Senior Director, Record to Report

Come make your difference in communities across Canada, where authenticity, trust and making connections is valued – as we shape the future of Canadian retail, together. Our unique position as one of the country's largest employers, coupled with our commitment to positively impact the lives of all Canadians, provides our colleagues a range of opportunities and experiences to help Canadians Live Life Well®.

At Loblaw Companies Limited, we succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong. 

Reports to: VP, Finance, Enterprise Business Services (EBS)

Role Mandate

The Senior Director, Record-to-Report (R2R) provides enterprise leadership and strategic direction for the R2R function, with accountability for financial integrity, operational performance, controls, stakeholder experience and the continued transformation of R2R.

The role leads a broad portfolio of accounting services across Central Services, Corporate Accounting and Franchise Accounting. This includes Payroll Accounting, Tax, Fixed Assets and Project Systems; Cash & Sales Accounting, Corporate Processing and Corporate Reporting; and Franchise Processing and Franchise Reporting. The role is accountable for ensuring the integrity of balance sheet accounts, journal entries, tax remittances, financial reporting and related accounting processes while maintaining a strong control environment.

A key component of the role is ensuring consistent, accurate and timely execution of accounting activities across a complex and high-volume environment, including effective support of stores, business partners and stakeholders. The Senior Director will provide strong financial governance, ensure issues and risks are appropriately managed, and maintain readiness for internal and external audit requirements.

The Senior Director will also lead the evolution of R2R from an enterprise perspective, building a more standardized, automated, insight-driven and scalable operating model that supports business initiatives while strengthening partnerships across Finance and the broader organization.

Key Accountabilities

Enterprise Leadership & Strategy

• Set the strategic direction and multi-year roadmap for R2R, aligned with EBS, Finance Transformation and enterprise priorities.
• Translate strategy into clear priorities, performance expectations and measurable outcomes across Central Services, Corporate Accounting and Franchise Accounting.
• Drive an enterprise approach to R2R by simplifying and standardizing accounting processes, controls and ways of working across teams and locations.
• Establish enterprise R2R outcomes and performance expectations that drive financial integrity, service effectiveness and accountability across the portfolio.
• Bring forward industry practices, technology and new ideas that improve financial, operational, stakeholder and colleague outcomes.
• Challenge existing ways of working and ensure R2R capabilities continue to evolve with the needs of the business.

Third-Party Operations & Governance

• Provide strategic oversight of third-party service delivery across R2R, ensuring provider performance and capabilities support R2R priorities and business requirements.
• Ensure effective application of enterprise third-party governance standards across R2R, with clear accountability for service performance, risk, controls and escalation.
• Lead senior-level engagement and escalation for material provider performance, risk, control or capability issues affecting R2R.
• Hold R2R leaders and service providers accountable for addressing systemic performance gaps and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Ensure third-party delivery evolves in alignment with the R2R transformation roadmap and future operating-model requirements.

Risk, Controls & Financial Governance

• Maintain accountability for a strong financial control, risk and governance environment across R2R, including internally managed and outsourced activities.
• Ensure appropriate controls are designed and operating effectively to support the completeness, accuracy and integrity of financial information.
• Provide oversight of balance sheet governance, account reconciliations, journal entries and other significant accounting activities within the R2R portfolio.
• Oversee the identification, escalation and remediation of financial, operational, compliance and control risks.
• Ensure appropriate governance over tax remittances and other financial obligations managed within R2R.
• Maintain effective audit readiness and support internal and external audit requirements, ensuring issues are appropriately addressed and sustainable remediation plans are implemented.
• Ensure material accounting and control issues are escalated appropriately and communicated clearly to Finance leadership and relevant stakeholders.

Transformation & Continuous Improvement

• Own and advance the enterprise R2R transformation roadmap, creating a more standardized, automated and scalable operating model.

·         Identify opportunities to simplify processes, eliminate manual activity and leverage automation, analytics and emerging technology to improve financial accuracy, operational performance and controls.

• Champion change management and adoption across internal teams, business partners and third-party service providers.
• Partner with Finance Transformation, Technology and other functions to connect R2R priorities with broader enterprise initiatives.
• Ensure transformation initiatives balance efficiency and productivity objectives with financial integrity, controls and stakeholder requirements.

Enterprise Stakeholder Leadership

• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across Finance and other enterprise functions.
• Maintain an end-to-end understanding of how business processes and changes impact accounting, financial reporting and R2R operations.
• Act as a trusted advisor to business partners and stakeholders, providing guidance and solutions on accounting processes, financial issues and business changes.
• Ensure stores and business partners receive effective support for accounting-related questions, issues and operational requirements.
• Influence decisions across organizational boundaries and align stakeholders around enterprise priorities and outcomes.
• Communicate complex performance issues, risks, decisions and recommendations clearly and effectively to senior leaders, business partners and service providers.

People & Organizational Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop a geographically dispersed team, creating clear accountability and a strong sense of shared purpose.
• Build a collaborative"one team" culture across functional areas, locations and service partners.
• Develop leadership capability and succession through coaching, feedback, mentorship and meaningful development opportunities.
• Ensure the organization has the right structure, capabilities and talent to support the current and future operating model.
• Foster an environment where colleagues challenge assumptions, contribute ideas and continuously improve how work gets done.
• Demonstrate strategic thinking, results orientation, integrity, authenticity, empathy, curiosity and collaborative candor.

Role Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in Finance, Accounting, Record-to-Report, Shared Services or a related discipline, including senior leadership experience.
• Demonstrate Leadership Behaviours: Shape Strategy, Drive Performance, Build Talent, Foster Collaboration, and demonstrate blue culture.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, complex operations across internal teams and third-party service providers.
• Strong understanding of financial accounting, balance sheet management, account reconciliations, journal entries, financial reporting and related accounting processes.
• Strong experience with outsourced service-provider governance, including SLAs, KPIs, performance management, risk, controls and executive escalation.
• Strong understanding of financial controls, governance, risk management and compliance in a complex operational environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading transformation, operating model change, process standardization and continuous improvement.
• Experience leveraging automation, analytics and technology to improve operational performance and controls.
• Strong enterprise mindset with the ability to influence across functions and organizational boundaries.
• Proven ability to build, coach and lead high-performing teams.
• Strong executive communication, presentation, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a complex, high-volume and continually changing environment.
• Degree or diploma in Business Administration, Commerce, Finance, Accounting or a related discipline.
• Some travel will be required for this role.

Our commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact is an essential part of the way we do business, and we focus our attention on areas where we can have the greatest impact. Our approach to sustainability and social impact is based on three pillars – Environment, Sourcing and Community – and we are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate leadership in these important areas. Our CORE Values – Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence – guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits – these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Greenest Employers & Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.

If you are unsure whether your experience matches every requirement above, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for varied perspectives which include diverse experiences that we can add to our team.

We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.  
 
Please Note:
Candidates who are 18 years or older are required to complete a criminal background check. Details will be provided through the application process.

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