Dealership Controller - Shared Services Center

Position Summary

The dealership controller serves as a key member of the dealership’s leadership team responsible for the integrity of financial reporting and leading a high-performing, service-oriented accounting support team.  The position is a true business partner to the general manager and all department managers helping make financial decisions that best benefit the company by analyzing risks & data trends and communicating regularly with the team.  Leading, developing and holding accountable the accounting team while implementing processes, maintaining internal controls, and fostering a culture of accuracy is critical to the success. This position requires strong financial experience and confident leadership skills.  The dealership controller should be curious and ready to improve efficiency while maintaining expenses.

Core Responsibilities

Responsibilities described in this section are fundamental to success in this position.

• Lead the accounting managers in centralized accounting ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting
• Oversee communication and support with each dealership management team
• Assist Shared Services staff in developing and documenting efficient processes and procedures
• Assist in recruiting, hiring, training, and development of the accounting team
• Develop and institute comprehensive training plans for Accounting Managers
• Ensures accounting managers are knowledgeable on each OEM program and fully understand how all programs work
• Review all balance sheet account reconciliations monthly
• Reviews the reconciliation of general ledger accounts with outside bank sources, bank reconciliation, reserve accounts, factory payable and floor plan payable
• Review and audit payroll calculations to pay plans ensuring consistent and accurate pay is processed quarterly
• Manage cash and report any cash needs such as loans or additional capital required to meet working capital guidelines with time for discussion
• Ensure corporate payments are completed monthly (dividends, etc.) and ensure intercompany balances are paid weekly
• Ensure issuance of accurate timely financial statements to all entities
• Analyze and communicate monthly expense comparisons of actual to prior year, and actual to forecast to help the operating management team perform at a high level
•  Standardize templates for accruals, payroll calculations and all journal entries for efficiencies and consistencies across organization
• Standardize all processes for month end close
• Issue monthly recap reviews of each dealership summarizing major financial performance and highlight expense variances
• Provide monthly combined financial statement, compensation reporting and other reports
• Provide financial analysis as needed and assist with annual forecast
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and procedures
• Report all issues or concerns to leadership
• Ensure compliance with all OEM policies, programs and bonus money opportunities, fully understanding how any bonus money booked to income is earned and paid
• Ensure compliance with local, state and federal government reporting requirements and tax filings
• Audit year-end tax packets, ensuring they are completed accurately and timely for auditors
• Uses personal device to provide an additional layer of security for company network and site access through multi-factor authentication
• Other responsibilities as assigned by Senior Dealership Controller

Minimum Qualifications

The requirements listed below are the minimum degrees, certifications, knowledge, skill, and/or ability required of this position.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or equivalent experience
• 7-9 years related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Valid driver’s license without restrictions that affects your ability to operate company owned vehicle(s) and ability to maintain a clean driving record.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent people skills; able to work effectively with a wide range of individuals.
• Previous experience with automotive DMS software.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness and ability to take initiative in development and completion of people and projects.
• Ability to inspire and motivate individuals to perform well, allowing autonomy for staff to work independently.
• Strong PC skills.
• Ability to maintain a good driving record.
• Ability to set a positive example for others by consistently displaying servant leadership behaviors in daily actions and decisions.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and talk or hear.
• The physical demands of the job include the use of hands and fingers, reaching, bending, sitting, lifting, climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and driving.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.
• Must be able to pass a drug/alcohol urinalysis and be able to drive a vehicle.

Working Conditions

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those one may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Travel Requirements

The travel requirements described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to travel within or outside the area. Travel for this position is infrequent.