Senior Manager, Accounting, Americas

South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.

Our Corporate Functions team is the “enablement engine” of South Pole. Behind the scenes, we provide the business with world-class solutions and best practices that sustain business growth and success. We cover key areas such as Finance, HR, Office Management, Legal, IT, Operations, etc. If you are a smart, ambitious and dynamic professional with a strong passion to make a real difference in the fight against climate change, the below position may be right for you!

Job summary:

We are seeking a strategic and experienced Head of Finance for the Americas region to lead our regional finance team and support our global Shared Services Center (SSC) function. The role will be based in either Mexico or Colombia and will require collaboration across time zones, particularly with our SSC team in Cape Town, South Africa. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading a finance team of approximately six members across Mexico, Colombia, and Cape Town, ensuring financial integrity, compliance, and readiness for future ERP implementation. This role reports to the Senior Director, Group Finance, and will need to liaise regularly with the global finance team to ensure alignment across the Americas. 

Main tasks & responsibilities:

1. Team Leadership and Management 

• Leadership: Lead, mentor, and manage a regional finance team of approximately six members based in Mexico, Colombia, and Cape Town. 

• Performance Management: Drive team performance through regular feedback, goal setting, and professional development opportunities. 

• Collaboration: Foster strong collaboration within the team and with other departments across the Americas and global functions. 

2. Financial Reporting and Controls 

• Reporting: Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting in accordance with regional and global standards. 

• Internal Controls: Develop and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard company assets and ensure the integrity of financial data. 

• Financial Planning: Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and analysis for the Americas region, by contributing to the group FP&A led processes, and by providing variance analysis etc on an ongoing basis. 

3. Audit, Compliance and Tax 

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with all relevant local, regional, and international financial regulations and reporting requirements. 

• Audit Coordination: Manage the preparation for and coordination of both internal and external audits as required for local entities, ensuring all financial records are accurate and transparent. Contribute as needed to the Group audit. 

• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate financial risks, ensuring the company’s assets and reputation are protected. 

• Tax Compliance and Reporting: Ensure accurate and timely compliance with tax obligations across the region, including resolution of any tax audits or disputes. Ensure that tax provision calculations and disclosures required for local accounts or for group purposes are in accordance with relevant accounting standards. 

• Transfer Pricing: Ensure that local segmented P&Ls are accurate, and that the activities of each entity are well understood by the group TP manager. Work with the TP manager to submit filings to local authorities in accordance with the deadlines. 

4. Working Capital Management 

• Cash Flow Management: Oversee cash flow planning and ensure that funds are available for operational needs. 

• Inventory Management: Manage and optimize inventory levels, ensuring efficient use of capital and minimizing holding costs. 

• Accounts Payable/Receivable: Supervise the management of AP/AR processes, ensuring timely payments and collections. 

5. ERP Implementation Readiness 

• Data Preparation: Lead the preparation and cleansing of financial data in anticipation of the ERP system migration to Microsoft Dynamics 365, scheduled for 2025. 

• Team Readiness: Ensure that the finance team is adequately trained and prepared for the upcoming ERP implementation. 

• Process Improvement: Work closely with the global IT, data and finance teams to optimize processes ahead of the migration. 

6. SSC Support in the Americas Region 

• Regional Support: Provide financial services support to customers within the Americas time zone, ensuring high levels of service delivery. 

• Collaboration with Cape Town: Support the Cape Town SSC team by reviewing deliverables, providing supervisory guidance, and ensuring adherence to global standards. 

• SSC Hub Development: Assist in the planning and potential future development of an SSC hub in the Americas region.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field; MBA or CPA preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive finance leadership experience, including experience in a shared services environment.

Skills:
o Strong financial acumen and strategic thinking.
o Proven leadership and team management skills across multiple locations.
o Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
o Must be proficient in both English and Spanish o Experience in ERP systems and financial software, particularly Microsoft Dynamics 365, with a focus on data readiness.
o Strong understanding of working capital management, including inventory and AP/AR processes.
o Ability to work effectively across multiple time zones and cultures.

What we offer:

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation. 

We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make and South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.