Controller & VP Accounting

Purpose
Provides strategic leadership and oversight of Save A Lot’s accounting operations, including: financial reporting, general accounting, and financial internal controls activities. Drives strategy and implementation for the organization’s accounting processes, systems and policies, and ensures proper controls and global compliance. Directly oversees all Company accounting operations for business units and support functions, as well as the shared services center. Consolidates and reports financial results, managing external audit relationships and supporting the agenda of the Board’s Audit & Compliance Committee.
Responsibilities
• Leads the finance and accounting teams to provide a new and advanced level of service and value to the organization by partnering with senior leadership and business leaders to ensure priorities are aligned with corporate objectives
• Maintains a disciplined mindset around the company relating to accounting processes and internal control
• Develops long-term strategies and plans for global financial reporting and accounting, including organization, systems and processes, anticipating future needs
• Recruits, retains and manages a strong team that is sustainable over the long term and able to grow and be versatile with ever changing business needs
• Serves as a mentor and teacher to this group to continually enhance their skills and effectiveness in the organization
• Drives business effectiveness and profit improvement by ensuring financial systems, processes and people are aligned and consistently provide value-add results
• Oversees the continuous improvement of the comprehensive shared services function for the company, driving synergies and streamlining back-office functions in support of the business
• Creates and administers policies and procedures to ensure compliance with GAAP
• Plans and manages business unit/department processes and practices to ensure that programs are aligned with company business goals and objectives, while ensuring all financial reporting and accounting activities are in compliance
• Provides a high degree of accountability, transparency and understanding with respect to financial reporting, accounting and performance analysis across the organization
• Publishes financial results and coordinates with the FP&A function in the preparation of managerial reports comparing actual results with plan and prior year's results
• Communicates, educates and prepares business practice leaders for accounting policy and practice changes which require operations and line management method changes; develops plans and methods for business unit adoption and implementation
• Coordinates the presentation of internal and external audit results and other information for the Audit & Compliance Committee of the Board
• Manages internal and third-party resources responsible for the development and execution of proper internal financial controls
• Plans and executes the annual financial audit, managing the external auditor relationship and ensuring that the annual audit is conducted in a timely and efficient manner
• Contributes to financial aspects of M&A activities for the company, and provide oversight for major strategic partnerships and joint ventures that arise
• Maintains current knowledge of and assess state-of-the-art financial resources to promote financial integrity and knowledge of the Company
About You
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field or equivalent amount of experience is required
• CPA designation is required
• 7-10 years of progressive accounting, controls, and financial reporting experience in a public company environment
• Prior experience in a large-scale, multi-channel, retail/CPG companies is preferred, though Controllers with relevant experience from other industries will be considered
• Experience as the Controller of a public company is preferred; early career with one of the national public accounting firms is also preferred
• Exhibits strong leadership traits, including conviction, influencing skills and a persuasive communication style to quickly engender respect and build relationships with the senior leadership team and throughout the company
• Must be able to influence, drive process, implement change, proactively lead and strategically advise in a dynamic business environment while demonstrating a high level of transparency, accountability and collaboration cross-functionally
• Proven leadership capability with large, diverse work groups
• An accomplished people manager who can develop, motivate and build effective teams that support business needs, sustain performance and deliver enhanced results
• Directs team toward department goals using a results and solutions-oriented leadership style