Senior Accounting Manager, SOX Controls and Strategic Projects

The Senior Manager, Controls & Strategic Projects is a key leader within the North America Commercial Risk Controllership team. This role is responsible for overseeing our SOX program and driving strategic, cross-functional initiatives that enhance our control environment, streamline processes, and drive efficiency.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical accounting and SOX expertise with the ability to understand end-to-end operational processes, design and implement improvements, and influence senior stakeholders across a complex global organization.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive team and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

• Lead the roadmap, planning and execution of strategic projects across the North America Commercial Risk Controllership team.

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, ensuring clear ownership and timely execution of project goals.

• Oversee the North America Commercial Risk SOX program, with a focus on maintaining a robust control environment, control standardization and simplification, and timely remediation of deficiencies.

• Partner closely with Global SOX and business/operations teams to achieve SOX compliance objectives.

• Identify root causes for accounting or process issues and develop projects to implement process improvements with a focus on efficiency and SOX compliance.

• Partner across functions including Controllership, Finance, Operations, Treasury, etc. to understand all stakeholder requirements for projects and drive cross-functional solutions. This includes developing deep understanding of various team and system processes to identify issues and problem solve.

• Prepare and present executive communication to support decision-making on process improvement strategy and project status.

• Examples of projects you will lead or support:

• System implementations - support system implementations from a controllership perspective to ensure appropriate design of SOX controls and change management around related accounting processes.

• Automation opportunities – partner across teams to develop automated processes and drive efficiency.

• Operational process deep dives – Conduct end-to-end reviews of key operational processes in partnership with business and operations teams; assess control design, identify accounting risks, and recommend improvements.

• Month-end close acceleration – Partner across controllership, FP&A, business and operations teams to develop process changes needed to accelerate our month-end close timing

• Process standardization – identify opportunities across various teams to streamline and standardize similar processes

• Offshoring – Support identification of activities suitable for offshoring; partner with Aon Business Services leadership and local teams to design transition plans, controls, and oversight mechanisms

• M&A and divestitures – Lead controllership involvement in operational integrations and separations

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

• Strong knowledge (7+ years) of US GAAP and SOX, experience with technical accounting research and evaluating and designing control processes

• Proven project management capabilities: planning, prioritizing, driving accountability, and delivering results in a multi-stakeholder environment

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex topics into clear messages for senior stakeholders

• High attention to detail, strong sense of ownership, and willingness to dive into the details to achieve results

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and influence across functions, levels, and locations

• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, dynamic, and complex global organization; able to manage multiple priorities and adapt to change.

• Location: Chicago, IL (hybrid)

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction record in accordance with local Fair Chance ordinances.

Aon is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this position. If you are a search firm, you will not be compensated in any way for your submission of a candidate, even if Aon hires that candidate.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Pay Transparency Laws

The salary range for this position (intended for U.S. applicants) is $130,000 - $155,000 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant’s geographic location.

The salary range reflected is based on a primary work location of Chicago, Illinois. The actual salary may vary for applicants in a different geographic location.

This position is eligible to participate in one of Aon’s annual incentive plans to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary. The amount of any bonus varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

Aon offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and regular part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; an employee stock purchase plan; consideration for long-term incentive awards at Aon’s discretion; medical, dental and vision insurance, various types of leaves of absence, paid time off, including 12 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, 15 days of paid vacation per year, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts, employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; optional personal insurance policies, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.

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The Senior Manager, Controls & Strategic Projects is a key leader within the North America Commercial Risk Controllership team. This role is responsible for overseeing our SOX program and driving strategic, cross-functional initiatives that enhance our control environment, streamline processes, and drive efficiency.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical accounting and SOX expertise with the ability to understand end-to-end operational processes, design and implement improvements, and influence senior stakeholders across a complex global organization.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive team and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

• Lead the roadmap, planning and execution of strategic projects across the North America Commercial Risk Controllership team.

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, ensuring clear ownership and timely execution of project goals.

• Oversee the North America Commercial Risk SOX program, with a focus on maintaining a robust control environment, control standardization and simplification, and timely remediation of deficiencies.

• Partner closely with Global SOX and business/operations teams to achieve SOX compliance objectives.

• Identify root causes for accounting or process issues and develop projects to implement process improvements with a focus on efficiency and SOX compliance.

• Partner across functions including Controllership, Finance, Operations, Treasury, etc. to understand all stakeholder requirements for projects and drive cross-functional solutions. This includes developing deep understanding of various team and system processes to identify issues and problem solve.

• Prepare and present executive communication to support decision-making on process improvement strategy and project status.

• Examples of projects you will lead or support:

• System implementations - support system implementations from a controllership perspective to ensure appropriate design of SOX controls and change management around related accounting processes.

• Automation opportunities – partner across teams to develop automated processes and drive efficiency.

• Operational process deep dives – Conduct end-to-end reviews of key operational processes in partnership with business and operations teams; assess control design, identify accounting risks, and recommend improvements.

• Month-end close acceleration – Partner across controllership, FP&A, business and operations teams to develop process changes needed to accelerate our month-end close timing

• Process standardization – identify opportunities across various teams to streamline and standardize similar processes

• Offshoring – Support identification of activities suitable for offshoring; partner with Aon Business Services leadership and local teams to design transition plans, controls, and oversight mechanisms

• M&A and divestitures – Lead controllership involvement in operational integrations and separations

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

• Strong knowledge (7+ years) of US GAAP and SOX, experience with technical accounting research and evaluating and designing control processes

• Proven project management capabilities: planning, prioritizing, driving accountability, and delivering results in a multi-stakeholder environment

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex topics into clear messages for senior stakeholders

• High attention to detail, strong sense of ownership, and willingness to dive into the details to achieve results

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and influence across functions, levels, and locations

• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, dynamic, and complex global organization; able to manage multiple priorities and adapt to change.

• Location: Chicago, IL (hybrid)

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction record in accordance with local Fair Chance ordinances.

Aon is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this position. If you are a search firm, you will not be compensated in any way for your submission of a candidate, even if Aon hires that candidate.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Pay Transparency Laws

The salary range for this position (intended for U.S. applicants) is $130,000 - $155,000 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant’s geographic location.

The salary range reflected is based on a primary work location of Chicago, Illinois. The actual salary may vary for applicants in a different geographic location.

This position is eligible to participate in one of Aon’s annual incentive plans to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary. The amount of any bonus varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

Aon offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and regular part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; an employee stock purchase plan; consideration for long-term incentive awards at Aon’s discretion; medical, dental and vision insurance, various types of leaves of absence, paid time off, including 12 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, 15 days of paid vacation per year, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts, employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; optional personal insurance policies, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.

#LI-SP1

#LI-HYBRID