Assistant Operations Controller

About the company

Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) is a global provider of water control systems and plumbing solutions for domestic, commercial and industrial applications. Founded in 1949, the RWC family of brands has continually evolved to exceed global industry standards with diversified manufacturing and distribution operations across three continents. RWC has dedicated more than 70 years to its business, brands and products, and maintains a commitment to innovation by investing in high-value automation to remain competitive in the global environment. With more than 700 intellectual property assets globally, comprising patents, industrial designs and trademark registrations, RWC continues to invest in research/development and engineering resources to bring innovative new products to the market.

In order to fund its next stage of growth and maintain its aggressive trajectory, RWC went public on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: RWC) in April of 2016. With manufacturing and distribution operations across Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China and the US, RWC is well positioned for continued product expansion and market growth in the years to come. Both RWC’s Global and US headquarters are based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Position Description

Since 2012, RWC Americas’ revenues have tripled and now make up over 65% of the company’s worldwide consolidated revenues; it expects to more than double those revenues through continued organic and acquisition means in the coming years. With that, RWC Americas’ Assistant Operations Controller will support the Operations Controller in maintaining standard costs within ERP, serve as a financial compliance leader to our largest operating site in the Americas, and work to improve the organization’s overall financial best practices and analytical capabilities to lead that growth rather than react to it.

The Assistant Operations Controller will report to the Operations Controller and will interface with all members of the company’s leadership team and with all company functional areas, primarily focused on supporting the dynamic needs of our Operations throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada and China. Through supporting the Operations organization, the Assistant Operations Controller must have significant manufacturing and inventory costing experience, as well as business partnering skills related to remote Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics & Distribution, and Human Resources functions. S/He will be responsible for overseeing all facets of the financial impact of the Americas operational footprint including accounting for factory and distribution center operations, and intercompany and externally sourced product. The Assistant Operations Controller will perform and manage all accounting related to the monthly close process, standard cost maintenance, internal and external financial reporting, analysis of business performance, and internal controls as well as policy development and implementation for all functions that are not considered general ledger functions that are performed by the regional and/or group head office. The new Assistant Operations Controller will provide comprehensive Accounting and relationship-building skills and services to support the overall business, providing a foundation for accurate and timely business performance reporting and analysis.

Principal Responsibilities

• Support the Operations Controller in leading the Operations Controllership team and serve as a leader within the Americas Controllership organization through influencing with direct and indirect authority, coaching, mentoring, and developing members of the accounting team to ensure professional growth.
• Maintain and innovate accounting practices to build and scale the capabilities of the Cost Accounting function for RWC’s largest P&L and respond rapidly to a changing business environment as RWC undergoes continued growth. Particularly, ensure that cost standards are accurate and maintained through creation of review processes and analysis of operating details with business partners (Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement) in a multi-location and international manufacturing environment.
• Drive and guide accounting policy consistency with US-based, Mexico-based and China-based manufacturing and shared service teams to ensure standardization and accuracy. Guide cost accounting, purchasing & payables process, intercompany profit eliminations, physical inventories and annual standard cost setting to ensure accurate inventory, cost of goods sold, and inventory/cost variance reporting.
• Lead and review complex accounting estimates over costs of goods sold, inventory, and accrued liabilities (e.g., goods received, not invoiced), pursue relevant information from internal teams, and communicate results to departmental stakeholders.
• Lead the month-end closing process for all the manufacturing and distribution sites across the Americas region, including, but not limited to, the timely and accurate review and posting of accounting transactions, as well as balance sheet and P&L account analysis.
• Support the monthly account reconciliations process to ensure overall general ledger integrity and financial compliance under Australian Accounting Standards. This includes, but is not limited to, monthly account reconciliation preparation and/or review, and tracking/reporting of status.
• Lead compliance exercises including, but not limited to, inventory verifications, risk mitigation, policy creation through execution, internal and external monthly financial statements, and annual audits. This position will develop, maintain, and enforce all inventory-related accounting policies and procedures in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards, as well as evaluate, design, and implement all financial systems and accounting controls which will assure company-wide processes and data integrity related to Cost Accounting and Operational activities.
• Support the Operations and Supply Chain teams in various initiatives and requests as the single point of contact on the accounting & finance team.
• Serve as subject matter expert for accounting and financial systems, including general ledger, reporting and financial databases, including but not limited to SAP and OneStream.
• Coordinate the annual P&L and Balance Sheet budget preparation for all Operations with the Operations Controller, including development of financial strategic goals and objectives.
• Recommend and guide process improvements and centralization within accounting and other business functions (with a focus on Operations and Supply Chain processes) to ensure efficient and compliant financial data and internal control compliance.
• Review and prepare analytics, models and KPIs to better understand and communicate financial results while partnering with the FP&A team to explain budget and forecast variances, especially over inventory and cost of goods sold.
• Provide analysis support for theoretical costs for pricing and business decisions on an ad hoc basis. Additionally, provide support to SVP of Operations, VP of Manufacturing and Fulfillment, Plant Manager, and FP&A Manager through the creation of routine reporting deliverables.
• Conform with and abide by all regulations, policies, work procedures, and instructions. Support external audit process for the global consolidated audit and international statutory audits.
• Lead and/or participate in a wide variety of special projects as requested by management and compile a variety of special reports that will be critical in the assessment of various business decisions and investments.
• Hold oneself to high standards of performance, driving accountability through example of self-motivation, detail orientation, and commitment to quality in work product and customer service mindset.
• Perform acquisition integration work, as assigned, as RWC pursues organic and inorganic growth options.
• Ability to travel to all operational locations across the region – with an initial increased demand to onboard and learn the business. Travel will include site visits for monthly operating reviews and general business partnering, inventory and fixed asset verifications, audit support, and acquisition and integration work.
• Able to meet the workload demands of international and multi-location accounting and reporting responsibilities.

Ideal Candidate Requirements/Attributes

The desired candidate will be a passionate, high-performance individual who has a demonstrated history of success providing cost accounting and value-added financial leadership in a manufacturing enterprise in a public company environment that has grown through inorganic and organic means. The new Assistant Operations Controller must have a successful track record of generating significant impact with business partners in local and remote locations in a very fast paced but lean, hands-on environment. S/He will have strong manufacturing accounting skills as well as a comprehensive knowledge of multichannel distribution. The new Assistant Operations Controller will not only be a strong performer but also be adept at presenting compelling and credible data to senior executives in support of financial performance goals and continued growth with strong executive and operational communication skills.

Summary of Qualifications:

• 5-10 years of experience in a related manufacturing accounting function, with experience leading all aspects of multi-site financial performance.
• Material experience in consumer goods manufacturing or related industry with a strong public accounting skillset in a complex, international corporation.
• Strong knowledge of Australian Accounting Standards (AAS) and/or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and financial reporting requirements.
• A Bachelor's and/or Master’s Degree in Accounting, Finance and/or Business Administration required, with preference given for an MBA or other advance graduate degree.
• Active CPA or CPA candidate preferred, but not required.
• Experience with acquisition and integration work preferred, but not required.
• Cost Accounting and related analysis through best practices across critical month-end close processes, internal and external reporting, internal controls, accounting policy processes, etc.
• Significant SAP knowledge to serve as Americas Controllership SME for standard costing and cost accounting process flows, usage of the CO module, and ability to research variances from standards and routine GL entries.
• Passionate commitment to expanding enterprise software functionality and improve reporting to more routine deliverables.
• Excellent business acumen yielding a natural ability to connect his/her function to the company's operational and financial performance goals.
• Outstanding communication skills to articulate end-to-end process knowledge and summarize data into meaningful information for superiors, peers, and subordinates in a variety of settings.
• An intellectual curiosity coupled with a comfort level with rolling up his/her sleeves, especially around areas related cost accounting, controls, business partnerships, and financial statement accuracy.