Director-PM Accounting

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This Director, Accounting Compensation role offers a unique blend of technical accounting expertise, strategic advisory, and enterprise-wide stakeholder engagement. The successful candidate will lead accounting and forecasting activities related to compensation programs, including stock-based compensation, hedge accounting, severance, vacation accruals, and pension-related matters, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and sound financial governance. Beyond the accounting, this highly visible role serves as a trusted advisor to CFOs, LFOs, HR, Treasury, and Finance partners across the bank, proactively communicating financial impacts, providing thought leadership, and helping stakeholders anticipate and understand P&L implications. The role also plays a key leadership position in business transformation initiatives, acquisitions, divestitures, system enhancements, and process automation efforts, requiring the ability to navigate complex accounting considerations while influencing strategic outcomes. Ideal candidates will bring strong technical accounting credentials, executive presence, exceptional relationship management skills, and a demonstrated ability to lead through change. With broad exposure across the enterprise and significant opportunities to drive business impact, this role provides an outstanding platform for continued leadership growth within Finance.

Applies expertise and provides advice in calculation, analysis, and reporting of financial results in compliance with applicable standards and regulatory requirements. Works across BMO to deliver accounting program / process results aligned with overall group goals. Reviews and/or personally delivers some accounting services and processing activities. Supports an efficient and effective accounting function that uses common information sources and practices, reduces ongoing costs, and increases service level performance.

• Fosters a culture aligned to BMO purpose, values and strategy and role models BMO values and behaviours in all that they do.
• Ensures alignment between values and behaviour that fosters diversity and inclusion.
• Regularly connects work to BMO’s purpose, sets inspirational goals, defines clear expected outcomes, and ensures clear accountability for follow through. 
• Builds interdependent teams that collaborate across functional and operating groups to create the highest value for all stakeholders. 
• Attracts, retains, and enables the career development of top talent.
• Improves team performance, recognizes and rewards performance, coaches employees, supports their development, and manages poor performance. 
• Acts as a trusted advisor to senior leaders for implementation of strategic initiatives.
• Develops an expert understanding of business/group challenges.
• Networks with industry contacts to gather competitive insights and best practices.
• Recommends measures to improve organizational effectiveness.
• May consult to or serve on various committees and task forces.
• Manages resources and leads the execution of accounting, risk and regulatory related strategic initiatives to deliver on business and financial goals.
• Acts as the prime contact for internal/external stakeholder relationships, which may include regulators.
• Leads the execution of accounting programs; assesses and adapts as needed to ensure quality of execution.
• Executes work to deliver timely, accurate, and relevant information and reporting of group, legal entity, and reportable segments results for management and statutory reporting.
• Provides input into the planning and implementation of financial programs to manage the fiscal period close processes.
• Works in conjunction with others to ensure sign-off and attest to reported financial results.
• Analyses data and information to provide financial performance insights and recommendations for consolidated business financial statements.
• Identifies emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making.
• Monitors and tracks financial information compliance with standards and regulations, and addresses any issues.
• Provides information and supports the process for internal (e.g. corporate, SOX) and external audits.
• Integrates information from multiple sources to enable more efficient processes, enhanced analysis, and/or streamlined reporting.
• Designs and produces regular and ad-hoc reports and dashboards.
• Builds effective relationships with internal/external stakeholders across functional disciplines.
• Acts as liaison between stakeholders to align agendas and ensure a clear contextual understanding of the business needs.
• Supports development and execution of accounting, risk, and regulatory strategic initiatives in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Liaises with internal and external auditors and regulators to provide necessary information to support arising issues and responses to questions.
• Acts as a trusted advisor to assigned business/group to interpret accounting changes identified by the Chief Accountants’ Group; assesses impacts on financial results and reporting requirements; supports the implementation of applicable process and control change requirements.
• Assists in the development of strategic plans to manage and execute the reporting / accounting needs and support business objectives.
• Participates in the design, implementation, and management of core business, group, legal entity financial processes, reporting, systems, and controls to improve the quality and effectiveness of financial information and management of risks.
• Operates at a group/enterprise-wide level and serves as a senior specialist resource across BMO.
• Influences how teams/groups work together.
• Applies expertise and thinks creatively to address unique or ambiguous situations and to find solutions to multiple, interdependent, complex problems.
• Communicates abstract concepts in simple terms.
• Fosters strong internal and external networks and works with and across multiple teams to achieve business objectives.
• Anticipates trends and responds by implementing appropriate changes.
• Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.
• Take measured risks while protecting the bank by applying our Risk Management Framework in the execution of your role, in line with our Risk Culture and within our approved Risk Appetite, making sound and risk informed decisions that align to business strategy, protect assets, and adhere to applicable policy documents (Frameworks, Policies, Standards, Procedures and Supporting documents), laws and regulations.

  Qualifications:

• Typically 9+ years of relevant experience and post-secondary degree in related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Professional accounting designation is preferred.
• Provides technical leadership as a thought leader for innovation as the most seasoned expert with extensive industry knowledge.
• Seasoned expert with extensive industry knowledge.
• Technical leader viewed as a thought leader for innovation.
• Verbal & written communication skills - Expert.
• Analytical and problem solving skills - Expert.
• Influence skills - Expert.
• Collaboration & team skills; with a focus on cross-group collaboration - Expert.
• Able to manage ambiguity.
• Data driven decision making - Expert.

The above represents BMO Financial Group’s pay range and type.

Salaries will vary based on factors such as location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role, and may include a commission structure. Salaries for part-time roles will be pro-rated based on number of hours regularly worked. For commission roles, the salary listed above represents BMO Financial Group’s expected target for the first year in this position.

BMO Financial Group’s total compensation package will vary based on the pay type of the position and may include performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, as well as other perks and rewards. BMO also offers health insurance, tuition reimbursement, accident and life insurance, and retirement savings plans. To view more details of our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.bmo.com/global/en/Total-Rewards

About Us

At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose: Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.

As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact. We strive to help you make an impact from day one – for yourself and our customers. We’ll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in-depth training and coaching, to manager support and network-building opportunities, we’ll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.

To find out more visit us at https://jobs.bmo.com/ca/en.

BMO is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace. By learning from each other’s differences, we gain strength through our people and our perspectives. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To request accommodation, please contact your recruiter.

Note to Recruiters: BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.