Global Finance Director

Role Summary

The Corporate Finance Director provides strategic financial leadership across planning, forecasting, accounting, operational finance, and performance analysis for a global manufacturing organization. This role is responsible for driving financial transparency, operational performance, and informed decision-making by leading forecasting, reporting, and analytics while ensuring compliance with accounting standards and internal policies.

As a key business partner to executive leadership (President, CFO, and Operations leaders), the Director delivers actionable insights, supports strategic initiatives (including investments, acquisitions, and cost optimization), and leads a high-performing, multi-location finance organization.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning, Forecasting & Reporting

• Lead the development, consolidation, and presentation of annual budgets, long-range plans, and periodic financial forecasts
• Oversee monthly close processes, including Monthly Business Review (MBR), flash reporting, and variance analysis
• Drive accountability to forecast commitments and ensure timely, accurate deliverables
• Analyze financial performance against plan and forecast, identifying risks and opportunities
• Deliver clear, business-focused financial insights to leadership at all levels

Operational & Strategic Finance

• Partner with operations and plant leadership to improve financial performance, cost control, and profitability
• Provide detailed cost, margin, and product profitability analysis across all product lines
• Support product management in evaluating new programs and business cases
• Evaluate and justify capital expenditures, restructuring initiatives, and major investments
• Lead financial analysis for acquisitions, including valuation and synergy identification
• Support integration of acquired businesses, aligning financial processes, reporting, and controls

Controlling & Performance Management

• Oversee KPI reporting, dashboards, capex tracking, and operational metrics
• Monitor pricing processes, including customer quotations and transactional pricing accuracy
• Ensure effectiveness of material inflation pass-through mechanisms
• Identify performance gaps and implement corrective actions

Accounting, Compliance & Controls

• Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP (and IFRS where applicable) and company policies
• Oversee general ledger activities, financial accuracy, and reporting consistency
• Maintain strong internal controls over financial reporting
• Support internal and external audits and ensure audit readiness
• Establish and continuously improve financial policies, processes, and documentation

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, develop, and mentor a geographically dispersed finance and accounting team
• Drive a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Manage staffing, performance, and professional development across multiple locations (U.S. and Mexico/global)
• Effectively engage cross-functional stakeholders and build strong business partnerships

Ad Hoc Analysis & Executive Support

• Provide strategic analysis and insights to the President, CFO, and senior leadership
• Support decision-making with scenario modeling and financial modeling
• Serve as a key financial advisor to plant and business unit leaders

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business (required)
• MBA or advanced degree (preferred)
• CPA or CMA certification (preferred)
• 10 years of progressive finance/accounting experience
• 3–5 years of leadership experience managing teams
• Strong background in manufacturing, cost accounting, and operations finance
• Experience with multi-site and international operations

Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency in financial modeling and Excel
• Experience with ERP systems (SAP preferred)
• Strong knowledge of GAAP; IFRS exposure a plus

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to translate complex financial data into actionable business insights
• Excellent communication and presentation skills across all organizational levels
• Proven ability to influence and partner with operations and executive leadership
• Strong planning, prioritization, and execution capabilities
• High ethical standards and integrity

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to travel (up to ~40%)
• Experience managing global or remote teams
• Automotive or manufacturing industry experience preferred

Success Profile

The ideal candidate is a hands-on strategic finance leader who can balance deep financial expertise with operational insight, drive accountability, and influence business outcomes across a complex, global manufacturing environment.