VP, Controllership Governance and SOX Initiatives

Job Description:

Role Summary/Purpose:

This role will lead risk focused data driven initiatives to assess, monitor, and report on the effectiveness and efficiency of processes to achieve controllerships' business objectives and compliance requirements.  Focus areas will include accounting, operational, and technology processes for financial reporting (SEC, ESG, customer, and regulatory) and transaction processing, as well as compliance with company-wide policies and governance standards. Key initiatives will include developing solutions to automate current governance and SOX activities, defining and implementing processes for new or changed requirements, ongoing data analysis to identify emerging risks, and development of data visualization and workflow tools.

The role reports to the VP, Controllership Governance & SOX Compliance Leader.

We’re proud to offer you choice and flexibility. At Synchrony, our way of working allows you to have the option to work from home, near one of our Hubs or come into one of our offices. Occasionally you may be required to commute to our nearest office for in person engagement activities such as business or team meetings, training and culture events.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Perform assessments of operational and financial reporting business processes to identify control risks, defects, and opportunities for standardization and automation.

• Develop recommendations and roadmaps for action on control, monitoring, and process improvement needs.

• Define and recommend prioritized data driven process monitoring, analysis, and automated surveillance/testing approaches.

• Develop solutions to streamline and/or automate SOX, governance, and surveillance processes.

• Lead and/or support the implementation of approved initiatives

• Design and prepare information rich/actionable reporting from governance activities and monitoring data sets.

• Identify, acquire, and prepare data for use in analysis, automated testing, and reporting.

• Develop, maintain, and execute automated testing scripts.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, or a related field.

• Minimum 7 years of experience that includes governance, controllership, audit, Sarbanes-Oxley, or process improvement roles.

• Experience with governance reporting, SOX, or internal control assessment for finance areas.

• Experience with business process control analysis and transformation.

• Experience with the design and implementation of data driven analysis, testing, and automation initiatives.

• Knowledge or certification in Six Sigma or comparable process analysis and design methodologies.

• Knowledge of tools and frameworks for data analysis and visualization (Tableau, Excel, SPSS, SAS, Business Objects, etc.), financial reporting (Oracle, Hyperion etc.), database (SQL etc.), programming (XML, Java Script).

• Knowledge of workflow and automation tools (e.g. Nintex, Automation Anywhere, SharePoint, etc.).

Desired Characteristics:

• Financial services industry experience (highly desired).

• Prior experience with business process control analysis and transformation.

• Experience implementing or applying accounting, control, and reporting standards (GAAP, IFRS, PCAOB, Regulatory, Dodd-Frank).  Familiarity with ESG reporting concepts.

• Strong written and oral communication skills.   

• Ability to communicate with stakeholders of all levels.

• Ability to work independently and at a fast pace.

• Familiarity with and operating understanding of consumer loan products and processes.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Attention to detail and follow up skills are essential.

• Adept at queries, report writing and presenting findings.

• Formal Project Management experience is a plus.

• Proficiency in MS Office applications

• Strong MS Excel skills.

• Must be wi