Operational Finance Director

Kroger; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Kroger in Cincinnati, OH seeks an experienced executive to manage Operational Finance teams and act as the liaison between finance and business-unit leaders. You will guide long-range planning, finance integration, and actionable reporting to senior management.

The role emphasizes coaching, process improvement, and delivering ROIC growth through transformational initiatives and strong leadership across finance teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance.
• 7+ years of finance/accounting management experience.
• Experience with financial systems and business policies.
• Highly analytical and detail-oriented with trend analysis.
• Excellent communications skills across all levels.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to manage a team and multiple projects.
• Experience supervising professional staff and presenting.
• Experience in accounting/finance roles (e.g., assistant controller).

Responsibilities

• Partner with BU leaders to develop 3–5 year plans with capital and operating forecasts.
• Collaborate with BU leaders to ensure integrated finance support.
• Provide timely, accurate reporting for weekly progress, projections, and annual planning.
• Serve as primary contact for executive leadership on financial matters.
• Lead high-priority transformational initiatives delivering ROIC growth.
• Coach and train operational finance staff across the organization.
• Drive process improvements in financial reporting.
• Recruit, train, and promote the Operational Finance staff.
• Supervise and coach direct reports with performance reviews.
• Travel to meet BU leaders and internal stakeholders.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Excellent communication

Proficient in Microsoft Office

Strong technical skills

Team management

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree accounting or finance

Master's Degree accounting, finance or business administration

Job description

Manage Operational Finance teams, led by Business Unit Controllers. Serve critical function as executive liaison between the Finance teams and the business unit leaders supported by those finance teams. Evaluate areas that need additional support, and redirect efforts no longer necessary. Ensure communication and alignment with senior management on methods and processes for capturing and sharing insights and information. Demonstrate the company's core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion and safety.

Responsibilities

• Partner with business unit leaders to develop 3-5 year long range plans that align with overall company strategies, including capital planning, operating forecasts, and financial and non-financial KPIs
• Collaborate with Business Unit (BU) leaders to ensure BU finance teams are integrated appropriately and are optimally supporting the BUs.
• Ensure Operational Finance team provides timely, accurate, efficient and insightful reporting and insights for weekly progress reports, period projections, and annual business planning
• Serve as primary point of contact for Executive leadership on financial aspects of key operational business units
• Manage high priority transformational initiatives within the business units to ensure the projects deliver ROIC growth and meet company level goals and commitments
• Ensure consistently executed and broadly distributed coaching, teaching, and training is delivered to all operational finance staff
• Seek and deploy business process improvements within financial reporting process
• Develop and maintain a program to recruit, train, and promote the Operational Finance staff
• Supervise and coach direct reports in the performance of their duties, complete performance reviews and provide feedback to direct reports
• Travel to meet with business unit leaders and other internal stakeholders
• Must be able to perform the essential job functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation

Qualifications

Minimum

• Bachelor's Degree accounting or finance
• 7+ years extensive finance/accounting management experience
• Extensive working knowledge of financial systems, and accounting and business policies
• Highly analytical and detail-oriented with demonstrated success in identifying trends, results and outcomes
• Excellent communications skills; ability to effectively communicate with all levels of an organization
• Proficient in Microsoft Office
• Strong technical skills
• Ability to manage a team and numerous projects at once
• Strong interpersonal and relationship development skills
• Master's Degree accounting, finance or business administration
• Any experience with the supervision of professional staff
• Any presentation experience
• Any previous Accounting/Finance related positions (i.e., assistant controller or controller)