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Assistant Controller - USA

Job ID:
R-15603
Category:
Finance
Location:
Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Date posted:
01/05/2025
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Job Title: IceCream US Assistant Controller

Location: Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Terms & Conditions:  Full-time, hybrid within policy

If you want to work for a global, leading Ice Cream player with €7.9bn Turn Over in 2023, come join Unilever Ice Cream! The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent as we build our diverse and inclusive culture. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Assistant Controller plays a vital role in ensuring the financial health of an organization, supporting strategic decision-making, and maintaining compliance with regulations. This position requires a blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and the ability to work collaboratively across departments.

Establishing and maintaining internal controls and accounting best practices is one of the top responsibilities of an Assistant Controller. Whilst providing supervision to general accounting departments, an Assistant Controller will also assist the Controller providing monthly, quarterly, and year-end analyses and coordinating or assisting with the budget and forecasting process.

We are seeking a reliable and detail-oriented Assistant Controller to support the preparation of financial statements that adhere to regulatory and accounting guidelines. Working under the guidance of a controller, you will play a crucial role in identifying and rectifying discrepancies while assisting in the establishment of effective control systems.

To excel in this role, you must possess a strong understanding of accounting principles. As an organized professional with keen attention to detail, you should be dependable and capable of working independently and collaboratively.

Your primary objective will be to ensure that the company’s accounting and financial processes meet established standards, promoting accurate financial reporting and effective control, support to in-market Treasury and Insurance activities for the North America Unit. The role has the operational responsibility to run these activities for the US market, and the oversight responsibility for North America to ensure these activities are properly run in compliance with global policies. 

The role reports to the North America IC Controller, providing visibility, assurance, and guidance on business risk management, financial reporting and controlling, internal & external audits, liquidity management and value protection.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Risk Management & Controls:

  • Lead Risk Assessments: Proactively conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify potential financial risks within the organization. This involves analyzing processes and controls to ensure they are effective and aligned with company policies.
  • Remediation of Control Issues: Collaborate with business leaders to understand the root causes of any identified issues. Develop and implement corrective actions to strengthen internal controls and mitigate risks.

Accounting & Reporting:

  • Financial Reporting: Ensure that financial reports are prepared accurately and submitted on time for both internal stakeholders and external regulatory bodies. This includes group financial statements and local statutory reports.
  • Accounting Standards Compliance: Stay updated on changes in accounting standards and ensure that both group and local accounting practices are compliant. Act as the main point of contact for any accounting inquiries from the Group Controller’s team.
  • Month end closing: Assist in the month end closing process, ensuring that all financial records are accurate and complete, and that financial statements are prepared in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Financial Processes:

  • Efficiency Programs: Implement global financial process efficiency initiatives to streamline operations. This may involve automating processes, simplifying workflows, and centralizing transactional activities to enhance productivity.
  • Continuous Improvement: Regularly review financial processes to identify areas for improvement, ensuring the execution of globally aligned finance processes designed to mitigate risks and enforce robust internal controls.
  • Oversee adherence to local regulations and global financial policies, maintaining effective controls over financial operations.

Internal & External Assurance:

  • Audit Liaison: Serve as the primary liaison for internal and external audits. This includes preparing necessary documentation, coordinating audit activities, and ensuring that all follow-up actions are completed in a timely manner.
  • Relationship Management: Maintain strong relationships with external auditors to facilitate smooth audit processes and address any concerns that may arise.

Local Treasury and Insurance Operations:

  • Liquidity Management: Work closely with the Global Treasury team to ensure that the organization has sufficient liquidity to meet its operational needs. This includes managing cash flow, financing, and foreign exchange (FX) hedging strategies.
  • Insurance support to assure material risks are being insured following Global policies.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

  • Comprehensive understanding of various business functions and their interconnections.
  • Familiarity with SOX compliance, auditing processes, and risk management practices.
  • Knowledge of local regulations concerning accounting and taxation.
  • Proven experience in the design, control, and evaluation of business operations for effectiveness.
  • Extensive experience managing a diverse and complex range of stakeholders, including peers and third parties, while ensuring accountability.
  • Treasury and insurance experience.
  • Proven success in automation of financial processes.
  • Strong skills in presenting and communicating effectively with both senior finance and non-finance stakeholders.
  • Relevant qualifications and/or experience in accounting and financial reporting.
  • Over 10 years of experience in finance, particularly in roles that engage directly with business operations.

LEADERSHIP:

Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors

  • PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.
  • PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.
  • TALENT CATALYST: Invests in people – coaches individuals and teams to realize their full potential. Creates an inclusive climate, empowering everyone to be at their best.
  • BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.


Pay: The pay range for this position is  $135,600 to $203,300. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.  

Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.  

Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.  

Benefits: Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.   

We take pleasure seriously. Join the Ice Cream team now!

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Unilever is an organization committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal law and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

For more information about your Federal rights, please see Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination isIllegal and Pay Transparency Non discrimination Provision.

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at NA.Accommodations@unilever.com. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment.

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