Compensation Accounting Director

SMBC Group; Charlotte, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

SMBC Group in the United States seeks a Director of Compensation Accounting to own end-to-end accounting, reporting, controls, and governance for personnel costs. The role leads a team within the Controller/Finance organization and partners with HR, Payroll, FP&A, and senior management to ensure compliant, insightful financial reporting and cost management. The position requires deep expertise in GAAP, IFRS, and complex accruals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 10–15+ years’ experience in Compensation and/or Equity Based Accounting leadership, ideally within banking or financial services.
• Knowledge of financial reporting including U.S. GAAP and IFRS.
• Experience with external auditors and footnotes.
• Experience with general ledger functions and month-end/year-end close.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Extensive Excel experience; Oracle Cloud GL and Alteryx knowledge a plus.
• CPA preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Compensation Accounting function across SMBC Americas and oversee payroll, bonus, benefits, and deferred compensation accounting.
• Own monthly, quarterly, and annual closes for personnel expense accounts and review journal entries.
• Provide analytics on compensation trends and budget variance; collaborate with FP&A for forecasting.
• Design and strengthen internal controls over compensation accounting and SOX compliance.
• Ensure accurate balance sheet reconciliations for payroll and compensation liabilities.
• Coordinate with external auditors and regulators for disclosures and audit readiness.
• Drive automation and process improvements across payroll, HRIS integrations, and GL systems.
• Partner with HR and senior leadership to align compensation strategy with financial goals.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance

Tools

Oracle Cloud GL

Excel

Alteryx

Job description

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 80,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges.

In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization’s extensive global network. The Group’s operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC MANUBANK, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.

Role Description

The Director of Compensation Accounting at SMBC is a senior leadership role responsible for end-to-end ownership of accounting, reporting, controls, and governance over all personnel-related expenses (payroll, bonus, benefits, deferred compensation).

This role leads a team within the Controller/Finance organization and partners closely with HR, Payroll, FP&A, and senior management to ensure accurate financial reporting, robust controls, and strategic insights into compensation costs.

Role Objectives: Responsibilities

• Leadership & Functional Ownership - Lead the Compensation Accounting function across SMBC Americas. Oversee a team responsible for Payroll accounting, Bonus and incentive compensation accounting, Benefits and deferred compensation. Set the vision, strategy, and operating model for compensation accounting.
• Financial Close & Reporting Oversight - Own the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close for all personnel expense accounts. Review and approve journal entries for payroll, bonus, and accruals. Financial statement disclosures related to compensation, Ensure reporting aligns with US GAAP / IFRS / J-GAAP requirements.
• Accruals, Estimates & Analytics - Oversee complex accrual methodologies, including Bonus pools and incentive plans, deferred compensation and retention awards. Provide executive-level analytics on Compensation trends, Variance drivers vs. budget/forecast. Partner with FP&A to ensure accurate forecasting of personnel costs.
• Controls, Governance & Risk Management - Design, implement, and enhance internal controls framework over compensation accounting. Ensure compliance with SOX controls, internal policies and global standards. Oversee audit readiness and remediation of control deficiencies.
• Balance Sheet Integrity & Reconciliations - Ensure integrity of compensation-related balance sheet accounts, including Accrued payroll, bonus liabilities, benefits payables. Review and challenge account reconciliations and aging items.
• Audit, Regulatory & External Reporting - Serve as key point of contact for External auditors, Internal audit and Regulatory exams. Oversee preparation of supporting schedules, disclosures and documentation. Ensure adherence to regulatory expectations in a large global banking environment.
• Systems, Transformation & Process Improvement - Drive automation and optimization across Payroll and HRIS integrations and General ledger systems. Lead initiatives to standardize processes, improve data quality and reporting timeliness. Leverage technology and advanced Excel / data tools to enhance efficiency.
• Business Partnering & Stakeholder Management - Act as senior finance partner to HR / Compensation & Benefits, Payroll and Senior Finance leadership. Provide insight into compensation strategy impacts on financials. Support executive decision-making on compensation structures and cost optimization.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 10–15+ years’ experience in Compensation and/or Equity Based Accounting leadership, ideally within banking or financial services.
• Knowledge of financial reporting, balance sheets and general accounting practices including U.S. GAAP and IFRS
• Experience with financial statements including footnotes and working with external auditors
• Experience with general ledger functions and the month-end/year close process
• Strong analytic and problem- solving skills
• Strong organizational skills, detail oriented with ability to manage multiple assignments concurrently
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Extensive Excel experience required; Oracle Cloud GL and Alteryx knowledge a plus
• CPA preferred

Additional Requirements

SMBC’s employees participate in a Hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office. SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location. Prospective candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process. Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire workweek is required.

SMBC provides reasonable accommodations during candidacy for applicants with disabilities consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know at [e-mail].