VP, Client Financial Services

Associa is seeking a strategic and execution-focused leader to join as Vice President, Client Financial Services. This role is accountable for the performance and continuous improvement of the client accounting functions supporting Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Reconciliations, and General Ledger, ensuring services are delivered efficiently, consistently and at scale. Working through functional leaders and in partnership with branch leadership, the Vice President will strengthen service delivery, establish operating priorities, improve efficiency and quality, and build scalable capabilities that support Associa’s continued growth. This position sits at the intersection of execution and strategy, requiring a leader who can evaluate current operations, identify opportunities for improvement, implement scalable solutions, and drive measurable business results. This individual will partner closely with Client Success, Operations, and IT to strengthen operational effectiveness, support business growth, and deliver exceptional outcomes for clients and internal stakeholders. This is an in-office position with up to 20% domestic travel.

Essential Responsibilities / Functions:

• Lead client financial services, including AP, AR, Reconciliations, and GL; establishing priorities, capacity plans, service levels, and quality standards.
• Lead operational improvements across client delivery functions by evaluating current processes and workflows, identifying sources of friction, delay, rework, and inefficiency, and implementing scalable solutions that improve service delivery and operational performance.
• Ensure appropriate operational controls, quality standards, and escalation practices are maintained across client financial operations to support accuracy, consistency, and effective risk management.
• Establish clear operational ownership and decision rights across AP, AR, Reconciliations, and GL, ensuring issues are resolved at the appropriate level and escalated when necessary.
• Own the client financial operations delivery model, including roles, handoffs, service level agreements, and governance, and drive continuous improvements as the business evolves and grows.
• Partner with Client Success, Operations, IT and Branch leaders to align operational priorities, establish service delivery standards and drive consistent execution across the organization.
• Partner with the Reporting and Optimization group to establish performance measures and reporting that provide consistent visibility into service levels, quality, productivity, capacity, and operational trends; use those insights to drive corrective actions and inform staffing, process, and investment decisions.
• Lead and participate in monthly client business reviews that drive clear decisions, accountability, and follow-through; partner with branches to support client deliverables, satisfaction and retention goals.
• Lead budgetary analysis, planning and optimization efforts for Client Financial Services, ensuring effective resource allocation, financial performance and sustainability.
• Build organizational capability through strong leadership, succession planning, coaching, talent development, and clear performance expectations for functional leaders and their teams.
• Foster a high-performing customer-centric and outcome focused environment that values communication, collaboration, accountability, partnership, and continuous improvement.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant business experience.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in financial operations, shared services, client accounting, business operations, or related environments, including responsibility for complex, multi-functional operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading leaders and delivering results in a cross-functional, matrixed environment. 
• Demonstrated success using operational measures to manage service levels, quality, productivity, capacity, and performance.
• Demonstrated success leading process improvement, operating model transformation, and organizational change with measurable business outcomes.

Preferred:

• CPA designation, MBA, or other relevant advanced degree preferred, but not required.
• Experience leading scaled client accounting, financial operations, shared services, or service delivery organizations, with accountability for efficiency, quality, scalability, and client outcomes.
• Experience leveraging artificial intelligence, automation, and other enabling technologies to transform operating models, streamline processes, increase efficiency and drive measurable operational outcomes.

Skills:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to connect service and operational priorities to broader business objectives, establish clear goals, and drive execution at scale.
• Analytical Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate complex situations, identify root causes, and implement effective customer-centric solutions.
• Process Design and Improvement: Experience improving and streamlining processes to drive efficiency, consistency, scalability, and operational excellence.
• Change Leadership: Ability to lead teams through significant operational change, establish clarity and accountability, and translate strategy into sustainable ways of working.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to build alignment, influence stakeholders, and drive execution across multiple teams and functions.
• Communication: Ability to develop and deliver executive-level updates, facilitate decision-making, and build consensus across the organization.