Financial Controller, North America

Reports to: Head of Financial Control

Location: Montreal

Status: Permanent

Job purpose: The Financial Controller (North America) is responsible for overseeing all local statutory reporting, management reporting, and financial control activities for the Foundation’s entities in North America (currently US and Canada). The role ensures that month‑end close, year‑end audit, and all compliance obligations are delivered accurately, on time, and to a high standard.

This role plays a critical part in strengthening financial governance, ensuring reporting accuracy, and driving operational excellence across multiple jurisdictions. A key focus is to optimise, standardise, and automate financial control processes to enhance internal controls, reduce manual effort, and support timely, high‑quality reporting. The Financial Controller will design and monitor SLAs and KPIs to ensure consistent delivery across the region.

Principal accountabilities:

Statutory, Tax & Management Reporting

• Lead statutory reporting for entities in the North America, ensuring compliance with local regulatory and accounting requirements.
• Manage the month‑end close process for all four entities, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timely delivery.
• Produce accurate monthly and quarterly management reporting packs, including variance analysis and commentary.
• Support group consolidation activities through accurate local submissions and reconciliations.
• Assist the Global Tax Manager with the preparation and coordination of GST/QST rebate claims, ensuring accuracy and timely submission.
• Support ongoing correspondence with Canadian tax authorities, including responding to queries, tracking notices, and maintaining documentation.
• Manage and maintain online tax platforms, ensuring filings, submissions and records are kept up to date.
• Provide support to the Global Tax Manager on local tax compliance matters as they arise.

Audit & Compliance

• Lead the annual external audit process for each entity, ensuring all schedules are prepared, queries resolved, and deadlines met.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with local reporting requirements, tax regulations, company law, and internal finance policies.
• Maintain strong financial controls and ensure all reconciliations, journals, and processes adhere to audit and governance standards.

Process Optimisation & Automation

• Identify opportunities to streamline, automate, and standardise reporting and control processes across countries.
• Work with Finance Systems, IT, and global finance colleagues to enhance ERP usage, reporting tools, and workflow efficiency.
• Implement consistent documentation, templates, and control frameworks across the region.

Operational Performance & SLA Management

• Define and maintain SLAs and KPIs covering reporting timeliness, accuracy, audit readiness, and control performance.
• Monitor delivery performance across entities and implement corrective actions where required.
• Provide regular reporting to senior leadership on performance, risks, and improvement initiatives.

Stakeholder & Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with FP&A, Tax, Treasury, HR, Finance Operations, and global finance leads to ensure cohesive financial management.
• Act as the key finance contact for in‑country teams, external advisors, regulators, and auditors.
• Provide technical accounting advice and operational support to local teams and business partners.

Qualifications, knowledge & experience:

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or international equivalent).
• Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field preferred.
• Proficiency in English is required for this role, as it is essential for effective communication with colleagues, stakeholders, and clients in the performance of the core duties of this position.

Knowledge & experience

• Proven experience in a Financial Controller or senior financial reporting role covering multi‑entity or multi‑country operations.
• Strong technical accounting skills, with experience in IFRS and local GAAPs (preferably USA and Canada jurisdictions).
• Demonstrated experience managing month‑end close, statutory reporting, and external audits.
• Strong familiarity with ERP systems and financial reporting tools (e.g. Microsoft Business Central).
• Prior experience with process improvement, automation initiatives, and internal control enhancement.
• Experience working across cultures and time zones, ideally within a global or multinational organisation.

Skills & attributes

• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills with high attention to detail.
• Clear and confident communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financial information to non‑finance stakeholders.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Proactive, improvement‑focused mindset with a drive for operational excellence.
• High integrity and commitment to robust financial governance.
• Comfortable working in diverse cultural environments and collaborating across global teams and timezones.

 

Application closing date:  14th August 2026

Please note that while we have a closing date for this application, we reserve the right to interview candidates and potentially close the role early should we find a suitable candidate.