Financial Controller, Puerto Rico

Job Purpose:

The Financial Controller is responsible for the management of all Puerto Rico’s accounting and financial reporting matters under US GAAP and STAT and for maintaining strong internal controls in these areas.

Primary Job Responsibilities:

Ensure Puerto Rico accounting and reporting matters are accounted for in accordance with US GAAP and adheres to Assurant’s accounting policies (30%)

• Provide accounting teams with US GAAP guidance on Puerto Rico accounting and financial reporting matters, including issues, new/existing deals, M&A transactions, etc.
• Implement a formal process for identifying and reviewing Puerto Rico contracts with business partners.
• Work with Puerto Rico business teams to gain an understanding of contracts and evaluate key accounting implications.
• Perform technical accounting research, draft and/or review accounting memos consistent with US GAAP and Assurant’s accounting policies for significant Puerto Rico accounting issues and contracts.
• Partner with the International Accounting and technical accounting teams as needed to resolve Puerto Rico issues and finalize deal reviews.

Ensure the accurate, timely and high-quality submission of internal and external reporting for both STAT and US GAAP across Puerto Rico (30%)

• Assume ownership of all aspects of Puerto Rico’s financial statement close process for both US GAAP and STAT. Coordinate with cross-functional teams, plan closing activities and ensure all US GAAP and STAT reporting deadlines, are met.
• Review Puerto Rico’s quarterly financial reporting deliverables, including variance analysis and support for Assurant’s consolidated financial statements.
• Partner with Finance and country leader to review and understand Puerto Rico’s key business drivers on a quarterly basis.
• Manage Puerto Rico’s internal and external audits (US GAAP and STAT), ensuring progress is being made, issues are raised, and remediation actions are completed, in order to strengthen internal controls.
• Ensure Puerto Rico accounts are reconciled in accordance with Assurant’s policy.
• Certify Puerto Rico’s quarterly results are accurate and in accordance with US GAAP.
• Support efforts to improve the close process for Puerto Rico.

Provide Puerto Rico support for global accounting initiatives and special projects (20%)

• Support the GFS project (migration to a Global ERP), provide Puerto Rico accounting perspective and participate in key workstreams for Puerto Rico to ensure the project is progressing as planned and key stakeholders are engaged.
• Support transformation efforts in Puerto Rico, including identifying higher risk manual processes and make recommendations for process improvements, develop plan/framework with business partners and work on resolutions.
• Support integration efforts as part of connecting accounting teams globally to develop consistent accounting application, improve process flows and share best practices worldwide

Manage Puerto Rico accounting teams and partner with International Accounting, local Finance leadership and other key stakeholders effectively. (20%)

• Manage the Puerto Rico accounting team and provide development and coaching for direct reports. Employ strategies to attract and retain talent in the team.
• Evaluate Puerto Rico’s accounting team and organizational structure, assess gaps and other developmental opportunities on team's both current and future needs.
• Identify and raise Puerto Rico accounting and financial reporting issues to key stakeholders, including the LATAM Controller, Puerto Rico CFO and International Accounting team in the US, on a timely basis. Ensure key stakeholders remain appraised of developments on issues and deals relating to the Puerto business.

Responsibility for the work of others

• Total direct reports: one Finance Manager
• Total employees in reporting line:  16

Basic Qualifications Required:

Education:

• College degree in accounting, plus CPA, chartered accountant or equivalent designation required: CPA / ACA / ACCA / CIMA

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a Controllership or Accounting/Finance leadership role
• Effectively managing teams in different locations

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong US GAAP, Statutory and Regulatory knowledge
• Strong leadership skills
• Knowledge of insurance accounting principles
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills (Spanish a plus)
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office
• Comfortable working with senior stakeholders
• Ability to manage numerous deadlines and prioritize workload accordingly.

Preferred Experience, Skills, and Knowledge:

• Experience with ERP systems and migrations (Oracle preferred)
• Experience in preparing consolidated financial statements.
• Experience in coordinating audit processes.
• Experience in regulatory reporting.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills

Environmental / Physical Demands:

This position requires incumbents to regularly sit at a desk and operate standard office equipment such as a computer and phone.  Employee is occasionally required to stand and walk, lift, carry and/or move up to 10 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.  Must be able to talk and hear.  Required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

DISCLAIMER

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

D.E.I. Commitment

At Assurant, we celebrate the differences that make us who we are. By assembling extraordinary teams from a variety of races, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, experiences, and abilities, we’re able to better reflect the global communities where we live and work. By working to remove barriers, we ensure equity for everyone. The pursuit of inclusion rests with each of us. Because it’s only by listening to and representing the unique voices of every individual that we can innovate for all.

For further information about Assurant, please visit our website: https://www.assurant.com/