Controls Excellence and SOX Compliance Manager

Discover Your Opportunity with Unilever Ice Cream as Controls Excellence and SOX Compliance Manager

ABOUT ICE CREAM: Life Tastes Better With Ice Cream

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability, we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of €8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

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.

Ice Cream Finance: Leading for a winning, trusted and investible global ice cream market leader

This is your chance for a ‘once in a lifetime’ career experience, playing a part in the creation of a fully independent, new Ice Cream organisation.

We are seizing this unique opportunity to reset the role of Ice Cream Finance. Together we will become the best and most admired finance team in the world, and we’ll do this by focusing on value creation, trailblazing future-fit financial processes and technology, and by becoming a training ground for financial craftmanship that will be the envy of everyone.

Just imagine the benefits of working within a single category, where everyone and everything is laser-focused on the same goal, where there's opportunity to develop deep and wide understanding of the business economics and international ecosystem of a single category, and to translate that into value creation.

The role of Ice Cream Finance in this momentous moment is staggering, exciting, and yes...a little daunting, which is why we are looking for empowered and accountable decision makers who are keen to take on end-to-end responsibility; if you are a self-starter who identifies opportunities, takes initiative, and innovates to create value, who is proactive, resourceful and comfortable with challenge and uncertainty, you will thrive with us. In return, you will be rewarded with a rich finance role, no matter where you are in your career, and within an environment that’s both fulfilling and fun...after all, life tastes better with Ice Cream!

JOB PURPOSE:

The newly created Ice Cream Group Controlling Team is a core part of the central Ice Cream Finance team. The Ice Cream Group Controlling Team is responsible for Ice Cream’s external financial reporting and global financial reporting controls (including Sarbanes Oxley compliance), managing the global auditor relationship, determining and implementing Ice Cream’s accounting policies, and many other projects related to how Ice Cream measures its performance and presents and communicates this to the external world.

The Controls Excellence and SOX Compliance Manager is primarily responsible for ensuring the organization’s internal controls and SOX compliance frameworks meet regulatory requirements and industry best practices. This role will oversee the design, implementation, and testing of controls, particularly focusing on SOX compliance, and will drive continuous improvement efforts within the controls environment. This senior manager will lead cross-functional initiatives to strengthen control processes, mitigate risk, and foster a strong culture of compliance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• SOX Compliance and Controls Framework:
  • Manage the company’s SOX compliance program, including the design, documentation, testing, and remediation of internal controls over financial reporting.
  • Ensure that control activities comply with SOX requirements, identifying and addressing control gaps as needed.
  • Develop and maintain the SOX controls library, updating it as processes change or new risks are identified.
  • Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure timely identification and remediation of control deficiencies, providing guidance on effective remediation strategies.
• Internal Control Strategy and Continuous Improvement:
  • Lead the development and execution of the organization’s internal controls strategy, focusing on operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and compliance.
  • Identify and implement process improvements and automation opportunities within the controls framework to streamline compliance and enhance effectiveness.
  • Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the control environment, leveraging data analytics and continuous monitoring techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of control activities.
• Risk Assessment and Control Design:
  • Conduct periodic risk assessments to identify high-risk areas and align control activities with evolving business risks.
  • Collaborate with business process owners to design and enhance controls, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and regulatory expectations.
  • Provide guidance on control design for new processes, products, and systems, ensuring that appropriate risk mitigation measures are in place.
• Audit Coordination and Support:
  • Act as the primary point of contact for internal and external auditors regarding SOX and internal control matters.
  • Coordinate the annual SOX testing and audit process, including managing audit requests, providing required documentation, and addressing audit findings.
  • Review audit results and recommendations, driving prompt resolution of identified issues and supporting cross-functional teams in implementing improvements.
• Team Leadership and Training:
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of control professionals, fostering a culture of compliance and promoting best practices in SOX and control excellence.
  • Conduct training sessions to build control awareness and reinforce a compliance-focused culture across the organization.
  • Promote knowledge sharing across departments, empowering team members and stakeholders to better understand control requirements and responsibilities.
• Stakeholder Collaboration and Communication:
  • Collaborate closely with finance, IT, operations, and other departments to integrate control processes and ensure cross-functional alignment.
  • Prepare and present control status reports to senior management and the board, highlighting control effectiveness, SOX compliance status, and areas requiring attention.
  • Serve as a strategic advisor to leadership on control-related matters, offering insights into emerging risks, regulatory trends, and best practices.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

Experiences & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field.
• Professional qualification (e.g., CPA, CFA) is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in internal controls, SOX compliance, audit, or risk management, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.
• Comprehensive knowledge of SOX requirements, COSO framework, and control principles.

Skills:

• Proficiency in control documentation, risk assessment, and testing methodologies.
• Expertise in ERP systems and control monitoring tools, along with advanced Excel and data analysis skills.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize effectively.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrated experience in managing and developing high-performing teams.

Must have competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to think strategically and align financial goals with business objectives.
• Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy and attention to detail in financial reporting and analysis.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing business environments and manage multiple priorities.
• Collaboration: Strong collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Decision-Making: Sound decision-making skills, particularly under pressure and in complex scenarios.
• Innovation: Ability to drive innovation in financial processes and reporting.
• Ethical Judgment: Strong ethical judgment and integrity in handling financial information.

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?

• Attractive total remuneration package; excellent company pension, bonus and share scheme.
• Flexible cross-disciplinary career opportunities and a wealth of training opportunities & wellbeing resources whenever and wherever.
• Plenty of company-paid holidays to further ensure your work-life balance is maintained.
• We encourage an inclusive culture, which comes to life with interchangeable public holidays, paid paternity leave of 6 weeks and our transgender policy.
• Under the Hybrid Working principles, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 40% in the office or at customers, suppliers or partners to connect and collaborate. For the time you work from home, we will ensure you are well equipped. When you are at the office, you can enjoy our tasty canteen with prepped food and own products.
• Informal culture and being the first one trying our new products.
• My Fitness Plan (reduction on your Fitness Subscription).
• Home work allowance
• Company laptop and mobile phone
• Green Mobility Policy