Manager– BlackLine Centre of Excellence (“COE”)

Amex GBT is a place where colleagues find inspiration in travel as a force for good and – through their work – can make an impact on our industry. We’re here to help our colleagues achieve success and offer an inclusive and collaborative culture where your voice is valued.

American Express Global Business Travel (“GBT”) is seeking a lead for the BlackLine Centre of Excellence (“COE”) as a key constituent of the Controllership transformation team. They will be based in Gurugram, India and will report to the Director– Controllership Systems and Transformation based in Toronto, Canada.

As the person in charge of BlackLine COE, you will direct the implementation of BlackLine modules and enhancements across design, build, test, and deployment phases. Your focus is to optimize the system for the organization’s financial operations and reporting needs. This ensures accounting processes are accurate, efficient, and compliant. You will partner with process owners and work alongside technology and vendor collaborators, external consultants, and cross-functional team members in Finance. This role may include managing personnel directly or indirectly.

This role involves managing strict deadlines and numerous project management tasks. You must develop a solid understanding of BlackLine and Amex GBT accounting operations. This includes the full Accounting systems landscape, subledgers, upstream, and integrated systems. You will provide guidance and serve as a Subject Matter Expert to ensure the effective implementation of BlackLine.

• BlackLine CoE: Deliver on BlackLine Roadmap

• Scale Journals module implementation with identification of additional use cases for Journals automation and configure automated journals from Reconciliations, Data Sources, and Matching.
• Identify new matching use cases and manage end-to-end configuration including building data sources, in-transit set-up, and pass-rules working with process owners and relevant collaborators.
• Support the automation of reconciliations and adoption of standard templates to drive efficiencies.
• Support the stand-up and expansion of Tasks modules to drive coordination of global close processes.
• Assist with scaling of variance analysis module as well as implementation of Financial Reporting Analytics (FRA) for quarterly reporting packages.
• Conduct discovery and gap assessments for the BlackLine Account Receivable Module to support working capital improvements and drive efficiencies in the Order-to-Cash (O2C) process.

• Project Management:

• Collaborate with process owners to collect requirements and convert them into technical specifications.
• Participate in or manage Finance-related projects as needed, including assisting with integration work as part of any new business acquisition.
• Develop and maintain documentation concerning system setups, customizations, and integrations (data collection workbook).
• Lead system upgrade and enhancement projects, ensuring minimal disruption to daily operations.
• Coordinate with external vendors and consultants for system customization and support.
• Track project timelines, deliverables, and budgets.

• Oversight of System Administration & Support:

• Assist with the oversight of BlackLine Admin Support team and engagement with Technology team to ensure the management and maintenance of the BlackLine application.
• Manage user access and permissions to ensure data security and compliance.
• Perform regular system maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting.
• Prepare and keep current system documentation, including user guides and process manuals.
• Collaborate with BlackLine support and development teams to resolve any software issues.

• Training:

• Develop and deliver training programs to the user community on BlackLine modules and leading practices to ensure effective utilization and continuous improvement.

• Reporting & Compliance:

• Assist and oversee distribution of regular reports on system usage, performance, and compliance.
• Ensure that the BlackLine system meets regulatory requirements and internal controls.
• Assist in the preparation of audit materials and respond to auditor inquiries.

What We're Looking For:

• Minimum of 3-7 years of experience in accounting or finance, with a minimum of 2-4 years handling or integrating BlackLine or equivalent financial systems.
• Solid grasp of accounting principles, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Experience with system implementation and project management.
• Experience in BlackLine optimization and advanced transformation initiatives.
• Experience with audit controls and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge and experience of NetSuite will be an added advantage.
• Understanding of business process flows, data management, and financial system guidelines.
• IT background will be considered as an asset.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in accounting, Finance, Information Technology, or a related field
• BlackLine certification preferred.
• CPA or equivalent accounting certification is a plus.

• Operational (ability to translate the “what is required” into the “how it’s done”).
• Problem solving (ability to “find it” and “fix it”).
• The candidate must be a highly driven, high-energy, focused individual that can work well with internal and external partners at all levels.

Location

The #TeamGBT Experience

Work and life: Find your happy medium at Amex GBT.

• Flexible benefits are tailored to each country and start the day you do. These include health and welfare insurance plans, retirement programs, parental leave, adoption assistance, and wellbeing resources to support you and your immediate family.

• Travel perks: get a choice of deals each week from major travel providers on everything from flights to hotels to cruises and car rentals.

• Develop the skills you want when the time is right for you, with access to over 20,000 courses on our learning platform, leadership courses, and new job openings available to internal candidates first.

• We strive to champion Inclusion in every aspect of our business at Amex GBT. You can connect with colleagues through our global INclusion Groups, centered around common identities or initiatives, to discuss challenges, obstacles, achievements, and drive company awareness and action.

• And much more!

All applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, gender (and characteristics related to sex and gender), pregnancy (and related medical conditions), race, color, citizenship, religion, disability, or any other class or characteristic protected by law.

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Furthermore, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the hiring process. For details regarding how we protect your data, please consult the Amex GBT Recruitment Privacy Statement.

What if I don’t meet every requirement? If you’re passionate about our mission and believe you’d be a phenomenal addition to our team, don’t worry about “checking every box;" please apply anyway. You may be exactly the person we’re looking for!