NAM Accounting Controller - Nashville, TN

Accounting Controller

Since 1792, we've been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people's lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon is trusted by customers around the globe. We're active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance the fabric of everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It's what you'd expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that's dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today while creating an even better tomorrow. Let's paint the future together.

The Accounting Controller is a finance leader who is the linking pin within the operational model (liaising with all relevant stakeholders: Commercial and ISC navigators, FP&A, RAC, ACD and beyond) to meet the AN and operational goals for retained RTR, Finance and AN as a whole locally.

The accounting controller role has a pivotal role to ensure consistent high quality and timely group / business and statutory reporting for a set of relevant legal entity entities.

The accounting controller comprises of six distinct areas of Accountability / Responsibility for the region:

• Record To Report (RTR) process ownership and manage interactions with other processes and stakeholders
• Owning legal and reporting entities as will be assigned
• Accounting Leadership
• Business partnering for all relevant Accounting activities to relevant stakeholders
• Specific (BU / Region and / or) accountabilities / responsibilities
• Ensure control and compliance as per defined framework

This position is located in Nashville, TN

Responsibilities

• Pro-actively constantly monitor the quality of the balance sheet and statement of income for the respective reporting entities in collaboration with the Business Navigators (Commercial and ISC), FP&A, Functional Controllers on global/regional/local level, RAC, GBS/Infosys etc.
• Accountable for the periodic month reporting (by local units) to the region / BU for the assigned legal entities to ensure quality of reporting
• Co-develop specific guidelines across company one set of minimum requirements for the balance sheet review to ensure that meets the requirements of the accounting controller and ACD FR.
• Ensure compliance with IFRS, webFEM, local and statutory and fiscal requirements for the respective legal entities
• Responsible as first point of local contact of the retained (finance) organization

Leadership

• Drive standardization in the local retained accounting processes and standards within the (retained) finance organization and across AN
• Participate in and share knowledge of programs lead by the GPDLs and ATD to reduce complexity by standardization (in the RACs), reduction of legal entities

Business partner stakeholder/ Continuous improvement

• Proactively inform the relevant local stakeholders on the outcome of the balance sheet review and indicate potential risk and opportunities on treatments, processes or interactions to ensure a BS and P&L with the proper level of quality.
• Responsible for raising IFRS business partnering challenges, liaising with the relevant parties to ensure the best suitable business solution whilst adhering to IFRS and Webfem
• Prioritize and (facilitate to) embed the change in close cooperation with the relevant stakeholders as part of the wider finance improvement plan
• Initiate and implement cross departmental improvements within the local finance (also the interaction with the other Finops processes) and bring these to the attention of the Head of Finance Operations and Regional Accounting Controllers for worldwide implementation

Specific country responsibilities

• Accountable / Responsible for the review, signing and filing of the statutory reporting (statutory reporting, direct tax, indirect tax) of the relevant legal entities
• Accountable for the contact with experts (pension, tax, internal and external auditors) to ensure that the RAC obtains the accurate and complete information to produce in a timely manner the correct information for reporting and / or external parties
• Accountable for the sign off / review of the internal control related processes (ROCK, authorization matrix (entity and jv's),system request) to ensure adherence to specific local legislation
• Accountable for driving, monitoring and signing off of on treasury / insurance/ pension policies (FX policies, dividend process funding proposal, top ups, deficits, related entries)

Job Requirements

• Accounting professional with 10+ years of experience in accounting and financial reporting, and capable of analyzing complex processes and issues (3rd or 4th accounting job).
• A Master degree in Finance or Accounting (where required, a registered Accountant with valid CPA or similar certification).
• In depth knowledge in financial accounting ( R2R/I2P/I2C/Tax processes, IFRS, local GAAP.
• Experience with local specific accounting and statutory requirements strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership skills- Initiating, driving and implementing change in line with the outline strategy for retained accounting (and the broader finance community) by focusing on delivering goals and at the same time facilitate the process in a manner to encourage others to understand and embrace the change in their way of working.
• Hands on, proactive, able to work in a fast-paced matrix organization, multitasking, strong requirement to connect with people of various cultures and background.
• Proven track record in being resourceful: capable of analyzing complex processes and issues under severe time pressure (from theory to practice and vice versa strategy to operations) and bring solutions and suggestions to business teams for finance, accounting and the underlying processes and principles.
• Ability to work and delegate work under severe time pressure during month-end closures and continuously retain 'an eye' for the details.
• Clear communicator proactively and effectively communication with finance and business leadership.
• People manager with the ability to build strong (indirect) teams and (indirectly) lead and inspire others.
• Good analytical skills
• Drive continuous improvement agenda in the financial and transactional processes, and monthly closing and reporting processes
• Experience with ERP / SAP / HFM and merlin (or willing to learn)
• Fluent in English, both verbal as well as in writing

At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.