Senior Director, Accounting

Reporting to the Chief Accounting Officer (“CAO”), the Senior Director, Accounting (“Senior Director”) is a critical role within CDK Global. The Senior Director will help to drive, build and scale the company’s accounting function. More specifically, s/he will lead key areas of the finance function including financial accounting, and revenue accounting. The Senior Director will partner closely with key internal and external stakeholders including FP&A, sales, contracting, and external auditors. The current US-based team is approximately 12 people, supported by an off-shore accounting team based in India.

S/he will work closely with the business to ensure the accounting function supports and facilitates growth and works collaboratively across the organization. The Senior Director will develop strong business processes and systems to drive efficient operations (particularly around the period end close process), reduce financial reporting risk and perform quality, meaningful analyses and financial perspectives necessary for corporate decisions and strategic planning. S/he will also have significant experience in establishing a strong business understanding in the team, drive critical financial decisions, assessing corporate model changes and generating timely financial and management reports.

Specific responsibilities include:

Accounting, Financial Management, Compliance and Administration

• Lead the financial and revenue accounting areas for CDK Global
• Oversee the month-end close process, reviewing procedures to eliminate inefficiencies
• Provide insights and analysis concerning CDK’s revenue recognition to enable a clear understanding amongst FP&A and the business of variances and drivers
• Partner with FP&A and the business on potential changes to sales practices or new products to ensure the revenue accounting impact is understood and any new process required are implemented
• Works with external financial reporting team to provide the necessary supporting schedules, supplemental data, and analysis to support the preparation of quarterly and annual reports
• Review and ensure application of appropriate controls, SOX compliance and financial procedures
• Ensure timeliness and accuracy of financial and management reporting and the integrity and compliance of all financial reporting, controls, processes and systems
• Play a key role in managing the external audit processes and maintaining effective relationships with external auditors
• Coordinates work relating to any internal audit reviews and is responsible for the timely implementation of agreed upon recommendations
• Partners with the offshore accounting team to deliver an accurate, timely period end close

Operational Excellence

• Identify, acquire and implement systems and software, or related enhancements, to provide financial reporting and to automate processes as needed
• Ensure the general ledger/ERP continues to operate as required. Involved in designing and validating potential changes to ensure accounting and reporting requirements continue to be met in an efficient manner
• Ensure that appropriate financial and compliance processes and procedures are in-place and working
• Support M&A efforts with due diligence through integration
• Create a teaching organization that educates cross-functionally on revenue recognition rules, financial and compliance impacts of key initiatives and raise the overall financial acumen of peers outside of finance
• Enhance and further develop a dynamic, high-performing team, working cross-functionally with all other functions in the company

Candidate Profile

The ideal Senior Director candidate is an experienced and nimble professional who thrives in a growth-oriented, change-focused, and fast-paced environment. It is critical that this person has spent time in larger, more complex organizations, is comfortable interacting with senior stakeholders, can succinctly explain complex accounting, and at the same time is capable and willing to roll up his/her sleeves and operate within a fast-moving and dynamic growth company.

Stylistically, the successful candidate will be a change agent and a highly process oriented individual. This includes excellent leadership capabilities, and strong communication skills with the ability to effectively present to and engage with a wide range of audiences both in and outside of finance. The ability to build and foster relationships, and the capability to develop innovative ideas and solutions are essential.

Specific qualifications and experiences include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting (CPA required)
• Minimum of 12 years of experience in finance management roles
• Public company experience, coupled with high-growth/change company familiarity
• Experience working with external auditors, internal controls, and compliance-related issues
• Strong knowledge and understanding of US GAAP, SOX compliance and SEC reporting. Experience with ASC 606 revenue recognition is strongly preferred
• Experience with ERP systems implementations, specifically Oracle Cloud, is ideal
• Experience working with large volumes of complex data
• M&A experience including performing post close integration
• Excellent analytical skills with strong business acumen and the ability to transition between the strategic and the detailed (with expert Excel skills)
• Proven experience at successfully developing and strengthening management controls and operational processes
• Previous experience utilizing an offshore center of excellence is preferred
• Hands-on leadership skills with a pragmatic business-focused approach to the delivery of service and projects alike, being decisive and action-oriented, where necessary
• Proven ability to lead and motivate teams: achieving organizational focus on key priorities, providing clear direction, delegating, actively communicating and coaching/mentoring
• Outstanding communication, organization, and presentation skills

The performance and personal competencies required for the position include the following:

• The inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization’s overall strategy.
• The ability to effectively balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change the organization is capable of handling, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful.
• The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the team to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations.
• A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in his/her approach to making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization.
• The ability to persevere in the face of challenges, and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers.
• A leader who is self-reflective and aware of his/her own limitations; leads by example and drives the organization’s performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement.
• Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
• An ability to inspire trust and followership in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion in his/her beliefs, and active drive.