VP Finance – Assistant Corporate Controller, Accounting and Reporting

Company Description

At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.

At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that. Our technology helped people put a man on the moon.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest growth organizations in the world. From energizing the most competitive gaming platforms, to enabling systems to make cities safer and cars smarter and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and public cloud, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Binge-watch any shows, use social media or shop online lately? You’ll find Western Digital supporting the storage infrastructure behind many of these platforms. And, that flash memory card that captures and preserves your most precious moments? That’s us, too.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, storage devices and platforms for business and consumers alike. Our data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk® and WD® brands.

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. It’s You & Western Digital. Together, we’re the next BIG thing in data.

Job Description

Reporting to the CAO, the Assistant Corporate Controller for Accounting & Reporting will be responsible for ensuring the integrity of global accounting and financial reporting by providing leadership, business collaboration, process knowledge and technical expertise to Western Digital Finance. This leader will lead the following teams within the Accounting function: GL Operations, Global Close and Consolidation, and Technical Accounting and External Reporting.

Western Digital is in the process of splitting it’s HDD and Flash business units into 2 separate publicly traded companies and this role and team will help support those activities in addition to their primary overall responsibilities.  Further, this role would become the Assistant Corporate Controller with likely expanded responsibilities (tbd) in one of the 2 companies resulting from the split.

This role ideally is based at our locations in Milpitas or San Jose, CA and likely will involve some periodic global travel.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of ~25 professionals who oversees all aspects of the company’s monthly/quarterly close processes and, and external and technical accounting and quarterly/annual  reporting
• Overall lead for the company’s the monthly and quarterly close and external reporting processes with a focus on driving continuous process and systems improvements (i.e. quality and efficiency of output) to enable optimal business decisions and outcomes
• Own the development and implementation of Western Digital’s accounting policies, adapting to the changes in our business as well as the evolution of US GAAP
• Ensure a strong control and compliance framework with corporate SOX and key controls, adherence to US GAAP and other statutory requirements and support for external/internal audits and reviews
• Point person on behalf of CAO responsible for external auditor relationship for all areas other than Revenue
• Partner closely with the Finance senior leadership team (including FP&A, Investor Relations, Tax and Treasury) to ensure alignment of accounting with both finance and business objectives
• Support new business initiatives/models which require enhancement or development of Finance/Accounting systems in support of those activities
• Collaborate with IT and other WD functional teams, as applicable, during design, implementation, and post-implementation phases of accounting-related projects
• For cross-company led initiatives, lead the Accounting team’s participation in those initiatives (together with relevant Finance Leadership) and incorporate those project plans into annual and longer-term project plan assumptions
• Support M&A integration and divestiture activities for Finance leveraging SME expertise in key process areas

Qualifications

• 15-20+ years of Accounting/Finance-related experience, with majority in corporate accounting-type roles, including ideally a mix of Big 4 and high-tech industry experience
• Deep technical GAAP expertise, with experience in technology or semiconductor industry a plus
• Track record of building new capabilities, with a process orientation
• Strong team leader and developer of talent, at a global, multinational company with
• geographically dispersed teams
• Self-starter and Change Agent
• Demonstrated ability to work cross functionally and cross org to accompl