Regional Finance Operations Controller - North America (NAM)

About the job

This senior finance leadership role is responsible for overseeing Finance Operations across North America. Reporting to the Global Head of Finance Operations, the Regional Finance Operations Controller partners closely with global and regional stakeholders and is accountable for the integrity of legal entity financial records, statutory and regulatory compliance, month-end close, IFRS and US GAAP reporting, and the performance of Invoice-to-Pay (I2P) and Cash Application processes across the region. The Controller serves as the primary liaison between centralized and outsourced Finance Operations teams (RTR, I2P, and Cash Application) and regional business leaders, translating business needs into operational priorities while providing strategic insights to global leadership.

Responsibilities

• Controllership & Legal Entity Integrity
  • Ensure compliance of NAM legal entity books and records with US GAAP and IFRS.
  • Oversee statutory filings, regulatory compliance, and reporting obligations.
  • Partner with Tax on corporate tax, transfer pricing, and related filings.
  • Maintain the regional compliance calendar and manage compliance risks.
  • Serve as the escalation point for accounting matters across NAM.
• Month-End Close & Financial Reporting
  • Lead timely and accurate month-end close for all NAM entities.
  • Review variance analysis and communicate key financial drivers.
  • Ensure completion of balance sheet reconciliations and account reviews.
  • Support Corporate FP&A reporting and information requests.
  • Communicate period-end risks and opportunities to leadership.
  • Lead and develop the NAM Record-to-Report (RTR) team.
• Statutory & IFRS Audit Management
  • Lead statutory and IFRS audits across NAM entities.
  • Manage auditor relationships, deliverables, and timelines.
  • Coordinate responses to audit requests and ensure audit readiness.
  • Drive remediation of audit findings and control improvements.
  • Oversee intercompany accounting, reconciliations, and issue resolution.
• Invoice to Pay (I2P) – Regional Oversight
  • Oversee the quality and delivery of I2P services across NAM.
  • Act as the primary link between regional stakeholders and global I2P teams.
  • Serve as the escalation point for payment, vendor, and invoice processing issues.
  • Approve urgent, manual, and exception payments.
  • Monitor service quality and responsiveness of I2P support teams.
  • Partner with Procurement and Logistics to resolve root-cause process issues.
  • Drive stakeholder adoption and understanding of I2P processes.
  • Support service reviews and continuous process improvement initiatives.
• Cash Application – Regional Oversight
  • Ensure accurate and timely cash application and AR reconciliation activities.
  • Act as the key liaison between centralized Cash Application teams and NAM stakeholders.
  • Serve as the escalation point for cash allocation and unapplied cash issues.
  • Lead initiatives to reduce unapplied cash and improve cash visibility.
  • Provide business context to improve allocation accuracy and service delivery.
  • Support service reviews and process improvement efforts.
• Regional Stakeholder Management
  • Act as the single Finance Operations point of contact for NAM business stakeholders.
  • Partner with ISC Controlling, Business Controlling, HR, Procurement, and Logistics on operational finance activities.
  • Provide guidance on accounting treatments, close processes, and transaction-related issues.
  • Build strong stakeholder relationships and establish regular governance and communication forums.
• Internal Controls, SOX & Compliance
  • Support SOX compliance and controls implementation across NAM.
  • Partner on control design, documentation, and process integration.
  • Coordinate internal audit activities and remediation of findings.
  • Serve as the NAM Finance Operations compliance lead.
  • Support compliance training and awareness initiatives.
• People Leadership & Projects
  • Lead, develop, and engage the NAM Finance Operations team.
  • Foster a high-performance, control-focused, and service-oriented culture.
  • Manage regional projects, including M&A, systems, and process improvement initiatives.
  • Influence and collaborate effectively across a global matrix organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• CPA preferred; CMA, ACCA, CA, or equivalent experience also considered.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in Accounting, Finance Operations, or Shared Services.
• Strong expertise in month-end close, financial reporting, and multi-entity accounting.
• Deep knowledge of US GAAP; IFRS exposure is an asset.
• Experience leading audits, intercompany accounting, and SOX compliance.
• Working knowledge of Invoice-to-Pay (I2P), Accounts Payable, Cash Application, and AR reconciliation processes.
• Proven people leadership and team development experience.
• Experience working in matrixed, cross-functional organizations.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing, and communication skills.

Preferred

• CPA designation.
• Experience in chemical, manufacturing, or industrial environments.
• Background in Shared Services, Global Business Services (GBS), or outsourced finance operations.
• SAP (FI/CO) or similar ERP system experience.
• Experience leading finance transformation, system implementations, or process improvement initiatives.
• Spanish language skills are an asset.
• Exposure to transfer pricing and partnership with corporate tax teams.