Director of Accounting Transformation

Upside Search is partnering with a global, publicly traded manufacturing organization that is looking to add a Director of Global Accounting Transformation to its corporate accounting leadership team. This is a newly created, highly visible position reporting directly to the Chief Accounting Officer, with responsibility for leading a multiyear transformation of the organization’s global accounting processes.

We’re looking for an experienced Accounting/Finance Transformation leader who has successfully driven large-scale initiatives involving Record-to-Report (R2R), Shared Services, Global Business Services (GBS), Centers of Excellence (COE), or Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).

This is not a traditional Accounting Director role focused on managing month-end close or overseeing day-to-day accounting operations. Instead, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape the future of a global accounting organization by driving standardization, simplification, centralization, automation, and process improvement across multiple regions.

• Lead the development and execution of a multiyear global accounting transformation strategy
  , with a strong focus on Record-to-Report processes.
• Evaluate opportunities to standardize, centralize, simplify, and automate accounting processes across global operations.
• Help shape future-state operating models, including Shared Services, GBS, Centers of Excellence, and potential outsourcing partnerships
  .
• Partner with regional accounting leaders to identify inefficiencies, improve processes, and implement consistent global standards.
• Drive large-scale transformation initiatives involving process design, governance, internal controls, and technology enablement.
• Collaborate with Finance Technology and IT to identify opportunities for ERP optimization, automation, workflow improvements, and emerging technologies
  .
• Establish performance metrics, governance frameworks, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Influence senior stakeholders across multiple regions and drive organizational change without direct reporting authority
  .

• 12+ years of progressive experience in accounting, controllership, finance transformation, shared services, or related disciplines.
• Significant accounting/finance transformation experience is essential
  , ideally involving R2R, shared services, GBS, COE, or BPO initiatives.
• Publicly traded company experience required
  , with an understanding of complex accounting environments, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Strong understanding of Record-to-Report processes
  , including month-end close, financial reporting, reconciliations, and accounting governance.
• Proven ability to lead global, enterprise-wide transformation initiatives across multiple business units, functions, or geographies.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, executive communication, and ability to influence without direct authority
  .
• Experience leveraging ERP systems, process automation, and technology to improve accounting operations;
  SAP or Oracle experience preferred
  .
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field.
• CPA and manufacturing experience are preferred, but not required.