Director, Global Accounting Operations

Key Responsibilities

• Support the organization’s financial objectives by providing financial analyses and recommendations and directing staff.
• Develop accounting organizational strategies by contributing accounting and financial information, analysis, and recommendations for strategic thinking and direction, and establishing functional objectives in line with organizational objectives.
• Directs internal and external audit engagements. Reviews and approve financial transactions and ensures compliance with monthly and fiscal year end close requirements
• Establish accounting operational strategies by evaluating trends, establishing critical metrics, determining productivity, quality, and customer-service strategies, designing system efficiencies, hiring quality resources, resolving problems, and implementing change.
• Implements a system of appropriate controls to manage business risks and maintains responsibility for the fiscal integrity of all financial reporting and operations.
• Provide analytics to key business stakeholders for decision making; execute month end accounting close, prepare quarterly corporate submissions and reporting for the Controllership; provide support on both statutory and financial audits and requests from participations and internal operational audits.
• Oversee the day-to-day accounting operations performed by both on & offshore teams.
• Responsible for the process and performance outcomes of both on & off-shore accounting functions, ensuring the compliance with SLAs, developing, distributing and monitoring KPIs, leading and motivating teams, ensuring continuous improvement of processes, providing excellent customer service to business units and driving effectiveness through Enterprise Business Service (EBS).
• Oversee monthly, quarterly and annual accounting activities to ensure compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and corporate policies as well as play a key role in implementing process improvements, integrating new systems and businesses into EBS
• Support the strategic transformation and change requirements across US & UK R2R and work collaboratively with cross-functional leaders to shape the portfolio and prioritise investment and resources that will deliver the greatest benefit for the function and the business.
• Develop best-in-class process design (to a minimum of upper Q2 in the short to medium term) and identify initiatives to achieve the target state design for R2R.
• Drive change through technological innovations, organization design changes, process mapping, defining required processes, identifying key areas for improvements, implementing improvement initiatives, and monitoring and measuring performance.

Qualification & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting; MBA and/or CPA is highly preferred
• Qualified accountant with 10+ years or relevant experience in a business facing role with evidence of assuming roles of greater complexity, responsibility and accountability
• Significant experience of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, US GAAP, SEC reporting, UK GAAP and IFRS and how these relate to R2R process and the related regulatory compliance
• Strong process improvement background.
• Previous Business Service experience preferred, but not essential
• Proven record of senior stakeholder management and experience of working for C-suite executives
• Significant experience and track record of building, leading and delivering large, diverse, global operations and multi-disciplinary projects and transformations
• Proven track record of managing large global teams that achieve consistent upper quartile employee engagement scores or have demonstrated a significant step change in developing a high performing team culture
• Experience in strategic portfolio management
• Expert level experience and understanding of R2R process redesign and industry best practice
• Strong communication, facilitation, presentation and creative problem-solving skills

Benefits

At National Grid, we support our customers and communities every single day with the most cutting-edge energy solutions. And we’ve found that the best way to do that is to take care of our people and make sure they’re rewarded for their commitment to the company.

Our comprehensive and competitive benefits program is designed to support our employees at all stages of their careers and their lives. By providing choice and flexibility, our range of benefits support work/life integration, physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing, and address unique needs of our multi-generational workforce.

Our benefits are a strong part of what employees value most about working here at National Grid, and are indicative of our Live Brighter culture. We look for the best talent to join our diverse, inclusive, vibrant workforce, and want to ensure you’re properly taken care of. Because only then can you bring your whole self to work and perform at your peak. It’s all part of our commitment to helping you, our company, and our communities live brighter—now and in the future.