Director, Finance Shared Services

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**This role is hybrid or fully on site, requiring being in the office at our Portland, OR area HQ at least 2 days per week.

OUTGROWN YOUR OWN BACKYARD? COME PLAY IN OURS.

At Columbia, we're as passionate about the outdoors as you are. And while our gear is available worldwide, we're proud to be based in the Pacific Northwest, where natural wonders are our playground.

Every product we make and every task we undertake is inspired by the famous words of our founder Gert Boyle: "It's perfect. Now make it better." As pioneers of relentless improvement, we are constantly evolving.

We believe the outdoors is ours to protect and strive to keep our planet healthy. We believe in empowering people to experience the outdoors to the fullest.

And we believe in you.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Columbia Sportswear Company Finance & Accounting teams oversee the financial health and forward strategy for a portfolio of four global brands. These teams exercise expertise across Compliance, Credit, Financial Planning and Reporting, Tax, Treasury, Procurement and Strategy. Advancing traditional Finance & Accounting functions, the organization is also driving exciting innovation in the application of advanced analytics and automated intelligence.

The Director - Finance Shared Services leads the entire Finance shared services organization which is spread between Portland, Oregon, and Bangalore, India. The role is a key member of the Accounting Leadership team and reports directly to the VP, Chief Accounting Officer, also serving as a strategic partner engaging with the business leaders across the Company to anticipate business issues and drive strong decision making through sound financial management and application of accounting expertise.

You will be responsible for various accounting and financial reporting operations of the Company encompassing financial transaction processing, financial close, financial consolidation, and reporting processes, as well as accounting policy and procedures. You will also be responsible for several of the Company's accounting regulatory compliance and the development, management, and effectiveness of our internal controls. Additionally, you will proactively engage with leaders throughout the organization to influence decisions and provide guidance regarding financial and accounting implications of business activities/decisions.

A focus on the continuous improvement of accounting/finance policies, procedures, and processes will be essential to your success. You will also have responsibility for digital and organizational transformation of the accounting function through the shifting business models and strategies of a global enterprise.

This position is supervisory in nature with a total team of approximately 40 people in two locations.

HOW YOU'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

In this role you will directly oversee the shared services accounting team and support finance and accounting business processes and functions. Partner with other corporate and finance functions to develop and execute financial and compliance processes and transactions. Maintain positive open lines of communication to contribute to the smooth flow of information, efficient operation of the organization and effective decision making. Develop global finance talent by increasing engagement of the shared services teams in the global Finance organization and support all corporate strategies and initiatives. These duties include:

Accounting and Financial Reporting Operations

• Oversee all the shared services activities of the accounting function and personnel, including:
  • Policy and process development, enhancement, enforcement, and maintenance
  • Month-end close process and consolidation
  • Accounting operations and financial reporting
  • Strive to institute best practices throughout the accounting organization
• Ensure accounting systems and processes are continually streamlined via process improvements to achieve greater efficiency and accuracy in the level and timeliness of reporting. Development and use of various digital methods to operate department with agility
• Oversee the performance of the shared service managers, and corresponding accounting teams to ensure the successful and timely completion of the month-end close process supporting the finance organization
• Establishment and reporting of shared service KPIs including development and execution of multi-year target improvements

Accounting Regulatory Compliance

• Develop, implement, and monitor proper internal accounting and financial reporting controls for the shared services function
• Support external audit efforts including organization between the shared services team and the external audit firm as it relates to the external audit
• Manage the effort around the impact of new accounting pronouncements and ensures the proper implementation as it relates to shared services activities
• Monitors and assesses current trends and emerging developments within the field and practice of accounting to ensure the Company's compliance and preparedness

Strategic Finance Support

• Lead and support the finance organization and cross-functional project teams through business initiatives, including, but not limited to, major systems implementations, business transformations and other commercial priorities
• Participate in the development of accounting's strategic and financial planning activities with Finance Leadership, including the evaluation and impact of new initiatives and regulatory developments on the business

YOU ARE

• Informed and curious about current and emerging trends within the accounting field and their corresponding impacts on business operations
• A skilled leader and strategic manager adept at developing, coaching, and directing the performance of a team to achieve goals and objectives including promoting innovative thinking, process improvements and self-development. Capable of having hard discussions when necessary and leading the group with courage
• Comfortable engaging with executive teams and exercising influence across all levels of the organization
• An excellent communicator capable of conveying complex concepts clearly and logically and a critical thinker with demonstrated analytical skill and capacity to identify, assess and prioritize competing interests and needs
• Comfortable executing strategic processes and initiatives within a fast-paced, deadline-oriented, and complex environment
• Practiced in maintaining confidentiality and appropriate discretion. Your ethics and integrity are unquestionable

YOU HAVE

• Minimum of 12 years of experience in accounting, finance, or relevant discipline, including at least 3 years of senior management experience
• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Finance, Accounting, or a business-related field
• Deep Finance and Administration experience with multi-national organizations, including shared service experience in India region strongly preferred
• SEC reporting company experience and retail and consumer products industry preferred
• Fluent in English both spoken and written
• CPA and Big 4 experience preferred

JOB CONDITIONS

Job requires hours that may occasionally exceed 8 hours per day and/or 40 hours per week during times of peak activity. Evening meetings and/or weekend work and travel required to manage and collaborate with people in other time zones and to ensure timely project completion. Some job pressure exists in the balancing of several projects with conflicting and sometimes changing deadlines.

To learn more about our hiring process during COVID-19, click here .

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See attached job description

Columbia Sportswear Company and our portfolio of brands, including Columbia, SOREL, Mountain Hardwear and prAna, know a thing or two about adventures. After all, we've been on one since 1938, working to perfect the art of enjoying the outdoors. Behind everything we make is an employee who's found that the greatest adventure starts with joining a company that strives to do the right thing.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.

At Columbia Sportswear Company (CSC), we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. CSC believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.