Line of Service

Internal Firm Services

Industry/Sector

Not Applicable

Specialism

IFS - Internal Firm Services - Other

Management Level

Director

Job Description & Summary

Firm Overview:

At PwC, we are a community of solvers, where every individual plays an important role in shaping the future of our firm, clients and communities. We seek individuals who excel in their roles and embody our core behaviors, working together to create a better tomorrow. Our commitment to Trusted Leadership and Distinctive Outcomes, from our PwC Professional framework, defines how we deliver on our purpose and strategy, serving our clients and living our values in every interaction. Trusted Leadership emphasizes building trust, delivering sustained outcomes, and demonstrating courage and honesty, especially during challenging times. Distinctive Outcomes focus on excellence, collaboration, and inclusiveness, ensuring our work adds value, meaning, and purpose. By integrating these principles into our daily operations, we ensure that our efforts are aligned with our values and objectives. Thus, we are looking for candidates who are self-aware, collaborative, committed to continuous learning, and dedicated to delivering quality and integrity.

We’re a network of firms in 152 countries with more than 328,000 people who are committed to delivering world-class capabilities and quality in assurance, tax and advisory services.

Established in the region for over 40 years, PwC Middle East employs over 10,000 people across 12 countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and the United Arab Emirates. Complementing our depth of industry expertise and breadth of skills is our sound knowledge of local business environments across the Middle East region. Our tailored solutions help our clients meet the challenges and opportunities of doing business in the Middle East market, and beyond.

Line of Service and Overview:

Internal Firm Services
IFS is a network of specialist support professionals, which includes Clients & Markets, Finance, Human Capital, Marketing & Communications, Office Management, Risk & Quality, Technology, to name but a few. Each function plays a vital role in making sure we have all the right resources, services and technology across our business.

Sub-Function and Overview:

Shared Services Centre
The IFS shared services center is responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of shared services to the PwC lines of services from initiation to completion. This role involves leading and managing the overall delivery operations, working closely with cross-functional teams, and providing recommendations to optimize processes, technology, and overall performance across various IFS functions including and not limited to Human Resources (HR), Finance, Information Technology (IT), Marketing and Office Management (OM).
The team aims to provide comprehensive customer support, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and standardize processes across an organization by providing consistent, high-quality support to different business units and focus on employee lifecycle operations and support, data and analytics for decision-making , and ensure compliance with risk management procedures. By collaborating across different levels and functions, they actively seek opportunities for improvement and contribute to the overall effectiveness of internal operations.

Job Summary:

We value every individual's role in shaping our future. We're looking for candidates who excel in their roles and embody our core behaviors of Trusted Leadership and Distinctive Outcomes. Trusted Leadership focuses on building trust, delivering sustained results, and showing courage and honesty. Distinctive Outcomes emphasize excellence, collaboration, and inclusiveness. We seek self-aware, collaborative individuals committed to continuous learning and delivering quality and integrity.

The SSC Director will be responsible for managing the delivery of key operational services that support the broader business functions. These services typically cover areas such as HR, finance, IT support, procurement, facilities management, and other administrative functions. The role is critical in ensuring that these services are delivered efficiently, align with organizational goals, and meet the needs of stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will possess exceptional leadership skills, a strong understanding of business processes, transformation and a proven ability to manage complex, multi-functional shared services operations across multiple locations.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Governance:

Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Shared Services Centre, ensuring the alignment of all support functions (HR, IT, Finance, Office Management, Marketing, etc.) with business goals.

Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for the SSC, including service delivery models, governance frameworks, and performance metrics.

Build and maintain strong relationships with business leaders to ensure that shared services meet the needs of each functional area while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Oversee global and regional service delivery, ensuring consistency, quality, and compliance with internal policies and external regulations.

Provide strategic direction on process optimization, automation, and innovation to enhance the efficiency and scalability of the SSC.

Customer Service Excellence:

Ensure that the shared services team consistently delivers high-quality, efficient, and customer-centric service to internal customers.

Streamline processes, improve response times, and reduce service bottlenecks and also design and implement best practices to deliver consistent service quality across various service lines.

Lead efforts to capture, analyze, and act on customer and employee feedback to refine the SSC’s service offerings. This can include regular surveys, feedback loops, and direct customer interviews to ensure the team is meeting or exceeding service expectations.

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Operational Management:

Oversee the end-to-end service delivery for multiple business functions, ensuring that agreed-upon service levels (SLAs) are met and continually improved.

Lead cross-functional teams to implement standard processes and systems across support services, ensuring consistency in service delivery and optimizing resource utilization.

Ensure the effective management of key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) for all shared services functions.

Manage vendor relationships and third-party service providers where relevant, ensuring performance meets the organization’s standards and expectations.

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Compliance & Risk Management:

Ensure that the SSC complies with all relevant local, regional, and global regulations, as well as corporate policies and best practices.

Develop and enforce standardized policies and procedures across all shared service functions to mitigate risk and ensure consistent, compliant practices.

Manage risk assessments for SSC activities, ensuring that potential risks (e.g., data security, financial mismanagement) are identified and appropriately mitigated.

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Process Improvement & Change Management:

Champion continuous process improvement initiatives across all service functions, utilizing methodologies like Lean, Six Sigma, or Agile to drive operational efficiencies.

Identify and implement automation solutions (e.g., RPA, AI) to streamline repetitive tasks and improve service delivery.

Work with business units to gather feedback and continuously refine processes and systems to meet evolving business needs.

Lead change management efforts as the SSC evolves, ensuring smooth transitions during system upgrades, process reengineering, or organizational restructuring.

Drive a culture of agility within the SSC, ensuring the team remains responsive to changes in business needs, technological advancements, and market conditions.

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Team Leadership & Development:

Lead, motivate, and develop a diverse, global team of SSC professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, excellence, and continuous improvement.

Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations for team members across all service lines.

Provide coaching and mentoring to senior managers and staff, ensuring the development of talent and succession planning within the SSC.

Promote knowledge sharing and best practices across the SSC, encouraging a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

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Stakeholder Management & Communication:

Serve as the primary point of contact for senior executives, department heads, and key stakeholders on all SSC-related matters.

Provide regular reporting to executive leadership on SSC performance, service delivery, and key initiatives.

Communicate the value proposition of shared services to the organization, ensuring that internal stakeholders understand the benefits and contributions of the SSC.

Including such other duties that may be assigned to you by your manager.

Required Competencies:

Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to delivering exceptional service to internal stakeholders.

Results-oriented, with a track record of achieving measurable business outcomes in a shared services environment.

Demonstrates flexibility and an ability to maintain a positive attitude in the face of uncertainty or shifting priorities. Able to quickly pivot and adjust plans or strategies when facing new challenges or changes in the business 

Handles setbacks or failures constructively. Views challenges as opportunities for growth, learning from mistakes, and applying those lessons to future endeavors

Breaks down complex issues into manageable components to assess the underlying causes. Identifies patterns and connections to understand the problem from multiple angles

Takes responsibility for solving problems, ensuring that issues are resolved thoroughly and efficiently. Shows initiative in leading the solution process and driving results

Critically examines the current assumptions, systems, or processes that may be contributing to problems. Challenges the status quo and looks for hidden or overlooked factors that may be causing issues

Required Skills:

Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders.

Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to align shared services with the company’s broader goals.

In-depth knowledge of shared services best practices, service delivery models, and process improvement methodologies.

Expertise in financial management, budgeting, and cost control.

Ability to drive technology adoption and process automation (e.g., RPA, AI, ERP systems) within a shared services environment.

Required Language Skills:

Proficiency in written and spoken English

Proficiency in written and spoken Arabic is a plus

Minimum Education and Qualification(s):

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management / Administration, Finance, Information Technology or equivalent

Master’s Degree in Business Management / Administration  or equivalent from an accredited university is preferred

Certifications in relevant domains (e.g. PMP, Six Sigma, Lean or equivalent) would be advantageous

Required Years of Experience:

Minimum of 12 years of professional work experience in actively managing and leading shared services covering human resources, finance and/or technology and similar support functions with a leading firm, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role

Experience working in the Big4, professional services, large consulting firms or multi-nationals is an advantage

Education (if blank, degree and/or field of study not specified)

Degrees/Field of Study required:

Degrees/Field of Study preferred:

Certifications (if blank, certifications not specified)

Required Skills

Optional Skills

Accepting Feedback, Accepting Feedback, Active Listening, Analytical Thinking, Coaching and Feedback, Communication, Confidential Information Handling, Conflict Resolution, Coordinating Staff, Creativity, Data Quality, Documentation Administration, Embracing Change, Emotional Regulation, Empathy, Employee Data Management, Employee Engagement Strategies, Employee Life Cycle, Employee Relations, Employee Terminations, HR Software, Human Resources (HR) Metrics, Human Resources (HR) Policies, Human Resources (HR) Service Delivery, Human Resources (HR) Shared Services {+ 23 more}

Desired Languages (If blank, desired languages not specified)

Travel Requirements

Not Specified

Available for Work Visa Sponsorship?

No

Government Clearance Required?

Yes

Job Posting End Date