Director - Information Technology - Financial Applications

Essential Job Functions

The Director of the Finance Applications team will collaborate with key internal business stakeholders to develop and deliver upon a roadmap and defined business application strategy for the Finance Department. This role will engage the business in strategy and roadmap formulation, leading technology change and directing the applications team's delivery in support of said strategy. This role effectively coaches and empowers team members to improve their critical thinking and decision making abilities, particularly as they relate to the course of delivering operational support services, and ensures resources are appropriately assigned to meet the business demands of the firm.

Essential Functions:

- Manage key business relationships, fostering collaboration, automation and innovation. Establish and maintain department's relationship with the Finance management teams to ensure ongoing team coordination and success.

- Build strong understanding of the Finance business areas and the key applications supporting them.

- Maintain strategic focus by building strong relationships with key customers to become a trusted advisor focused on technology enablement that continues to evolve to support key business needs. Collaborate with key business stakeholders to define strategy and application roadmaps

- Lead ongoing efforts to achieve high levels of uptime and consistent operations for all Finance Applications. Ensure all applications have maintenance and upgrade plans approved by Finance and which are executed smoothly. Director of Finance Applications will drive efforts to complete Root Cause Analyses when required and utilize them to mature operational processes/environments.

- Coordinate with matrixed IT functions to ensure consistent and successful delivery on business specific initiatives; act as liaison for Finance to all IT Functions. Server as the first line of departmental management for escalation of issues.

- Coordinate with the requisite internal functions to ensure the services, products are compliance with policies, standards, etc.

- Coordinate with existing vendors to resolve issues and advocate for Firm business needs.

- Foster relationships with various relevant technology service providers to integrate latest trends and outside-in thought leadership

- Work with Enterprise Architecture and Business Application owners in support of a cloud first posture

- Ensure all technology practices adhere to the firm's security, compliance and regulatory standard

- Manage the operational and administrative activities of the Applications Engineering staff.

- Provide direction on direct staff's project involvement and responsibilities; ensure that project work results in high quality applications being delivered and is appropriately prioritized with business needs.

- Develop and/or lead change management efforts across all phases of projects and initiatives to drive the Firm's culture of continuous improvement.

- Monitor direct staff's adherence to department processes, standards, and systems to ensure best practices. Ensure clear documentation is established for all of the above.

- Ensure excellent customer service is delivered to Finance team members by interacting directly with customers when called upon by team members.

- Keep senior management informed of potential issues and provide recommendations for improvements.

- Responsible for personnel management functions including recruitment, selection, hiring, motivating, training, promoting and reviewing.

- Develop and coordinate annual budget for department in coordination with Finance.

Qualifications & Requirements

- Minimum of 15 years of experience leading and directing technology teams in support of Finance specific strategies around SAP and other ERP applications. A advanced degree in information management, finance and or computer science is preferred.

- Advanced aptitude and interest in information technologies, critical thinking, innovation, change management and project management is a must.

- Experience with Financial processes (general ledger accounting, budget, procurement, expense management, etc) is required.

- Excellent organizational, verbal, and written communication skills.

- Proven change management skills.