Associate Director, Accounting Policy & Governance

We are the leading provider of professional services to the middle market globally, our purpose is to instill confidence in a world of change, empowering our clients and people to realize their full potential. Our exceptional people are the key to our unrivaled, culture and talent experience and our ability to be compelling to our clients. You’ll find an environment that inspires and empowers you to thrive both personally and professionally. There’s no one like you and that’s why there’s nowhere like RSM.The Associate Director of Accounting Policy and Governance is a high-impact role that will drive the development, standardization, and governance of accounting policies and procedures across the firm. This leader brings structure, consistency, and a strong risk-awareness to ensure that accounting practices are well-defined, documented, and uniformly applied throughout the organization. This role will serve as the central accounting policy governance role within Controllership—identifying gaps or inconsistencies in existing accounting policies, owning the end-to-end policy lifecycle from development through approval, and ensuring clear, consistent application across the firm. The role requires a strategic thinker who can step back from day-to-day execution to challenge approaches, promote cross-functional alignment, and strengthen the firm’s financial control environment. This role reports to the firm Controller.Key Responsibilities:Establish and maintain a comprehensive accounting policy manual, ensuring enterprise-wide GAAP compliance and consistency. Maintain centralized documentation and tracking for all policy documents.Conduct ongoing gap assessments to identify missing, outdated, or inconsistent accounting policies. Prioritize policy updates based on financial reporting risk and complexity and maintain a risk-based policy roadmap to address high-impact areas first.Regularly evaluate existing accounting policies for relevance and effectiveness. Identify opportunities to modernize and streamline policies for consistency and clarity. Recommend improvements or new policies where needed.Lead the end-to-end policy update process through formal governance channels. Coordinate cross-functional stakeholder input (e.g., Controllership, Finance, Risk, Audit, Operations) and secure necessary approvals. Track each policy through review, approval, and implementation stages to ensure timely completion and communication to affected teams.Partner closely with various business units and functional teams to ensure uniform interpretation and application of accounting policies. Proactively resolve discrepancies in how policies are applied across different parts of the organization, driving firm-wide consistency.Standardize key Controllership-related processes (such as month-end close procedures) by developing clear procedural documentation. Ensure teams across the controllership function execute processes consistently and in line with approved policies.Serve as a Controllership subject-matter expert on finance transformation initiatives or process redesign projects. Advise on accounting implications and ensure that new systems and processes incorporate appropriate policy requirements and controls, reinforcing the link between policy and process design.Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required. RequiredCPA, CIA, or other relevant professional accounting certification. Preferred7+ years of progressive experience in accounting, audit, or controllership, with deep knowledge of financial reporting processes and internal controls. RequiredExperience in a large corporate finance or Big 4/public accounting environment. PreferredProven ability to think strategically about accounting issues and provide governance leadership. RequiredExperience driving cross-functional initiatives or policy implementations within a complex organization. RequiredExceptional analytical and risk assessment skills, with the ability to identify patterns and evaluate compliance of practices against policies. RequiredStrong communication skills and a collaborative approach to influence and partner with stakeholders across different departments. RequiredPrior exposure to accounting policy development, internal audit, or financial governance roles. PreferredA background in establishing or managing control frameworks (e.g., SOX compliance, risk management programs) RequiredAbout the Ideal Candidate:We seek a proactive, thoughtful leader who can combine big-picture perspective with attention to detail. The ideal candidate is confident in challenging the status quo and driving alignment across diverse teams. This individual will be passionate about strengthening the firm’s financial foundation by ensuring that clear, consistent accounting policies guide our operations. They should be comfortable working in a dynamic environment, adept at managing stakeholder relationships, and committed to upholding the highest standards of financial governance.Why Join Us:This role offers the opportunity to shape the firm’s accounting policy framework and make a lasting impact on the organization’s financial integrity and efficiency. The Senior Manager will play a visible part in enhancing our controllership function, increasing transparency and consistency in how we operate, and ensuring our accounting practices keep pace with the firm’s growth. This is a high-impact position suited for a seasoned professional who excels at building structure in a complex environment and enjoys leading change at an enterprise level.At RSM, we offer a competitive benefits and compensation package for all our people. We offer flexibility in your schedule, empowering you to balance life’s demands, while also maintaining your ability to serve clients. Learn more about our total rewards at .All applicants will receive consideration for employment as RSM does not tolerate discrimination and/or harassment based on race; color; creed; sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances; sex (including pregnancy or disabilities related to nursing); gender; sexual orientation; HIV Status; national origin; ancestry; familial or marital status; age; physical or mental disability; citizenship; political affiliation; medical condition (including family and medical leave); domestic violence victim status; past, current or prospective service in the US uniformed service; US Military/Veteran status; pre-disposing genetic characteristics or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Accommodation for applicants with disabilities is available upon request in connection with the recruitment process and/or employment/partnership. RSM is committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, interview, or otherwise participate in the recruiting process, please call us at View phone number on click.appcast.io or send us an email at View email address on click.appcast.io does not intend to hire entry level candidates who will require sponsorship now OR in the future (i.e. F-1 visa holders). If you are a recent U.S. college / university graduate possessing 1-2 years of progressive and relevant work experience in a same or similar role to the one for which you are applying, excluding internships, you may be eligible for hire as an experienced associate.RSM will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records. For those living in California or applying to a position in California, please click here for additional information.At RSM, an employee’s pay at any point in their career is intended to reflect their experiences, performance, and skills for their current role. The salary range (or starting rate for interns and associates) for this role represents numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, education, skills, work experience, certifications, location, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range.Compensation Range: $120,000 - $205,200Individuals selected for this role will be eligible for a discretionary bonus based on firm and individual performance.SummaryLocation: ChicagoType: Full time