Director, Accounting - RJ Trust

Job Description Summary

The Director of Accounting for Raymond James Trust, N.A. is responsible for overseeing all accounting operations related to trust clients, as well as ensuring compliance with fiduciary standards, regulatory requirements, and internal policies. This role provides strategic leadership in financial reporting, trust accounting, and client service and collaborates with legal, compliance, and client relationship teams. Resolves and recommends solutions to complex problems. Regular contact with senior management and other internal customers is required to identify, research, and resolve accounting issues and problems.

Job Description

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee the preparation of GAAP-compliant financial statements, integrating client-specific disclosures and ensuring timely delivery.
• Present financial operating results with actionable insights to support strategic decision making by the Board and executive leadership.
• Lead the design and continuous improvement of billing systems and pricing models to ensure transparency, accuracy and alignment with client agreements as well as profitability goals balanced with fiduciary expectations. 
• Establish and monitor robust internal control frameworks tailored to fiduciary operations, ensuring audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
• Remain up to date with current accounting pronouncements that impact business; research accounting topics relevant to the business line; preparing documentation necessary to support accounting position.
• Maintain frequent and regular communication with the Business Line Leadership to determine if there have been any changes in business practices, contracts or agreements or new business items that may affect the financial reporting for the business line as required.
• Monitor and analyze pricing structures, recommending adjustments to optimize the balance of reasonable profitability given the current operating cost structure and risks assumed to administer the account.
• Provides guidance and oversight over accounting matters to operational support groups to ensure compliance with accounting policies.
• Direct tax compliance for tax-exempt trust clients, ensuring timely filings, minimizing risk, and aligning with evolving IRS regulations.
• Provides guidance on tax compliance matters for operational support groups.
• Works closely with management to achieve organizational objectives.
• Lead audit engagements by coordinating deliverables, streamlining documentation, and implementing feedback to strengthen financial governance.  
• Champion process automation and data analytics to enhance accuracy, reduce manual effort, and support scalable growth.
• Develop a team of subject matter experts through coaching, succession planning, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.   
• Updates internal control documentation with the assistance of their team annually, and as necessary.
• Ensures that adequate internal controls and procedures are followed.
• Proposes changes to ensure organization achieves financial goals.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Knowledge of

• Company’s working structure, policies, mission, and strategies.
• Advanced accounting concepts, practices and procedures.
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Financial service industry preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of Accounting research tools.

Skill in

• Reviewing, interpreting and analyzing financial statements.
• Analyzing and proposing solutions to unusual transactions and accounting discrepancies.
• Researching GAAP & Regulatory issues.
• Interpreting and applying policies and procedures.
• Promoting effective coordination between department and other functional areas.
• Operating standard office equipment and using required software applications to produce correspondence, reports, electronic communication, spreadsheets and complex databases.

Ability to

• Implement changes to standard procedures when required by specific situations and circumstances.
• Work independently, make decisions and suggest resolutions to complex accounting problems.
• Organize, manage, and track multiple detailed tasks and assignments with frequently changing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
• Use appropriate interpersonal styles and communicates effectively to all levels of management.
• Implement changes to standard procedures when required by specific situations and circumstances.
• Work independently, make non-routine decisions and resolve complex accounting problems.
• Lead meetings and contribute