Director, Global Accounting Operations

Join National Grid's digital transformation! We are digital creators, continuous learners and daring innovators. We leverage digital innovative ways to create products and catalyze the transformation of National Grid's business units into more agile and digitally

Reporting directly to the VP, Record to Report & EPO, the Director of Global Accounting Operations for R2R will be responsible for the leadership, strategy, compliance and execution of Accounting Operations needed to execute all aspects of the financial close and consolidation processes, including developing policies, and continuous improvements that focus on process efficiencies and effectiveness that support best-in-class processes for these area.  This role will  oversee a diverse global mix (US & UK) of accounting activities on the team, including Revenue Accounting, Balance Sheet Accounting, General Ledger Accounting, Commodity Accounting, Regulatory Accounting, Account reconciliations, Monthly Close, and administrative management of our professionals and staff.

    Support the organization's financial objectives by providing financial analyses and recommendations and directing staff.
    Develop accounting organizational strategies by contributing accounting and financial information, analysis, and recommendations for strategic thinking and direction, and establishing functional objectives in line with organizational objectives.
    Directs internal and external audit engagements. Reviews and approve financial transactions and ensures compliance with monthly and fiscal year end close requirements
    Establish accounting operational strategies by evaluating trends, establishing critical metrics, determining productivity, quality, and customer-service strategies, designing system efficiencies, hiring quality resources, resolving problems, and implementing change.
    Implements a system of appropriate controls to manage business risks and maintains responsibility for the fiscal integrity of all financial reporting and operations.
    Provide analytics to key business stakeholders for decision making; execute month end accounting close, prepare quarterly corporate submissions and reporting for the Controllership; provide support on both statutory and financial audits and requests from participations and internal operational audits.
    Oversee the day-to-day Accounting Operations performed by both on & offshore teams.
    Responsible for the process and performance outcomes of both on & off-shore accounting functions, ensuring the compliance with SLAs, developing, distributing and monitoring KPIs, leading and motivating teams, ensuring continuous improvement of processes, providing excellent customer service to business units and driving effectiveness through Enterprise Business Service (EBS). 
    Oversee monthly, quarterly and annual accounting activities to ensure compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and corporate policies as well as play a key role in implementing process improvements, integrating new systems and businesses into EBS
    Support the strategic transformation and change requirements across US & UK R2R and work collaboratively with cross-functional leaders to shape the portfolio and prioritise investment and resources that will deliver the greatest benefit for the function and the business.
    Develop best-in-class process design (to a minimum of upper Q2 in the short to medium term) and identify initiatives to achieve the target state design for R2R.
    Drive change through technological innovations, organization design changes, process mapping, defining required processes, identifying key areas for improvements, implementing improvement initiatives, and monitoring and measuring performance.
 

    Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting; MBA and/or CPA is highly preferred 
    Qualified accountant with 10+ years or relevant experience in a business facing role with evidence of assuming roles of greater complexity, responsibility and accountability
    Significant experience of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, US GAAP, SEC reporting, UK GAAP and IFRS and how these relate to R2R process and the related regulatory compliance
    Strong process improvement background. 
    Previous Business Service experience preferred, but not essential
    Proven record of senior stakeholder management and experience of working for C-suite executives
    Significant experience and track record of building, leading and delivering large, diverse, global operations and multi-disciplinary projects and transformations 
    Proven track record of managing large global teams that achieve consistent upper quartile employee engagement scores or have demonstrated a significant step change in developing a high performing team culture
    Experience in strategic portfolio management 
    Expert level experience and understanding of R2R process redesign and industry best practice
    Strong communication, facilitation, presentation and creative problem-solving skills
prior to publishing your requisition.