Director, Finance

Job Summary/Overview

Location: Sao Paolo, Brazil

The Finance Director will lead all Accounting and Finance activities for the Brazil businesses while also serving as the financial leader for a strategic business transformation initiative, overseeing the integration of multiple legal entities, consolidation of finance operations, and migration to a unified SAP environment. This role combines financial leadership, systems transformation, FP&A, external and management reporting, and business partnering responsibilities.

The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor to local and regional management teams, ensuring the organization achieves operational excellence, financial transparency, strong internal controls, and sustainable profitable growth.

This position requires a hands-on finance leader with significant experience managing complex integrations, ERP implementations, legal entity consolidations, multinational reporting environments, and manufacturing finance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Deliver the approved legal-entity integration milestones and finance-transformation roadmap within agreed timing, while maintaining business continuity and control effectiveness.
• Deliver a seamless SAP harmonization and finance transformation roadmap.
• Improve reporting accuracy and efficiency through FCCS and SAP optimization.
• Strengthen forecasting accuracy and business performance management.
• Maintain strong internal controls and compliance standards.
• Build a high-performing finance organization that serves as a strategic partner to management.

Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities

Business Integration & Transformation
Lead the financial integration of multiple legal entities into a streamlined operating structure.
Direct all finance-related activities associated with legal entity mergers, business consolidations, and restructuring initiatives.
Partner with Legal, Tax, Operations, HR, and Corporate Finance teams to ensure smooth integration execution.
Identify and implement process improvements, standardization opportunities, and organizational efficiencies.
Manage change initiatives and ensure business continuity throughout the transformation process.

SAP Migration & Systems Leadership
Serve as Finance Lead for SAP integration and harmonization projects.
Define finance requirements, chart of accounts alignment, master data governance, reporting structures, and internal controls within SAP.
Coordinate testing, user acceptance, training, and post-go-live stabilization activities.
Ensure successful integration between SAP and corporate reporting systems.
Drive process automation and digital finance transformation initiatives.

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range strategic planning processes.
Provide monthly financial analysis, business performance reviews, and actionable recommendations.
Monitor key financial and operational performance indicators.
Partner with operational leaders to identify risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.

Manufacturing Finance & Cost Accounting
Own manufacturing-finance activities, including standard costing, cost-roll accuracy, manufacturing variances, unit costs, inventory controls, cycle counting, and product-margin analysis.
Partner with Operations to identify and execute actions that improve profitability.

Corporate Reporting & Consolidation

Own and lead monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting and close processes.
Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting to corporate headquarters.Lead financial consolidation and reporting activities through Oracle FCCS.
Support management reporting, financial analysis, and executive decision-making.
Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and internal accounting policies.

Controllership & Compliance
Ensure integrity and accuracy of financial statements and accounting records.
Maintain a robust internal control environment and support SOX compliance requirements.
Coordinate internal and external audits.
Oversee working capital management, including inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and cash flow.
Oversee fixed assets and capital expenditures, including approval compliance, accounting treatment, depreciation, project closeout, asset verification, transfers, and retirements.
Collaborate with Tax teams to ensure compliance with local statutory and regulatory requirements.

Strategic Business Partner
Act as a key member of the local leadership team.
Provide financial insight and decision support to General Managers and functional leaders.
Translate financial data into meaningful business recommendations.
Support commercial, operational, and growth initiatives through financial analysis and strategic guidance.
Drive a culture of accountability, performance management, and continuous improvement.

Team Leadership
Lead and develop Accounting, FP&A, Reporting, and Finance Operations teams.
Establish clear performance objectives and succession plans.
Foster a collaborative, high-performance finance organization.
Mentor and develop future finance leaders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive finance leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success leading legal entity mergers, acquisitions, integrations, or corporate restructuring projects.
• Strong SAP ERP implementation, migration, or transformation experience.
• Significant FP&A, controllership, manufacturing finance, and financial reporting experience.
• Experience with Oracle FCCS or similar consolidation and reporting systems.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and/or IFRS.
• Experience working within a manufacturing, industrial, or multinational environment.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling capabilities.
• Fluent English and Portuguese required; Spanish preferred.
• Knowledge of SOX compliance and internal control frameworks.