Associate Director, Financial Systems – SAP & Strategy Lead

Grant Thornton (US); Downers Grove (IL); Hybrid; USD 136,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Bonus opportunity

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Grant Thornton is seeking an Associate Director of Financial Systems to join the Downers Grove, IL team. This senior role provides strategic leadership for the organization’s financial technology ecosystem, including ERP platforms, integrations, and reporting solutions, partnering with Finance, Accounting, Technology, and business operations.

Responsibilities include governance, data management, and transformation initiatives such as SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud; leading cross-functional programs,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience with financial systems, ERP platforms, or finance technology solutions.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience managing teams and cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience leading enterprise financial system implementations or large-scale transformation programs.
• Strong knowledge of financial processes, accounting principles, billing operations, and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated project, stakeholder, and third-party vendor management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the strategic roadmap for financial systems and related technologies.
• Establish the governance framework, operating standards, and best practices for financial applications and platforms.
• Partner with senior Finance and Technology leaders to align system capabilities with business objectives.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend solutions that improve operational effectiveness.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud and related financial applications.
• Oversee system configuration, testing, enhancements, upgrades, and release management.
• Define requirements and priorities for major ERP initiatives and transformation programs.
• Manage external consultants and vendors delivering financial system improvements.
• Lead finance and accounting process improvement, automation, and control-enhancement initiatives.
• Partner with stakeholders to redesign and standardize processes across business units and geographic locations.
• Maximize financial system capabilities to improve efficiency, scalability, and business value.
• Establish governance standards for the integrity, availability, and management of financial and operational data.
• Oversee financial systems support for management reporting, regulatory reporting, and analytics.
• Partner with Finance leadership to define reporting requirements and performance metrics.
• Lead financial systems participation in enterprise data governance and master data management.
• Lead cross-functional delivery of major financial system implementations, upgrades, and enhancement projects.
• Manage project portfolios, budgets, timelines, risks, dependencies, and resource allocation.
• Establish project governance, decision-making, and executive reporting structures.
• Deliver strategic initiatives while managing operational risk and business disruption.
• Ensure financial systems support internal controls, audit requirements, and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with Internal Audit, Risk, Compliance, and external auditors to address system-related requirements.
• Oversee segregation of duties, security access controls, and related financial system controls.
• Implement monitoring controls that support auditability and regulatory compliance.
• Lead, mentor, and develop financial systems professionals, analysts, and system administrators.
• Establish clear objectives and development plans for team members.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Build effective cross-functional partnerships that support financial systems strategy and delivery.

Skills

Financial Systems

Leadership

ERP Implementations

Accounting Knowledge

Vendor Management

Project Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance/IS/Business Admin

Tools

SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud

Job description

Grant Thornton is seeking an Associate Director of Financial Systems to join the Downers Grove, IL team. This senior role provides strategic leadership for the organization’s financial technology ecosystem, including ERP platforms, integrations, and reporting solutions, partnering with Finance, Accounting, Technology, and business operations.

Responsibilities include governance, data management, and transformation initiatives such as SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud; leading cross-functional programs,