Professional Summary
Senior Financial Accountant and Certified Bilanzbuchhalter (IHK) based in Cologne, specialized in statutory balance sheet preparation, general ledger management, and financial reporting under German GAAP (HGB).
Proven track record in managing external audit workflows, implementing digital invoice processing, and ensuring meticulous financial compliance for medium-sized German enterprises.
Professional Experience
Rheinbogen Fracht Services GmbH
Cologne, Germany
Senior Accountant
Apr 2018 – Present
- Lead the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements compliant with HGB and corporate tax guidelines for a transport fleet operation with 48 million euros in annual turnover.
- Supervise general ledger accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and fixed asset depreciation schedules across three domestic subsidiaries.
- Coordinate statutory audit engagements with external auditors and tax advisors, preparing comprehensive working papers and reconciliations.
- Partner with operations management to refine cost center accounting and overhead allocations within SAP S/4HANA.
Severin Werkzeugbau AG
Cologne, Germany
Financial Accountant (Bilanzbuchhalter)
Sept 2011 – Mar 2018
- Managed balance sheet accounting, intercompany reconciliations, and VAT declarations for a mid-sized industrial tooling manufacturer.
- Implemented automated accounts payable invoice workflows using DATEV Unternehmen online, reducing document cycle times by 35 percent.
- Prepared liquidity forecasts and weekly cash flow reports to support working capital management during capital expenditure programs.
- Mentored two junior accountants through their Chamber of Commerce (IHK) vocational training examinations.
Education
University of Cologne
Diplom-Kaufmann · Business Administration (Betriebswirtschaftslehre) · Cologne, Germany · 1.8 · Oct 1984 – Jun 1989
Specialized in corporate taxation, financial auditing, and managerial accounting. Completed thesis on inventory valuation methods under German commercial law.
Selected Projects
ERP Financial Ledger Migration
Feb 2021 – Nov 2021
- Supervised general ledger migration, historical data conversion, and chart of accounts mapping during an enterprise-wide SAP S/4HANA implementation.
- Conducted parallel balance sheet reconciliations across two quarterly closing cycles to ensure audit trail continuity and ledger integrity.
Core Competencies
German GAAP (HGB)
Statutory Financial Statements
General Ledger Accounting
SAP S/4HANA FI/CO
DATEV
Tax Compliance & VAT
Fixed Asset Accounting
Internal Controls
Cost Center Allocation
Cash Flow Reporting
Languages
German
C2
English
C1
Certifications
Bilanzbuchhalter (IHK)
IHK Köln · May 1998
Voluntary Engagement
Sportfreunde Köln-Süd e.V.
Cologne, Germany · Jan 2015 – Present
- Honorary Treasurer
- Oversee annual bookkeeping, receipts auditing, and financial status reports presented to the general assembly for a non-profit youth sports association.