Company Description
VERSANT (Nasdaq: VSNT) is an industry-changing media and entertainment business and home to trusted brands that shape culture, inform audiences, and build lasting connections. It operates across four core markets: political news and opinion, business news and personal finance, golf, and sports and genre entertainment. These markets are served through a powerful portfolio of iconic and innovative brands, including CNBC, MS NOW, USA Network, Golf Channel, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and Versant's sports division USA Sports, along with complementary digital assets including Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow and GolfPass.
Job Description
We are seeking a Director, Central Accounting - Record to Report (R2R) to lead Versant's centralized enterprise-wide R2R accounting operations. Reporting to the Senior Director, Global Record to Report, this role is responsible for delivering efficient, timely, accurate, and compliant close, reporting, reconciliation, and central accounting services across Versant.
The Director will manage central accounting operations, support the continued evolution of Versant's future-state R2R operating model, and partner closely with Controllership, Treasury, Payroll, Benefits, Finance, Corporate Accounting, Segment Accounting, Consolidations, and outsourced service providers. This role will help drive standardization, strengthen controls, improve service levels, and operationalize process and technology improvements across R2R activities.
This leader will oversee key central accounting areas including journal entries, intercompany, fixed assets, benefits and payroll accounting, cash account reconciliations, close coordination, reporting support, R2R master data governance, and related control execution. The role will also manage relationships with offshore BPO resources to ensure service commitments, quality expectations, and control requirements are consistently achieved.
This role is based in Orlando and will lead two manager-level direct reports, while also providing oversight, coaching, and direction to offshore BPO-led resources supporting centralized R2R operations.
What You'll Do
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Central Accounting Leadership & Operating Model
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Lead centralized R2R operations for Versant, ensuring central accounting activities are executed with accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and strong controls.
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Support the continued development of the R2R operating model, including standardized roles, responsibilities, handoffs, governance routines, and service delivery expectations.
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Partner with the Senior Director, Global Record to Report to expand and mature centralized accounting operations in alignment with Versant's evolving business needs.
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Drive adoption of scalable processes, tools, documentation, and governance practices across central accounting and outsourced delivery teams.
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Serve as a key escalation point for central accounting matters involving Corporate Accounting, Segment Accounting, Consolidations, Treasury, Payroll, Benefits, Finance, and BPO resources.
Service Delivery
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Lead end-to-end central accounting R2R activities, including journal entries, intercompany, fixed assets, benefits and payroll accounting, cash account reconciliations, close coordination, and reporting support.
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Ensure timely, accurate, and complete period-end close and reporting processes in partnership with Corporate Accounting, Segment Accounting, Consolidations, Treasury, Payroll, Benefits, and Finance teams.
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Manage close calendars, journal entry workflows, reconciliation quality, reporting deliverables, issue tracking, and follow-up for assigned central accounting activities.
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Drive adoption and effective use of enabling technologies, including BlackLine for reconciliations and automation, Promenta for journal entry workflow and controls, SAP ECC, and future ERP or close-management platforms.
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Own R2R master data quality governance for central accounting activities in alignment with enterprise data strategy and control expectations.
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Ensure central accounting operations support current business needs while remaining scalable for continued growth, additional centralization, acquisitions, or changes in Versant's operating model.
Standards, Controls & Compliance
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Maintain a robust SOX-compliant, audit-ready, and transparent control environment across assigned central accounting R2R operations.
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Ensure accounting policies, internal controls, reconciliation standards, journal entry requirements, supporting documentation, and review procedures are consistently executed.
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Collaborate with Technical Accounting, Risk & Compliance, Internal Audit, External Audit, Corporate Controllership, Treasury, Tax, Legal, and business teams to align process execution with policies and evolving standards.
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Govern and regularly update standard operating procedures, playbooks, desk-level procedures, escalation protocols, and control documentation across central accounting processes and provider teams.
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Strengthen accountability for control performance, audit readiness, issue resolution, and documentation quality across internal teams and outsourced resources.
Performance & Transformation
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Define, monitor, and improve central accounting R2R performance through KPIs, SLAs, dashboards, scorecards, and governance routines.
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Drive operational improvements that enhance close timeliness, reconciliation quality, journal entry accuracy, productivity, transparency, and stakeholder satisfaction.
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Lead standardization and process improvement initiatives across central accounting R2R activities, including opportunities to reduce manual effort and improve controls.
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Identify and execute automation opportunities across reconciliations, journal entries, workflow management, reporting, exception resolution, and master data governance.
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Perform root cause analysis for recurring issues and partner with stakeholders to implement sustainable process and control improvements.
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Support transformation initiatives, including ERP modernization, process redesign, accounting operations centralization, and transition from legacy or transitional processes to scalable standalone Versant capabilities.
BPO, Shared Services & Governance
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Manage day-to-day governance of outsourced R2R delivery for assigned central accounting processes, including service performance, issue escalation, workload planning, and accountability for service commitments.
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Ensure outsourced teams meet agreed SLAs, KPIs, quality standards, control requirements, documentation expectations, and service delivery timelines.
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Establish governance routines that provide transparency into performance, backlog, issues, capacity, controls, and continuous improvement opportunities.
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Drive clear ownership, efficient handoffs, strong communication, and effective partnership between internal retained teams and offshore BPO resources.
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Evaluate provider performance and recommend staffing, process, training, documentation, or technology changes to improve outcomes.
People Leadership & Collaboration
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Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing central accounting R2R team, including two manager-level direct reports and offshore BPO-led resources.
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Attract, retain, empower, and develop talent capable of delivering strong accounting operations, continuous improvement, and control excellence.
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Continually assess the central accounting R2R structure, resource allocation, and staffing capabilities to support growth, changing business needs, and team member development.
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Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, customer service, ownership, continuous improvement, and strong controls.
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Partner effectively with leaders across Accounting Operations, Controllership, Finance, Treasury, Payroll, Benefits, Technology, Audit, Compliance, Tax, Legal, business units, and third-party providers
Qualifications
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Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
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10+ years of progressive experience in controllership, corporate accounting, accounting operations, shared services, or Record to Report functions, including experience supporting global operations.
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5+ years of leadership experience, including experience leading managers, process owners, or accounting operations teams.
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3+ years of audit experience and strong working knowledge of audit readiness, internal controls, and SOX-compliant process execution.
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4+ years of experience working with offshore R2R teams in an outsourced, BPO, global shared services, or regionally distributed environment.
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Demonstrated experience overseeing month-end close, journal entries, account reconciliations, intercompany activity, fixed assets, compensation and benefits accounting, cash reconciliations, consolidation support, and reporting packages.
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Strong knowledge of US GAAP, SOX controls, internal control frameworks, close governance, audit support, and documentation requirements.
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Experience managing close calendars, journal entry workflows, reconciliation quality, operational metrics, SLAs, dashboards, and issue resolution.
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Experience leading process improvement, standardization, automation, centralization, or operating model transformation initiatives.
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Deep working knowledge of ERP, close, reconciliation, and workflow tools, including SAP ECC, BlackLine, Promenta, or similar platforms.
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Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, communication, and decision-making capabilities.
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Ability to work effectively with remote teams, international teams, outsourced providers, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Desired Characteristics:
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CPA, MBA, or equivalent advanced accounting or business credential.
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Experience in media, entertainment, digital, advertising, news networks, streaming, technology, or similarly complex industries.
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Experience in a spin-off, carve-out, IPO-readiness, post-merger integration, acquisition, transformation, or newly public company environment.
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Experience standing up, scaling, or optimizing centralized accounting operations capabilities.
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SAP S/4HANA or finance ERP transformation experience.
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Experience with BlackLine transaction matching, reconciliation automation, journal entry workflow, AI-enabled finance operations tools, or real-case AI applications in accounting operations.
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International accounting operations experience, including managing global teams and regionally distributed service providers.
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Strong customer service mindset and ability to interface effectively with all levels of management and internal customers.
Why Join Us
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Lead an important central accounting operations function during a pivotal stage of Versant's formation, growth, and transformation.
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Help shape and mature the future-state Record to Report model for a modern publicly traded media and entertainment company.
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Partner closely with leadership across Controllership, Finance, Treasury, Payroll, Benefits, Technology, Audit, Compliance, and business operations.
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Drive measurable improvements in close quality, service delivery, controls, automation, scalability, and stakeholder experience.
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Build and develop a central accounting team focused on accountability, operational excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Additional Information:
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Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the Orlando, FL office a minimum of three days per week.
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Travel: Must be able to travel domestically for business meetings, trainings, and team events as needed.
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This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks.
Additional Information
As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with a VERSANT Media employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. VERSANT Media'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 [email protected].
VERSANT Media is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. We include a good faith pay range for each position to comply with applicable state and local pay transparency laws and to promote equity across our organization. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, experience, and location and may include additional forms of compensation and benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, etc.
VERSANT Media is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at VERSANT via-email, the Internet, or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from VERSANT's Talent Acquisition team will be deemed the sole property of VERSANT. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by VERSANT as a result of the referral or through other means.
