Chief Accounting Officer
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) is a Fortune 250 leader in global automotive retail, operating more than 250 dealerships and collision centers across the United States and United Kingdom. As the 4th largest dealership group in the U.S., Group 1 delivers a fully integrated automotive experience, including vehicle sales, financing, aftersales service, and digital retail solutions. The company invests in people, technology, and operational excellence to shape the future of automotive retail, grounded in the belief that a better customer experience starts with an exemplary employee experience.
About the Role
The Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) will lead Group 1 Automotive’s global accounting organization, establishing the strategic vision for the accounting function while ensuring the integrity, transparency, and accuracy of the company’s financial reporting and control environment. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the CAO serves as a strategic business partner to the executive leadership team and Board of Directors, providing financial leadership that supports continued growth, acquisition strategy, operational excellence, and strong governance.
This executive will oversee SEC reporting, external financial reporting, technical accounting, controllership, SOX compliance, consolidations, financial systems, and accounting operations. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with deep technical expertise, a commercial mindset, and a passion for building scalable organizations. The CAO will drive accounting transformation initiatives, modernize financial processes, support acquisition integration, and shape the company’s long-term financial infrastructure.
Responsibilities
- Executive Financial Leadership
- Serve as the Company’s CAO and principal accounting executive, providing strategic leadership for the global accounting and controllership organization.
- Partner with the CFO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors on financial strategy, governance, enterprise risk, and long-term business planning.
- Establish the strategic direction for the accounting function, ensuring alignment with the Company’s long-term financial, operational, and acquisition objectives.
- Build and lead a high-performing global accounting organization focused on operational excellence, accountability, continuous improvement, and talent development.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and financial stewardship across the enterprise.
- Present quarterly and annual financial results, accounting updates, technical accounting matters, and SEC reporting to executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
- Provide executive leadership through periods of growth, acquisitions, organizational change, and business transformation.
- Partner with executive leadership to influence strategic business decisions through financial insight and risk management.
- SEC Reporting & External Financial Reporting
- Own the Company’s external financial reporting process, ensuring timely and accurate preparation and filing of:
- Annual Reports (Form 10-K)
- Quarterly Reports (Form 10-Q)
- Current Reports (Form 8-K)
- Proxy Statements
- Earnings releases
- SEC disclosures and supporting schedules
- Oversee preparation of consolidated financial statements, footnotes, MD&A, earnings materials, and presentations.
- Monitor emerging accounting standards and SEC regulations, ensuring timely adoption and communication of new requirements.
- Serve as the executive liaison with external auditors, regulatory agencies, and accounting advisors.
- Own the Company’s external financial reporting process, ensuring timely and accurate preparation and filing of:
- Technical Accounting & Accounting Policy
- Lead the Company’s technical accounting function, providing guidance on complex accounting matters including:
- Business combinations
- Revenue recognition
- Lease accounting
- Impairment analyses
- Stock compensation
- Debt and equity transactions
- Foreign operations
- Foreign currency translation and multi-currency consolidation
- Develop accounting policies and governance frameworks that support a growing public company.
- Ensure consistent application of U.S. GAAP across domestic and international operations and oversee U.K. statutory reporting and the reconciliation of IFRS/local GAAP differences for international subsidiaries.
- Lead the Company’s technical accounting function, providing guidance on complex accounting matters including:
- Global Controllership & Financial Operations
- Lead global accounting operations, including:
- Financial close
- Consolidations
- General accounting
- Financial reporting
- Corporate accounting
- Payroll accounting oversight
- Warranty accounting oversight
- Fixed asset accounting
- Drive improvements in the month-end close process while increasing efficiency and reporting quality.
- Ensure the integrity of financial systems, accounting processes, and internal controls.
- Lead global accounting operations, including:
- Governance, SOX & Risk Management
- Provide executive oversight of SOX compliance and the Company’s internal control framework.
- Strengthen governance practices that reduce financial reporting risk while improving operational effectiveness.
- Partner with auditors to continuously improve the control environment.
- Growth & Corporate Development
- Support the Company’s acquisition strategy through accounting due diligence, purchase accounting, integration planning, and post-close financial reporting.
- Evaluate accounting implications of strategic initiatives and capital allocation decisions.
- Partner with Corporate Development, Treasury, Tax, Legal, and FP&A to support enterprise growth.
- Accounting Transformation & Technology
- Champion modernization of the accounting organization through automation, process redesign, AI-enabled solutions, and financial systems optimization.
- Lead Oracle enhancements and implementations as well as financial reporting technology initiatives.
- Build scalable accounting processes capable of supporting continued domestic and international expansion.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance (advanced degree such as an MBA or Master’s in Accounting/Taxation preferred).
- Active CPA license.
- 20+ years of demonstrated, progressive accounting leadership experience, including serving as the senior accounting executive or equivalent leadership role within a publicly traded organization or multi-national organization.
- Extensive experience leading:
- SEC reporting
- External financial reporting
- Technical accounting
- Global controllership
- International / multi-jurisdiction operations (e.g., U.K.), including statutory reporting and foreign-currency consolidation
- SOX compliance
- Deep expertise in:
- U.S. GAAP
- SEC reporting requirements
- Internal controls
- Corporate governance
- Demonstrated success partnering with Boards of Directors, Audit Committees, executive leadership, and external auditors.
- Experience leading global accounting organizations through periods of growth, acquisitions, and organizational transformation.
- Experience building, developing, and mentoring high-performing teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Big Four public accounting experience.
- Automotive retail or multi-unit retail organization experience.
- Fortune 250 or other large public company leadership experience.
- Demonstrated success leveraging technology, automation, and AI to modernize accounting operations.
Location & Travel
This position is based at the Company’s corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas. Given the Company’s U.S. and U.K. operations, this role requires periodic domestic and international travel at least 25% of the time.