Westerra Credit Union
What is the role?
The Controller serves as a strategic financial leader for Westerra, responsible for supplying management with the critical financial reports and strategic insights necessary for making significant and impactful business decisions. This role ensures that a strong accounting and operational control environment is in place and functioning, monitors and analyzes financial results, and provides strategic insights into historical financial results, in support of the strategic plan. Establishes and implements strategies that have short to mid-term (1-3 years) impact on business results in alignment with organization objectives.
What will be expected of me?
- At Westerra, all people leaders are expected to support, reward, recognize, and lead high-performing teams to drive Westerra Experience outcomes. They do this through:
- Leadership Attributes: Leaders embrace key foundational human-centric attributes that enable The Way We Lead Behaviors: Authentic, Empathetic, and Adaptive.
- Leadership Behaviors: Leaders model and coach Westerra’s Core Purpose, Cultural Tenets and Descriptors, and Be Statements.
- Leadership Foundations: Leaders are effective at The Way We Lead approaches and foundational Westerra leadership responsibilities rolled out through our Westerra Experience University (WXU) and in the Job Architecture.
- Direct and oversee the Financial Reporting and Accounting Operations teams.
- Direct the production of timely and meaningful historical financial reports, including operational results and key operating metrics.
- Direct monthly Board reporting and pro-actively recommend changes in financial reports to enhance the impact of the information.
- Direct the development and implementation of a proper internal control environment surrounding financial reporting, sufficient to safeguard assets and to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of general ledger balances, in addition to consolidated financial results.
- Direct the activities of staff in a manner which ensures dedicated Business Unit accounting support to all business areas within the credit union. Monitor performance against expectations.
- Coordinate overall month-end close activities.
- Direct the identification and development of action plan items, in coordination with the Vice President of Finance. Responsible for the execution of action plan items in support of the Credit Union’s long- and short-term strategic business plan.
- Direct the preparation of the Allowance for Credit Loss estimate and related metrics and analysis on a monthly basis.
- Direct short and long-term staffing needs and development of overall functional area.
- Analyze emerging GAAP developments, assess business impacts, and develop recommendations for action for consideration by senior management. Work with the Vice President of Finance to implement changes required by GAAP pronouncements.
- Provide critical support in the development of non-interest income and expense budgets and forecasts, delegating these support activities to staff as appropriate.
- Direct annual financial statement audits and Accounting’s participation in periodic regulatory examinations.
- Implement an effective management and cost accounting regime, sufficient to maintain updated standard and direct cost data for use in periodic profitability reporting.
- Direct the preparation and submission of the periodic Call Report. Monitor new Call Report requirements and determine changes required to ensure on-going compliance with reporting requirements. Direct the preparation and submission of the annual IRS Forms 990 and 1020.
- General oversight of Accounting Operations. This includes daily general ledger recs and clearing account activity, A/P, Payroll, annual tax balancing & reporting (1099, 1098 & 945), sales and use tax filings, unclaimed property filings and FR2900 filings.
- Prepare and present findings and financial impacts of loss reserves and provide strategic insights to Executive Management and the ALL Committee.
- Consistently demonstrate the Westerra Way Experience and comply with all policies and regulations.
- Develop short to mid-term (1-3 years) plans for optimizing the business and the talent required to execute strategies in the job area.
- Translate strategic action plans into relevant goals for functional area.
- Responsible for the overall budget for the department.
- Attends community events relevant to business needs.
- Could be asked to chair all committee meetings
- Other duties as assigned.
What I’m bringing to be considered for VP of Accounting / Controller:
Experience/Education:
- Minimum of 12 years of experience in Accounting
- Minimum of 8 years of supervisory or management level experience, with at least 6 or more years of experience leading teams of 3 or more individuals in an accounting or finance area
- Minimum of five years of experience managing an Accounting team in banking or credit union
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in managing projects
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, or Finance with an Accounting emphasis
- Master’s degree in Accounting, or another business related discipline, strongly preferred
- CPA or Master’s degree in Accounting, or another related discipline, strongly preferred
Salary: in addition to the starting annual range of $137,626 – $178,914, this role is also be eligible for Westerra’s self-funding reward plan. This plan pays out a cash incentive annually if the company hits specific criteria tied to our financial goals and you will have a direct impact on the outcome of those results!
What I’m bringing to be considered for Director of Accounting / Controller:
Experience/Education:
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in Accounting
- Minimum of 6 years of supervisory or management level experience, with at least 4 or more years of experience leading teams of 3 or more individuals in an accounting or finance area
- Minimum of three years of experience managing an Accounting team in banking or credit union
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance or another related discipline
- CPA or Master’s degree in Accounting, or another related discipline, strongly preferred