Director of Financial Compliance, Audit and Tax

Description

The Director of Financial Compliance, Audit, and Tax is a strategic finance leader responsible for overseeing regulatory compliance, internal and external audits, corporate tax planning, and debt covenant management. This role plays a critical part in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of financial operations while driving continuous improvement and optimization of financial compliance processes. The Director will also work cross-functionally with legal, treasury, FP&A, operations, and IT to align compliance activities with broader business goals.

Responsibilities

Compliance & Internal Controls

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust financial compliance frameworks aligned with GAAP, SOX, and regulatory requirements, as necessary for the current company’s environment
• Lead the design and implementation of internal controls to support accurate financial reporting and operational effectiveness.
• Monitor the regulatory environment to ensure timely adaptation of compliance practices.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and compliance reviews across departments.

Audit Oversight

• Manage the coordination of internal and external audits, including preparation, documentation, and issue resolution.
• Serve as the primary liaison with external auditors and internal audit teams to ensure audit readiness and timely completion.
• Champion a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous audit process improvement.
• Monitor the implementation of audit findings and corrective actions.

Tax Strategy & Compliance

• Oversee corporate tax compliance and reporting, including federal, state, local, and international tax obligations.
• Develop strategic tax planning initiatives to reduce risk and optimize the company’s tax position.
• Lead relationships with tax advisors and manage responses to audits or inquiries from tax authorities.
• Track tax legislation and proactively assess its impact on business operations.

Debt Compliance & Covenant Management

• Manage all debt compliance obligations, including covenant tracking, certificate submission, and lender communications.
• Ensure accurate, timely financial reporting aligned with debt agreement requirements.
• Maintain and interpret credit agreements, identifying risks and mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with Treasury and FP&A to monitor liquidity, forecast covenant metrics, and support capital structure planning.

Process Optimization & Efficiency

• Identify and lead initiatives to optimize compliance, audit, and tax processes through automation, technology, and best practices.
• Drive continuous improvement in reporting accuracy, cycle times, and cost-effectiveness.
• Evaluate current systems and workflows, recommending enhancements or tools that increase transparency and reduce manual efforts.
• Foster a proactive and agile compliance environment responsive to business changes.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with legal, operations, IT, HR, procurement, and other departments to ensure compliance is embedded across all functions.
• Support enterprise initiatives such as system implementations, M&A, or reorganizations by providing financial risk and compliance expertise.
• Collaborate with FP&A and operational leaders to align financial compliance goals with broader business strategies.
• Serve as a key advisor to senior leadership on compliance, audit, and tax-related matters.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (Master’s or MBA preferred).
• CPA or equivalent certification required.
• 10+ years of progressive finance experience with leadership roles in financial compliance, audit, tax, and debt covenant management.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, SOX, internal control frameworks, and corporate tax regulations.
• Experience with financial process improvement, automation tools, and enterprise systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Workday).
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and drive change in a complex environment.

Preferred Experience:

• Background in a publicly traded, global, or highly regulated environment.
• Familiarity with compliance technology tools (e.g., Blackline).
• Experience supporting corporate transactions, including debt financing or M&A.
• Proven success managing compliance programs across multi-entity or international structures.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic Thi