Manager, Finance Assurance and Quality

Manager of Finance - Assurance & Quality

The Manager of Finance - Assurance & Quality is responsible for leading assurance, quality, process improvement, automation, and control enhancement efforts across the Accounting and Finance organization. This position will identify control gaps, weaknesses in documentation, process inefficiencies, and opportunities to strengthen the financial close and broader operational accounting environment.

A key focus of this role will be to drive process automation, promote best practices around the responsible use of AI, and improve efficiency across recurring accounting and finance activities. The Manager will partner with Accounting and Finance leadership to evaluate current processes, identify automation opportunities, reduce manual effort, improve data quality, and support scalable solutions that strengthen controls while improving speed, accuracy.

The Manager will create and maintain best-in-class processes and documentation to ensure teams are held accountable for strong internal controls, accurate financial results, consistent execution of accounting responsibilities, and efficient ways of working. This role will lead complex initiatives to improve the transfer of data, ownership, responsibilities, and insights across the Accounting organization.

This position will work closely with Accounting leadership and other Finance groups, including but not limited to Corporate Accounting, Tax, Treasury, Captive/Obligor Accounting, UBIF, Technology, Data, and other business partners. Strong relationships with these teams are required to become a trusted business partner, influence key decisions, and support cross-functional initiatives. The Manager will provide team leadership and/or functional expertise to project teams with scope ranging from department-level initiatives to enterprise-level efforts. This position will also support the completion of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close activities and provide ad hoc analysis as needed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead assurance, quality, operational accounting, and process improvement efforts to identify control gaps, process inefficiencies, documentation weaknesses, automation opportunities, and areas to improve the overall accounting control environment.
• Drive process automation initiatives across Accounting and Finance to reduce manual work, improve accuracy, increase scalability, and create more efficient ways of working.
• Promote best practices around the responsible use of AI and automation, including appropriate governance, documentation, validation, review, change management, and control considerations.
• Partner with Accounting, Finance, Technology, Data, and business teams to evaluate opportunities to automate recurring processes, improve data flow, reduce rework, enhance quality, and increase visibility into key accounting activities.
• Create, implement, and maintain best-in-class processes, procedures, and documentation to hold teams accountable for stronger controls, consistent execution, automation readiness, and timely completion of responsibilities.
• Lead complex initiatives to improve the flow of data, accountability, responsibilities, and handoffs across the Accounting organization.
• Evaluate current-state processes and recommend future-state solutions that improve quality, efficiency, control effectiveness, scalability, and business partner experience.
• Support the Operational Accounting organization in evaluating the financial impacts, risks, and prioritization of business activities, automation opportunities, AI-enabled solutions, and process changes.
• Manage and develop relationships with the Accounting leadership team to become a trusted business partner and influence key decisions and activities.
• Serve as a liaison to other Finance groups, including but not limited to Corporate Accounting, Tax, Treasury, Captive/Obligor Accounting, UBIF, Technology, Data, and other cross-functional partners.
• Provide team leadership and/or functional-level accounting expertise to cross-functional project teams as assigned, with scope ranging from department-level initiatives to enterprise-level initiatives.
• Support the completion of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes, including review of close activities, issue resolution, automation support, and coordination across teams.
• Prepare and provide ad hoc analysis as needed to help business partners make better decisions in a timely manner.
• Identify root causes of operational accounting issues and recommend sustainable solutions to improve accuracy, efficiency, scalability, and control effectiveness.
• Lead the development, documentation, and monitoring of internal controls to ensure manual and automated processes are appropriately designed, communicated, validated, and followed.
• Work with accounting and finance stakeholders to define clear roles, responsibilities, ownership, accountability, and automation opportunities across key accounting processes.
• Support audit, compliance, and internal review requests related to accounting processes, documentation, controls, automation, AI-enabled workflows, and financial activity.
• Communicate process changes, risks, issues, automation opportunities, and recommendations clearly and effectively to leadership and business partners.
• Other responsibilities as directed by management.

Professional Competencies:

• Strong technical accounting skills and knowledge of GAAP.
• Strong process improvement mindset with demonstrated ability to identify automation opportunities and implement practical, scalable solutions.
• Knowledge of process automation concepts, AI-enabled tools, workflow optimization, and best practices for responsible use of technology within a controlled Finance environment.
• Ability to evaluate manual processes and design future-state solutions that improve efficiency, accuracy, quality, documentation, and control effectiveness.
• Strong understanding of how to balance automation and AI adoption with appropriate governance, validation, documentation, and internal control requirements.
• Ability to partner with Technology, Data, Accounting, and Finance teams to translate business needs into practical process and automation solutions.
• Strong understanding of financial close processes, internal controls, account reconciliations, process documentation, and financial reporting.
• Ability to identify control gaps, process risks, and documentation weaknesses and develop practical solutions.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, organizational skills, and results orientation.
• Ability to lead complex initiatives and drive process improvements across multiple teams and functions.
• Strong interpersonal skills and effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish priorities, work independently, and proceed with objectives with minimal supervision.
• Proven ability to work well with internal and external business partners.
• Ability to influence decisions and activities across teams without direct authority.
• Positive attitude, self-confidence, strong team orientation, and excellent relationship-building skills.
• Takes ownership of assignments, drives them to completion, and collaborates with team members and business partners as needed.
• Professional and personal integrity beyond reproach.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, demanding, and constantly changing environment.
• Strong attention to detail with large numbers, complex data sets, and cross-functional processes.
• Can-do/will-do attitude with the ability and willingness to work flexible hours and commitment to do what it takes to get the job done.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Proven track record of academic and professional excellence.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Five to nine years of relevant professional experience in accounting, finance, audit, controllership, operational accounting, process improvement, automation, or related field.
• Management of staff or experience leading teams, projects, or cross-functional initiatives to successful completion.
• Experience leading process improvement, automation, transformation, internal control, quality assurance, or finance operations initiatives.
• Experience identifying opportunities to reduce manual effort, improve efficiency, enhance documentation, and strengthen controls.
• Experience with AI-enabled tools, automation platforms, data analytics, workflow tools, or finance transformation initiatives is preferred.
• CPA designation or actively pursuing certification is a plus.

Language Skills:

This position requires the ability to read, write, analyze, and interpret complex instructions, correspondence, accounting guidance, process documentation, financial reports, and/or technical documents. In addition, the ability to respond effectively to employees, management, business partners, and other stakeholders and handle sensitive and/or confidential communications is required.

Technical Skills:

This position requires proficiency in a variety of accounting and office applications including but not limited to the Microsoft Office Suite. Experience with financial systems, reporting tools, data analysis tools, workflow tools, automation platforms, and AI-enabled productivity tools is preferred. The role requires the ability to evaluate technology-enabled process improvements, understand data flow between systems, and partner with technical teams to design, test, document, and monitor efficient and controlled solutions.

Mathematical Skills:

This position requires advanced mathematical and analytical skills including the ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and interpret complex numbers, financial data, and reports. The ability to apply such concepts to create reports, financial analysis, reconciliations, and process metrics and present them effectively is also required.