Accounting Manager

Company Description

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our global theme park destinations, consumer products, and experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through our powerhouse film and television studios, including Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, and Focus Features, and the four global television studios under the Universal Studio Group banner, and operate industry-leading theme parks and experiences around the world through Universal Destinations & Experiences, including Universal Orlando Resort, home to Universal Epic Universe, and Universal Studios Hollywood. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. Visit www.nbcuniversal.com for more information.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Job Description

Working under the direction of the Director of Accounting, the Finance Manager is responsible for the timely and accurate completion of the monthly financial closings in accordance with US & local GAAP for Mexico as well as all financial operating and compliance activity in the country.

NBCUniversal LATAM International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer is seeking a driven and dynamic candidate to join our expanding Finance organization. The Finance Manager will be a key member of LATAM’s accounting team and will have direct exposure in supporting the continued growth in Mexico and its integration within the overall regional portfolio. The successful candidate will be able to work and communicate effectively in a team environment, interacting with all levels of our organization, international team members, and external auditors.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Ownership of day-to-day accounting processes, including but not limited to:

Financial Reporting

• Collaborate with third party accounting firm to ensure compliance with statutory reporting requirements
• Lead the timely and accurate monthly review and validation of the Monthly Reporting package (IFRS to GAAP)
• Responsible for delivering monthly, quarterly, and annual trial balances that are prepared in accordance with US GAAP with ability to bridge between US GAAP and IFRS
• Own monthly close processes to ensure accurate financial bookings and timely reporting of financials and subsequent analysis (includes preparation of journal entries, accruals, intercompany transactions, reconciliation of general ledger accounts).
• Proactively identify, address, and communicate the main accounting risks across key stakeholders to facilitate a clean monthly close
• Reconcile intercompany and other third parties’ statements
• Support on Budget & Forecast processes and analysis

Accounting Operations & Reconciliations

• Collaborate with third party accounting firm and support corporate accounting on several aspects of the monthly accounting close process, including ensuring all costs incurred are properly recorded, reviewing account balance reconciliations, variance analysis, and reconciliation between third party records and SAP
• Oversee day-to-day accounting functions
• Managing ad-hoc accounting and operational assignments

Internal Controls, Tax Compliance & Audit

• Further establish and manage internal controls to safeguard company assets
• Drive robust documentation process of key processes
• Collaborate with Corporate tax & legal, accounting and service providers to support accurate and timely transfer pricing models and ensuring local statutory and tax compliance incl. VAT, Payroll, WHT, etc.)
• Liaise with third parties and Corporate Tax team to ensure compliance with tax regulations, accounting standards and other financial policies
• Review existing tax structures to ensure they stay up to date with changes in accounting standards, tax laws and regulations.
• Assist and support with internal and external audits (statutory & SOX)

• Stay up to date with changes in local accounting standards, tax laws, regulations and local macro-economic developments to advise leadership
• Take ownership of actively reviewing local financial and tax filings while communicating issues/concerns to management and ensuring timely completion of deliverables

Transformation

• Actively drive continuous improvements and innovations, including rollout of S4.
• Recommend process changes, systems and workflow automation
• Initiate and drive projects to enhance and automate internal controls over financial reporting (system enhancements, integrations, implementations, etc.)
• Take ownership of facilitation and creation of accurate project plans with clearly defined milestones, deliverables and tasks

Leadership

• Supervise external accounting firms to meet internal deadlines & tax compliance, serving as their main contact
• Maintain and build strong communication channels with customers, local agencies, third parties or partnerships.
• Assist in the formulation and execution of the Country Controlling strategy for the region to align with business needs and corporate strategy
• Builds a team of highly engaged and motivated people
• Develop and update job descriptions for Accounting staff
• Establishes and agrees on annual objectives
• Actively coach members of the team to meet and exceed department goals

Accounts Payable

• Manage and enhance the Accounts Payable process by identifying opportunities for efficiency, implementing streamlined workflows & controls/approvals, and ensuring accountability for end-to-end execution
• Conduct thorough reviews of payment proposals to ensure accuracy and alignment with contractual terms, company policies and financial controls
• Review third party accounting support to ensure local statutory reporting, invoicing and payments are accurate and processed within a timely manner
• Perform monthly reconciliations between Accounts Payable and general ledger accounts to ensure accuracy and completeness
• Analyze monthly aging, identify accounts at risk and communicate findings to key stakeholders
• Collaborate cross-functionally with diverse teams to effectively resolve vendor disputes, fostering strong relationships

Accounts Receivable

• Review and manage AR movements and aging against billing contracts
• Efficiently process and post weekly payments from a diverse portfolio of International clients
• Design customer collection strategies based on territory necessities and customer profile
• Proactively support wider finance team on accounting issues that impact revenue bookings and projections.
• Manage, allocate and reconcile to subledger cash deposits on a weekly basis
• Analyze monthly aging, identify accounts at risk and communicate findings to key stakeholders
• Monitor and ensure that third party collections processes are aligned with NBCU policies
• Collaborate cross-functionally with diverse teams to effectively resolve client disputes, fostering strong relationships

Treasury

• Lead and manage cash flow forecasting process
• Review local funding requirements and own communication requests to Regional office & liaise with Corporate Treasury to ensure timely transfers
• Review Cash True-Up process to ensure correct classification of bank transactions

Other items:

• Directly supervise and coach an Accountant, serving as their primary manager and development support.
• Support internal and external business partners, as well as wider regional team
• Support local departments to address any payment, invoicing, payroll procurement, commissions, and policy questions as needed
• Own role of T&E Program Administrator; including providing guidance on T&E policies and ensuring compliance with policies
• Any other duties commensurate with the level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training
• Manage daily administrative tasks

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:
 

• Degree in accounting with post-graduate accounting qualification (CA, CPA or equivalent) and Big 4 experience is preferred
• Proven experience in a managerial or leadership role is required
• Active experience with financial systems implementation
• 5+ yrs of relevant experience in Financial Accounting; US GAAP knowledge as well as local accounting practices and ERP systems (preferably SAP)
• Experience ensuring integrity and completeness of financial records, including monthly transaction processing, reconciliations and the establishment of accounting processes & policies
• Experience managing billing and collections processes in Mexico
• Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to collect, analyze, and present results in a concise format.
• Broad process improvement mindset with a proactive approach in recommending positive changes and leading the agreed-upon change process; ability to adapt to an ever-changing and sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Must be self-motivated, self-directed and be able to work under pressure in a dynamic and high-change environment
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to develop and maintain effective work relationships with all levels of personnel
• Fluent in English and Spanish, with work experience in international companies
• Proven oral and written communication skills with ability to discuss business issues and translate them into financial implications and action plans.
• Working knowledge of Mexico Tax Compliance, including Income Tax, Transfer Pricing, VAT, etc.
• Drives results through intentional prioritization
• Must possess advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP and data modeling
• Self-motivated and able to work both independently and collaboratively
• Reside within commutable distance to our Mexico City office as in-office collaboration is required at least 4 days/week.

• Desired Characteristics:

• US Corporation, Big 4 and Entertainment Industry experience advantageous

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interact at all levels of the organization
• Highly energetic and able to work to tight deadlines.
• Agile, resilient & inquisitive attitude
• Proactive & solution focused; strong ability to prioritize
• Team player with a strong work ethic; responsible and takes ownership
• Experience of working with various tools and platforms such as Blackline, Power BI, Tableau, Hyperion, BPC, Analysis for Office, etc.

• You will play a critical role which is a mix of delivering responsibilities, process ownership and stakeholder management. Functionally, you will act as the local financial controller and will require solid awareness of the business you will be supporting; while understanding the tasks and responsibilities may evolve over time.

  This role may require direct supervision of employee(s), with responsibility for performance management, coaching and development, workload prioritization, and day-to-day oversight. These responsibilities would also further expand for hiring, onboarding, and navigating people-related matters in alignment with company policies, values, and evolving workplace expectations.

   

Additional Information

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to AccessibilitySupport@nbcuni.com.