Manager, Accounting Close Acceleration

What General Accounting contributes to Cardinal Health

General Accounting is responsible for maintaining the financial books and records and preparing financial statements in accordance with accounting standards.

The manager of Financial Close Optimization will lead day-to-day management Financial Close Optimization project, which seeks to reduce the cycle time of the Medical segment month-end financial close. This role will have two direct reports and work closely with a Project manager from the Finance Transformation Management Office to transform the current business process and implement technological solutions that support the project goals. This role will engage cross-functionally with leaders and individuals from Global Finance Shared Services, Accounting, Financial Systems, IT and Audit.

Accountabilities

• Act as the lead point person in the Accounting function for the Financial Close Optimization project, charged with executing on project plans to redesign business processes and develop recommendations for cross-functional changes that pursue the objective of an expedited financial close. Role includes direct supervision of professional employees, frontline supervisors and/or business support staff assigned to the project.
• Responsible for building, developing, and maintaining highly collaborative and effective working relationships with dedicated Project Manager and key business partners from Global Finance Shared Services, Accounting, Financial Systems, IT and Audit to facilitate proactive planning, smooth communication, and issue resolution, including adapting as needed for technical or non-technical audiences
• Use data insight to lead initiatives and support data-driven decisions to validate project scope and identify/solve for requirement gaps
• Documenting current manual accounting processes (t-accounting, reporting inputs, calculations, etc.) and analyzing for process redesign
• Recommending and operationalizing accounting process redesign initiatives, including but not limited to global profit in inventory recognition and elimination, management reporting intercompany profit allocation, and foreign currency translation
• Actively engage cross-functional leadership to drive the long-term strategy and blueprint, including liaising with International ERP project team to define the impact of the Financial Close Optimization project and identify and solve for bi-directional dependencies
• Partner with Accounting leadership to obtain buy in and support throughout the project life cycle
• Provide critical support in collaboration meetings, including preparatory support, active engagement in session, and performing follow up actions, as appropriate
• Execute problem solving and root-cause analysis to readily diagnose design flaws or system deficiencies and configure effective solutions by gathering consensus to recommendations.
• Collaborate with third party providers to identify and implement technology solutions that may be required
• Conduct business requirement design sessions with financial systems IT teams to obtain cost estimates for any internal IT enhancements required
• Work with Project Manager to create, maintain, and communicate roadmap and project plan-maintain action items list and support regular and timely follow-ups, as appropriate

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Accounting, related field or equivalent work experience
• 6+ years' experience with global scale accounting operations and systems (financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance work experience) and/or a professional services firm focusing on finance, technology, business solutions, or digital enablement
• Prior supervisory experience
• Experience designing new processes, systems and controls
• Strong communication skills with experience exercising mature judgment and best practices
• Problem-solving, analytical and cross-functional collaboration skills with ability to positively influence stakeholders
• Adept at getting things done, performing amidst ambiguous situations and working through dynamic/changing business requirements Have a passion for transformation, proven track record and desire to continue to grow and develop

Preferred Qualifications

• Qualified CPA / ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent
• SAP and HFM experience
• International experience with shared service centers and complex country localizations
• Experience working with outsource providers.
• Functional experience configuring, deploying, and administering Finance systems
• Proficiency and/or willingness to learn digital technologies and the impact on Finance and Accounting including analytical tools. E.g. Alteryx, PowerBi, Tableau, Snaplogic and RPA technologies (UiPath, Automation Anywhere, PowerAutomate, etc.), and machine learning/Artificial Intelligence

Cardinal Health supports an inclusive workplace that values diversity of thought, experience and background. We celebrate the power of our differences to create better solutions for our customers by ensuring employees can be their authentic selves each day. Cardinal Health is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, veteran status, marital status, creed, status with regard to public assistance, genetic status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.

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