment
- Strong capability in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint
- Experience with HFM (Hyperion Financial Management) or Workday advantageous
- Collaborative and hands-on leadership style with excellent communication and ability to influence senior stakeholders across a matrix organization
Skills
Experience
Approximately 10 years of combined accounting and finance experience is required, including demonstrated expertise in Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), month-end and year-end close procedures, and financial business partnering. Prior experience in retail, FMCG, beauty or another inventory-intensive sector is preferred. Audit firm background is advantageous. Proficiency in an international working environment and exposure to complex, matrix organizational structures is essential.
Education
Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or equivalent professional accounting qualification is required. Alternatively, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Business, Accounting or a related discipline is acceptable if combined with appropriate professional experience and certifications.
Workplace
The successful candidate will be located in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Explore jobs in Japan.
Benefits
Clarins Group offers development and training opportunities, an inclusive and caring corporate culture, and attractive compensation and benefits (specific details to be discussed during recruitment).
Culture
As a family-owned French beauty group, Clarins combines an entrepreneurial spirit with a culture rooted in botanical expertise, scientific innovation and close attention to customers. Its workplace values collaboration, the transmission of know-how and a shared commitment to responsible beauty, connecting professional excellence with care for people and nature.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Clarins, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Finance Director», «Controller of Accounts», «Financial Operations Manager», «Finance Business Partner», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.