Corporate Vice President, Finance, Corporate Controller

Job Summary:

A key member of the CAO’s leadership team, with primary responsibility for overseeing and managing the following for Charles River Labs (S&P 500 public company):

• Global close and consolidation process including the preparation of the consolidated financial statements and related analyses
• All external SEC filings assuring all reported financial statements and disclosures are prepared in compliance with US GAAP, SEC regulations, and Company policies and procedures.
• Global Shared Services (AR, AP, GL, Intercompany, Payroll, Time and Attendance) including teams in NA, EU and APAC
• M&A activity including acquisitions, divestitures, strategic partnerships and all related integrations
• Internal Controls and managing the Company’s SOX program
• Global centers of excellence (centralized revenue and inventory teams servicing global organization)
• Technical accounting team including leadership and guidance on complex accounting transactions and accounting issues
• Leads a high-performing global team (~300 employees) and develops finance talent.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees the monthly and quarterly closing and consolidation processes as well as SEC reporting.  Manages the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in compliance with US GAAP and high-quality consolidated financial analyses that are used by management to gain business insights into the reported results. 
• Maintains a clear, well-coordinated and efficient closing process.  Identifies ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the close and consolidation process and leads process improvement initiatives.
• Responsibility for accounting for all M&A activity including legal entity mergers, amalgamations, divestitures, acquisitions and their integrations (including system (SAP) integrations).
• Routinely presents to BOD, Audit Committee, and Board sub committees including Finance Committee and Special Purpose Committee for Allocating Capital.
• Manages Global Shared Service groups (NA, EU, APAC) and Centers of Excellence including monthly GL close, revenue, inventory, payroll, credit and collections, payables, intercompany and property accounting 
• Owns cash flow from budget to actuals and reporting to Finance Committee
• Maintains thorough and current understanding of US GAAP.  Keeps abreast of emerging accounting, reporting and disclosure standards. Implements new accounting pronouncements as necessary.
• Owns the external auditor relationship; provide audit support documentation as it relates to the consolidation and SEC reporting, purchase accounting, etc.
• Works closely with the Business, FP&A, Treasury, Tax, Corporate Development and other functions to ensure the quality, accuracy and consistency of the financial data reported in the general ledger and consolidation systems.  
• Takes a leadership role in Finance cross functional projects such as ongoing Finance Transformation (enterprise performance management) and S4 transitions and implementation of current Time and Attendance and Global Payroll projects.
• Plays a leadership role in initiating and implementing process changes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Corporate Accounting and Finance functions.
• Works and manages effectively across the company’s functional organizations.  Promotes effective lateral communication and coordination across groups, both internal and external to the Finance function, to improve efficiency and achieve desired results.  
• Is a visible and effective ambassador for the CAO and CFO.  Ensures that important company and functional messages, including priorities and goals, are cascaded throughout the organization.  Ensures team members clearly understand their roles and are motivated to achieve goals and objectives.
• Management responsibilities for 7 employees in the Corporate Finance Department including professional development, performance appraisals using the finance competency model, and employee counseling. Assigns project work and reviews workload for direct reports. Manage staff by establishing goals that will increase knowledge and skill levels, and by delegating tasks commensurate with skill level. Continuously maintains a high-performing team and actively develops and mentors direct reports and contributes to the development of future finance leaders.

Job Qualifications:

Education/Experience:  Bachelor’s degree (B.A./B.S.) or equivalent in accounting or finance required.  Master’s Degree in Business Administration preferred.  CPA with 5-10 years Big 4 experience, 5-10 years of progressively increasing responsibility in industry with global management or operational experience required.  Finance Transformation project leadership experience preferred. 

Comments:
⦁    This position may require occasional domestic / international travel.

Compensation Data:

The base pay range for this position is $300,000 to $365,000 + 40% indexed bonus + approximately 70% equity each year.  Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, and location.

Desired Competencies:

People Management/Leadership

• Be viewed as a business partner with the business units and corporate teams; work closely and effectively with business leaders to assure key financial metrics, plans, impacts with capital deployment are understood and communicated.
• Ability to communicate clearly with board of directors and business leaders on finance initiatives, vision, strategy, and goals.
• Effective change agent and business partner by managing by influence across business units and corporate functions. 
• Very strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to lead people and get results through others

Communication and Influence

• Viewed as a trusted advisor, partner, and change agent by other executives, particularly in the business
• Diplomatically handles complex topics, varied audiences, difficult questions, and continuous objections
• Effectively negotiates with internal and external audiences.  Able to win concessions without damaging relationships and to be direct as well as diplomatic
• Excellent presentation and communication skills are required as this position works with executives to first understand their business, then to identify, assess and provide recommendations on issues and opportunities. At times may work with external parties to model and explain financial trends. 

Project Management and Process Improvement

• A change agent – able to work effectively with stakeholders, gain alignment and build best in class functions
• Can organize resources and orchestrate multiple activities without losing focus on routine responsibilities
• Ensures that staff use effective project management techniques and tools
• Is focused on continuous process improvement.  Is known for finding new and improved ways of doing things.
• Can simplify complex processes and see improvement opportunities where others can’t
• Measures results with appropriate metrics

Collaboration and Teamwork

• Builds and maintains a productive cross-functional, global network
• Builds institutional support for initiatives and overcomes obstacles needed to achieve results
• Maintains strong business and functional relationships within and outside of CRL
• Finds a way to build higher levels of teamwork and collaboration within and between groups, divisions, and functions and resolves conflicts with minimal disruption
• Shares opinions freely and listens to others without prejudgment

Business Insight

• Solid understanding of major drivers of CRL’s business environment
• Demonstrates a broad understanding of CRL’s markets/products and industry dynamics
• Ability to develop multi-year strategies to optimize CRL’s financial planning and analysis, striking a balance between strategic objectives and financial objectives.
• Outstanding business analysis, financial analysis and reporting skills that generate business insights that add measurable value.  

Decision making

• Demonstrates sound judgment on highly complex, high impact decisions
• Demonstrates courage and welcomes accountability for high-impact decisions
• Delegates decisions to build judgment and empower others
• Includes the right stakeholders in discussions