VP, Commercial Controlling – Automotive Industry to $300,000

VP, Commercial Controlling – Automotive Industry to $300,000

• Charlotte, NC

OPEN JOB: VP, Commercial Controlling – Automotive Industry

BASE SALARY: $245,000 to $297,500

LOCATION:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Relocation Assistance Available

INDUSTRY:

Financial Services

JOB CATEGORY:

Finance / Accounting – Controller

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• The ideal candidate has a commercial or sales controlling background and has worked at automotive companies with a direct-to-consumer model (i.e. Tesla, Rivian, Lucid).
• Automotive experience and commercial/sales controlling experience are absolute must-haves.

SUMMARY:

• Our client, a major auto manufacturer, is building its commercial finance function from the ground up ahead of launch. The Commercial Controlling team sits at the center of how the company’s sales and marketing organizations operate and scale, translating business activity into accurate financials, disciplined decision-making, and clear performance insight across vehicle sales, aftersales, retail, and brand.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Set the strategic direction for commercial and brand controlling, defining the operating model, financial frameworks, and guardrails in alignment with corporate strategy.
• Own the financial management of commercial and brand operations , ensuring accurate planning, cost integrity, and reliable financial reporting across all business lines.
• Own the end-to-end execution and financial integrity of the commercial and brand controlling function , ensuring disciplined month-end close, accurate accruals and provisions, alignment between financial results and underlying business activity, and clear, actionable variance analysis against forecast and plan.
• Own FP&A and management reporting , including consolidated P&L views, budgeting, rolling forecasts, long-range planning, scenario modeling, and proactively identifying risks and opportunities with sufficient lead time for business action.
• Own financial governance and serve as the senior finance approval authority , including guardrails, policies, and approval frameworks across pricing, incentives, marketing spend, and commercial investments, and ensuring consistent adherence to financial controls across all commercial decisions.
• Serve as the senior finance partner to commercial and brand leadership , shaping decisions while maintaining financial discipline and accountability.
• Partner with enterprise financial planning and accounting to ensure full alignment with company-level P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, and statutory requirements.
• Define financial system and data requirements in partnership with digital finance to enable scalable reporting and decision support.
• Design and scale the commercial finance organization , including structure, leadership layers, and hiring strategy across all business lines.
• Own hiring strategy and leadership hiring decisions , including director-level roles.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team , establishing accountability, strong technical standards, and a culture of effective financial partnership.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field (MBA preferred)
• 15+ years in business controlling, FP&A, or commercial finance leadership
• Demonstrated experience
  leading and scaling a full commercial finance function
  , including organizational design and hiring at all levels from analysts through directors
• Proven ability to operate as a
  senior finance executive influencing C-level stakeholders
  and shaping business decisions at the highest levels
• Deep expertise in cost controlling, financial planning, governance, and reporting across complex multi-business-line operations
• Strong experience defining financial frameworks and operating models in high-growth or highly ambiguous environments
• Strong working knowledge of SAP S/4
  
  HANA financial architecture and management reporting structures
• Demonstrated ability to balance
  strategic leadership and financial discipline
  , acting as both a decision partner and control function