SVP, Chief Operating Officer Global Finance (Chesterfield)

Job ID: J28517Company: Reinsurance Group of AmericaLocation: Chesterfield, Missouri, United States of AmericaJob Type: Full timeJob Level: L3Category: FinancePosted Date: 2026-08-12You desire impactful work.You’reRGA readyRGA is a purpose-driven organization working to solve today’s challenges through innovation and collaboration. A Fortune 200 Company and listed among its World’s Most Admired Companies, we’re the only global reinsurance company to focus primarily on life- and health-related solutions. Join our multinational team of intelligent, motivated, and collaborative people, and help us make financial protection accessible to all.A Brief OverviewThe Chief Operating Officer, Global Finance is the senior executive leader responsible for the operational excellence and holistic transformation of the Finance function across all global markets. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), this role serves as the operational backbone of Global Finance — translating financial strategy into scalable, technology-enabled operating models that are fit for the dynamic environment of RGA. This position will own and drive the Finance modernization agenda, overseeing the design and execution of large-scale transformation initiatives spanning process re-engineering, technology and systems implementation, building new capabilities, data and analytics capabilities, and organizational design. The COO, Global Finance will be a key partner to the CFO, business unit finance leaders, and enterprise shared services functions, ensuring that Finance operates as a high-performance, insights-driven organization capable of meeting the demands of global regulators, capital markets, and internal stakeholders.What you will doFinance Operations Leadership & Governance – Serve as the senior operational leader of the Global Finance function, accountable for day-to-day operational performance, resource deployment, and cross-functional finance governance. Establish and maintain a robust operating model that enables consistent, high-quality financial reporting, controls, and service delivery across all geographies and business units. Define and enforce the Global Finance Operating Model, including roles, responsibilities, service levels, and accountability frameworks. Drive standardization and automation of finance processes across all regions. Oversee the Finance calendar (close cycles, regulatory submissions, planning cycles), ensuring on-time, accurate delivery. Manage Finance function headcount planning, resource allocation, and workforce strategy in partnership with HR.Finance Modernization & Transformation Strategy - Lead the comprehensive modernization of the Finance function, driving the evolution from traditional operations to a strategic data-driven business partner. Oversee the implementation of AI, automation, and technology-based solutions to shift Finance teams from information assembly to strategic influence and impact. Design and execute multi-year transformation roadmaps that deliver measurable efficiency gains, enhanced analytics capabilities, and improved decision support across the enterprise. Develop and own the Global Finance Transformation Roadmap, aligning it to enterprise strategy, CFO priorities, and board-level commitments. Drive large-scale, cross-functional change initiatives using structured program management disciplines (e.g., Agile, Stage-Gate, or hybrid frameworks). Establish transformation governance structures including Steering Committees, Program Management Offices (PMOs), and executive reporting cadences. Build change management capabilities within Finance to ensure adoption, sustainability, and value realization from transformation investments. Benchmark Finance capabilities against Fortune 200 peers and best-in-class reinsurance/insurance organizations to identify gaps and opportunities.Technology & Systems Modernization - Drive the digital transformation and modernization of Finance technology infrastructure, replacing legacy systems with modern autonomous platforms. Drive the implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms, robotic process automation (RPA), consolidation systems, planning tools, regulatory reporting platforms, and emerging AI/ML-powered financial analytics. Own the Finance technology strategy, including decision-making for all major Finance technology investments. Own the Finance Technology strategy, partnering with Global Technology, Procurement, and vendors to deliver transformative capabilities. Lead ERP and adjacent system implementations, upgrades, and migrations. Champion the adoption of AI, machine learning, and robotic process automation (RPA) within Finance to enhance productivity, accuracy, and insights globally. Govern Finance technology investments through disciplined business case development, vendor selection, and benefits realization tracking. Ensure all Finance systems meet cybersecurity, data privacy, and regulatory requirements across global jurisdictions.Process Optimization & Operational Excellence - Design and implement standardized, scalable finance processes across global operations spanning multiple jurisdictions and regulatory environments. Eliminate inefficiencies, reduce cycle times, and enhance accuracy in financial close, reporting, consolidation, and analysis processes. Establish and embed a culture of continuous improvement within Global Finance. Lead the systematic identification, prioritization, and elimination of process inefficiencies through Lean, Six Sigma, and other operational excellence methodologies, with a relentless focus on quality, speed, and cost efficiency. Map and rationalize end-to-end Finance processes to identify automation and simplification opportunities. Establish Finance process ownership and governance, maintaining a global process repository and performance standards. Define and track Finance efficiency metrics (e.g., cost per transaction, close cycle time, error rates) and drive year-over-year improvement. Leverage external benchmarking to set aspirational targets and close performance gaps.Data Strategy, Analytics & Finance Intelligence - Lead the development and execution of the Global Finance data strategy, establishing Finance as a data insights-driven function capable of delivering real-time insights, predictive analytics, and decision-support capabilities to finance leadership, the Executive Committee, and the Board. Define Finance data architecture, including data governance frameworks, master data management standards, and data quality controls. Build, modernize and refine Finance-specific data products, dashboards, and reporting capabilities on modern platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, Power BI, Tableau). Drive the shift from backward-looking reporting to forward-looking, scenario-based financial intelligence and decision analytics. Establish Finance data literacy programs to upskill the Finance team on data tools, interpretation, and application.Regulatory Compliance, Controls & Risk Management - Ensure the Global Finance function operates within the bounds of all applicable regulatory frameworks, internal control standards, and risk management requirements across all jurisdictions in which the Company operates. This includes oversight of SOX compliance, LDTI, IFRS 17, and local statutory reporting obligations. Oversee the Finance internal control environment, including SOX 302/404 compliance, risk and control self-assessments (RCSAs), and remediation tracking. Partner with Internal Audit, Legal, and Risk to ensure Finance risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated within the enterprise risk framework. Embed risk management and compliance into daily workflows and processes across all Finance operations. Lead readiness for new regulatory requirements (e.g., IFRS 17/9 implementation, LDTI under US GAAP, BEPS Pillar Two) from an operational and systems perspective. Build resilient control environments that protect the organization while enabling operational agility. Maintain relationships with external auditors, rating agencies, and regulatory bodies as a senior Finance representative.Shared Services & Finance Operating Model Design - Design, implement, and continuously optimize the Global Finance operating model, including the strategic deployment of shared services, centers of excellence (CoEs), and global business services (GBS) capabilities. Ensure Finance services are delivered efficiently, consistently, and at scale across all markets. Define the optimal Finance delivery model (centralized, hybrid, or decentralized), including the right balance of onshore, nearshore, and offshore execution. Establish and govern Global Finance Shared Services and Centers of Excellence for key domains (e.g., Tax CoE, Actuarial Finance CoE, Financial Reporting CoE). Drive Finance sourcing strategy decisions, including the assessment, selection, and management of third-party outsourcing and managed service providers. Define and manage Finance SLAs, OLAs, and customer satisfaction frameworks for internal business unit stakeholders.Talent Strategy, Culture & Organizational Capability - Build and sustain a high-performing, digitally-fit Finance organization with capabilities spanning traditional financial expertise and emerging digital skills including data analytics, automation, and AI by leading Finance talent strategy, driving a culture of excellence and innovation, and ensuring the function attracts, develops, and retains world-class finance professionals across all global markets. Partner with the CFO and HR to develop and execute the Finance Talent Strategy, including workforce planning, succession planning, and critical role identification. Address critical skills gap by leading Finance upskilling programs, talent acquisition strategies, and organizational design initiatives. Champion a culture of high performance, intellectual curiosity, execution excellence,