West & Central Controls Lead

Job Description
Job Title: Controls Manager – West & Central Africa
Function: Finance, Strategy & Controls
Reports to: Head of Finance, Strategy and Controls (SWC Africa)
Location: Flexible within SWC
Type: Full-time, Permanent
About Us-
With over 200 brands sold in nearly 180 countries, we’re the world’s leading premium drinks
company. Bring your passion and use your curiosity as you explore, collaborate, and innovate to
build brands consumers love. Together with passionate people from all over the world, you’ll test
new ideas, learn and grow, and unlock a brighter, more exciting future.
Join us to create a career worth celebrating.
About The Function-
Our Finance team deliver sustainable growth for our business, customers, and much-loved brands. We’re part of a $12.2 billion gross profit organisation, responsible for driving an exceptional level of performance and creating the potential for future growth.
Whether we’re utilising our digital capabilities and analytics to inform our business strategy or creating capacity to invest in the future — no two days are the same in our Finance team. Wherever your skills lie, we’ll help you to learn and develop, supporting you along the way in our inclusive culture.
Purpose of Role
The Controls Manager is responsible for implementing and strengthening the Governance and Controls agenda across Diageo’s Southern, West, and Central Africa markets. The role ensures that business activities operate within Diageo’s control standards, financial policies, and regulatory expectations — driving a culture of accountability, compliance, and excellence in execution.
As the first line of defence for the region, the Controls Manager partners closely with functional leaders to embed consistent internal controls, elevate process discipline, and reinforce a strong tone at the top across markets.
Top 4–5 Accountabilities

• Embed and Strengthen Internal Controls
• Implement and maintain robust internal controls within business processes (including local-specific controls not covered by the Global Control Framework).
• Partner with Finance and Operational leaders to optimise the control environment, ensuring process ownership and compliance.
• Lead local control spot checks and deep dives on high-risk areas, identify root causes, and track remediation to closure.
• Continuously update control procedures in response to changes in business activities, systems, or local regulations.
• Audit Coordination and Control Assurance
• Act as the primary contact for Group Internal Audit, Global Assurance and Risk (GAR), and external auditors.
• Coordinate market readiness, documentation, and fieldwork support.
• Support the annual CARM (SOX) assurance process, ensuring controls are tested and validated according to Diageo standards.
• Maintain dashboards to track key control indicators and provide periodic reports to the Finance Leadership Team.
• Governance, Documentation, and Reporting
• Drive process documentation and walkthroughs across all core financial and operational cycles.
• Deliver quarterly reporting on control health, audit readiness, and remediation progress using RAG status dashboards.
• Escalate material control issues promptly and ensure corrective actions are embedded into BAU operations.
• Provide expert assessments of process and control effectiveness to management and leadership.
• Capability Building and Culture
• Partner with business leaders to promote a strong governance and control culture.
• Deliver training sessions across functions to build awareness and competence in control standards.
• Support the annual SWC Controls capability programme to embed consistency and best practice.
• Champion transparency, documentation discipline, and continuous improvement.
• Collaboration and Stakeholder Management
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with Functional Directors across markets.
• Work effectively with Global Assurance & Risk, Group Internal Audit, and Global Finance to ensure alignment and consistency.
• Partner with external auditors and regulatory bodies where required.
• Engage with industry peers and forums to stay ahead of evolving compliance and control practices.
  

Key Stakeholders

• Internal: Commercial Directors, Functional Directors, Finance Directors/Controllers, General Managers, Brand Teams, Global Controls Assurance, Global Audit & Risk, Business Integrity, and Market Finance teams.
• External: Internal and external auditors, and where applicable, regulatory authorities and industry working groups.
  

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA, ACCA, or CIMA certification preferred).
• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in finance, internal controls, or audit roles in a multinational or FMCG environment.
• Deep technical understanding of internal controls, compliance frameworks, and financial governance.
• Proven track record in audit preparation, control remediation, and process improvement.
• Excellent business partnering, communication, and stakeholder management skills across complex, matrixed organisations.
• Strong analytical mindset, attention to detail, and the ability to identify and solve control issues proactively.
• Demonstrated excellence in execution, accountability, and collaboration.
  

Leadership Capabilities

• Performance through Purpose: Maintains high standards and champions integrity and transparency.
• Shape the Future: Simplifies and strengthens control frameworks for sustainable performance.
• Inspire through Trust: Builds strong, transparent partnerships with stakeholders across markets.
• Invest in Talent: Coaches teams to embed ownership and accountability for control excellence.
  

Performance Measures

• % of markets compliant with SWC Control Framework.
• Reduction in high/critical audit findings.
• Timely closure rate of remediation actions.
• Completion of process documentation and self-audits.
• Capability uplift through training and control culture metrics.
  

Diversity statement-
Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where
everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this.
We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and
celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an
inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual
orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, mindsets, and more.
Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products
companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next
level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers
around the world.
Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you capture this information when you
submit your application.
Worker Type
Regular
Primary Location:
Lagos HQ
Additional Locations :
Job Posting Start Date
2025-12-02
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