Director, Accounting Operations & Services (remote)

Director, Accounting Operations & Services

At Cengage Group, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education. Our culture values inclusion, engagement, and discovery. Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work. To learn more, please see Cengage Group's inclusion and belonging page.

The Director, Accounting Operations & Services is a senior leader in the Cengage Finance organization that exhibits a business orientation that expands beyond accounting and financial reporting and includes strong business understanding, management decision support, process design and implementation, and critical analysis. This position will support multiple teams within the Controllership Organization based on project needs and current workflow given Cengage Group is in a finance transformation, including a recent ERP implementation to SAP. This position will primarily oversee the Accounts Payable, Cash payments & Intercompany teams to perform critical aspects of these functions including process and system improvements, data cleansing & standardization, oversight on vendor management, globalization of Accounts Payable processes, and effective controls in these areas. It will also play a role in assisting subject matter experts to design and implement a global procure to pay process and system.

What You'll Do Here:

• Oversees, drives, and performs daily processes and reporting tasks related to Accounts Payable and third-party payments.
• Oversees intercompany processes ensuring completeness and accuracy of the intercompany accounts.
• Manages review process of month-end/quarter-end entries, balance sheet reconciliations, and supporting schedules for assigned accounts.
• Implements system improvements, processes, and reporting tools to make closing and other activities efficient and accurate.
• Rationalizes and aligns financial and operational work-flow processes with company objectives; and champions the harmonization and consistency of these standard methodologies globally.
• Oversees and assists in quarterly reviews, periodic audits, and internal control testing, as necessary.
• Proactively identifies issues causing inefficiencies and implements process improvements to streamline workflows, internal reporting processes, and vendor data governance.
• Collaborates with Treasury, Tax, FP&A, and global operational accounting teams to ensure smooth processes.
• Designs, documents, implements, and maintains effective procedures and SOX404 controls over vendor set-up, invoice workflows, vendor payments, intercompany, and reporting, while ensuring internal controls are designed and operating effectively.
• Assists where needed to create, improve, and maintain reporting and analysis to assist other Accounting Services and Operations teams such as Credit & AR.
• Identifies and develops opportunities for globalization.
• Assists with integration of acquisitions and mergers.
• Performs special projects on an ad-hoc basis, as required.

Skills You Will Need Here:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance required
• Minimum of 10 years of dynamic accounting/finance leadership experience
• Growth-oriented individual with demonstrated accounting and leadership skills
• Solid understanding of general ledger & accounting principles, US GAAP and Management Reporting processes, working in various currencies across multiple legal entities and intercompany eliminations
• Proven experience in systems and reporting tools with ability to query and analyze data, with SAP, Xsuite & Concur knowledge being a plus
• Advanced Excel & Access knowledge
• Careful attention to detail and the ability to prioritize and organize
• Transformation and Globalization experience preferred
• Strong verbal/written communication skills to interact well with all levels within the Company
• Superior analytical skills, logical in problem solving and focused on continuous improvement with high attention to detail and a strong work ethic
• Proven people management and leadership presence with the ability to coach, train and mentor staff while motivating team performance
• Strong cross-functional leadership experience to influence and drive change
• Ability and readiness to embrace and successfully drive/implement change
• Willingness and eagerness to seek out, establish and cultivate strong working relationships with partners in the business and finance organizations
• Capabilities with being responsive, encouraging innovation, and work to improve processes and systems
• Proven team player that is comfortable operating within a dynamic, complex organizational structure and able to be flexible and collaborate with team on different projects and needs

Cengage Group is committed to working with broad talent pools to attract and hire strong and most qualified individuals. Our job applicants are considered regardless of race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, provincial or local laws. Cengage is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities including during our job application process.

Cengage Group, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.

Compensation: At Cengage Group, we take great pride in our commitment to providing a comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower our employees. The full base pay range has been provided for this position. Individual base pay will vary based on work schedule, qualifications, experience, internal equity, and geographic location. Sales roles often incorporate a significant incentive compensation program beyond this base pay range.

$138,200.00 - $179,650.00 USD

Be aware, there has been an increase of targeted recruitment scams perpetrated by bad actors falsely providing job offers on behalf Cengage Group to candidates as a means of obtaining personal information. Note that Cengage will always interview candidates via live in-person meetings, phone calls and video calls before an offer would be extended. Also, be sure to check that communication is coming from an @cengage.com email address.