VP Accounting

About the role

VP Accounting National Carwash Solutions (NCS) was founded in 1973 as Ryko Solutions, Inc. in Grimes, Iowa, and was a pioneer in automated car wash equipment, including one of the first attendant-free systems. Over the past 50 years, the company has grown through organic growth and acquisitions and rebranded to NCS in 2016 to unify its brands. With an aggressive acquisition strategy, acquiring 13 companies in the past four years, NCS is North America’s leading end-to-end provider of car wash equipment, chemicals, parts/aftermarket parts, technology systems, installation, and servicing, catering to all sizes of carwash operations. The company operates nine manufacturing facilities and a network of distribution centers. Berkshire Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm acquired the company in 2020.

The VP Accounting serves as the top leader of the Accounting function reporting to the Chief Financial Officer. This leader is responsible for all core corporate Accounting activities, as well as the plant level Controllers, and will be focused on driving significant improvement in the overall function – people, processes, and systems – through implementing clear and consistent procedures, processes and controls, organizing the team and establishing priorities for them, and partnering with stakeholders to support a successful reconfiguration of NetSuite. This role will build a culture of “accounting tenacity”, tempered with an 80/20 materiality decision making mindset.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Team Building: Build a culture of continuous improvement, teach and coach the team in the fundamentals, establish clear short- and long-term goals, performance standards, and development plans, maintain a high level of engagement with the team, providing positive reinforcement, feedback, and support for professional growth, and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation within the accounting organization.
• Strategic Accounting Leadership: Partner with the CFO to determine accounting and tax implications for all material business decisions, partner with FP&A team on company-wide initiatives, partner with FP&A to develop, analyze, and interpret accounting information, and oversee cash flow forecasting and liquidity management.
• Operational Accounting Leadership: Ensure accurate and timely dissemination of financial reporting, ensure compliance with GAAP and regulatory requirements, act as the primary liaison with external auditors, manage the daily aspects of accounting, billing, financial statements, general ledger, tax compliance, and revenue recognition, and lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process.
• Process Optimization and Internal Controls: Drive process improvements and internal control enhancements across the accounting organization, bring rigor and discipline to accounting processes, leverage technology to automate and streamline workflows, reporting, and reconciliations, and validate all financial controls and procedures.

Qualifications

• Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required, CPA required, MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Experience: 15+ years of progressive accounting leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a VP+ leadership role, proven success managing external audits, audit committees, and complex financial reporting under US GAAP, strong experience in M&A, including purchase accounting and post-acquisition integration.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional leadership and team-building skills, track record of managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong technical accounting expertise, with a proven ability to interpret and apply complex accounting standards.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership, the C-suite, board members, and external stakeholders.
• High integrity and strong ethical standards, with a clear sense of fiduciary responsibility and a bias for action.
• Strategic and detail-oriented mindset, able to balance precision in financial reporting with broader financial planning and business alignment.