Resume: VP Finance

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Role applied for:

  • A VP Finance position in a mining company based in Vancouver, BC. The company currently has operating activities in Canada, Chile, and Africa.

Key considerations:

  • Does the candidate’s English language proficiency support them to meet essential skill requirements, particularly necessary to motivate and provide direction to a team?
  • Is the candidate suited to leading a geographically dispersed team?
  • Is the experience of the candidate appropriate to contributing the expertise required for a multi-national role?

Lucas O.

Surrey, BC  Email: name@gmail.com

Objective

To provide financial leadership for a progressive international organization. To utilize and share my financial expertise in areas including P&L, Balance Sheet, Financial Control responsibility, Cash Flow, Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Forecasting, Business Analysis, Evaluation of Growth Alternatives, and Acquisitions and Integration to further the objectives of the business.

Summary

  • 17 years of international professional experience as a success-oriented leader of major initiatives across numerous industry sectors
  • Highly mobile with a great adaptability to foreign cultures
  • Leader of successful 2010 SAP implementation with significant ERP experience
  • Managed large, global finance organizations with record of developing strong teams and transforming financial functions
  • Extensive international experience; particularly focused throughout Europeand America
  • Specialties include ERP implementations/upgrades, International/globalfinancial management, Driving change/process improvement, Internal control/SOX

Professional Work Experience ↓

Corporate VP & Controller – 09/2010 – 09/2011 Pulse Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Location, Germany

Accomplishments

  • Led three-year, $60 million ERP (SAP) system project, directing over one- hundred employees and contractors to a successful implementation with no accounting/control issues and minimal business disruption
  • Along with ERP system, directed the implementation of new planning and consolidation system and sales data warehouse providing significantly better information on global operations and sales
  • Greatly improved internal controls through better structure, processes and oversight reducing SOX significant deficiencies from thirteen in 2005 to zero in 2008 & 2009
  • Increased efficiencies in the financial function leveraging new systems, shared services and other process improvements resulting in over a 10% staffing reduction in the U.S.
  • Effectively managed the financial integration of many acquisitions reducing the amount of time to place the new operations on CRL systems

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for building a strong, cohesive financial function and to help Pharmaceuticals Plus grow from a fragmented collection of acquired businesses into a one-plus billion dollar, integrated life science company.
  • Directed the financial operations for 70 locations in 17 countries with 200 finance employees.

Management Consultant – 05/2007 – 08/2009 NOW Consulting
Location, Germany

Accomplishments

  • Implementation and successful management of a companywide asset- inventory for all German based subsidiaries of a technology company
  • Management of the SAP implementation with regards to the competencies Finance, Operations, PC&L and Purchasing for two subsidiaries of an automotive company in Hungary and Austria
  • Implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley-Act (section 404) certification requirements (various companies)
  • Management, due diligence and practical integration of acquired companies including employee transfers and reduction enforcement

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for providing financial leadership consulting, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, SOX, US-GAAP, German-GAAP, HGB, and providing leadership and mentoring in the consulting company to junior consultants

VP Finance & Administration Europe – 09/2005 – 09/2007 TWC Europe
Location, Germany

Accomplishments

  • Improved efficiency and accuracy of accounting processes and sustained Sarbanes-Oxley requirements across the legal entities
  • Set up of HR-Headcount planning / recruiting plans and implemented a training program to improve employee productivity
  • A leadership role in a merger in Switzerland

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for building and leading a team for having accountability for the critical finance and administration functions on a Pan European basis. This includes financial planning & analysis, accounting, tax, mergers & acquisitions, human resources, legal and risk management.

Corporate Controller – 09/2004 – 09/2005 LyondellBasell
Location, Germany

Accomplishments

  • Leader of the company’s successful, initial Sarbanes Oxley adoption with only minimal issues
  • Implemented a number of process and control upgrades to address significant financial and data integrity issues stemming from recent ERP (JDE) implementation

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for acting as Corporate Controller for this $2B specialty chemical/material manufacturer with locations in over 30 countries. Directed an organization of approximately 200 people worldwide.

General Auditor – 09/2001 – 09/2004 CabotBasell
Location, Germany

Accomplishments

  • Inherited an audit function that was not well respected and that had been mostly outsourced; restructured and revitalized the function and built up a strong internal staff
  • Performed audits of all company operations and activities including worldwide SAP implementations, manufacturing, logistics and other functions

Responsibilities

Reporting to the CFO and audit committee, directed fifteen professionals covering an audit universe with revenues of $10B including over twenty manufacturing facilities with businesses located in the U.S., South America, Europe and Asia.

International Experience

Challenge – This candidate has a wide range of experience; however, the resume does not indicate that they will be familiar with Canadian accounting practices and principles. I am not familiar with the organizations listed, let alone their reputations, and the role titles are confusing. Should I screen this person out?

Solution – For many occupations, skills are transferable across industries. The experience of the candidate indicates that they have worked for companies that maintain operations in a number of locations; therefore it may be observed that the candidate has had exposure to the practices of a number of countries. Further, the accounting designation held by the candidate is internationally recognized.

Investigation during the interview can provide you with insight into the candidate’s familiarity with Canadian practices and / or ability to learn and apply new practices.

 

Professional Development Courses

Institution: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Courses: A Variety of Mastercourses Annually
Germany
Completion: 05/2011

Education ↓

Degree: Diplom-Kaufmann (FH) Major: Finance and Business Administration Fachhochschule Lüneburg
Lüneburg, Germany
Date of Graduation: 1993

Degree: Vordiplom / Pre-diploma Major: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen / Date of Universität Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany
Graduation: 1991

Academic Credentials

Challenge – Unfamiliarity with an institution can result in pre-judgments or questioning of the credibility of the education. I’m nervous about these credentials. Should I screen the candidate out?

Solution – First, determine if the educational credential is essential to the role. If it is and the resume appears to be that of an otherwise qualified candidate, ask the individual to have his / her credentials evaluated. There are a variety of services that can be accessed for this purpose, and they are listed on the Assessing Academic Credentials page.

If you would like suggestions about how to make the request of this candidate, see the Assessing Academic Credentials page, under the challenge heading: Can I request that a candidate has his / her academic credentials assessed? Who pays for a candidate’s academic credential assessment?

 

Volunteer Experience

Global Business Challenge Group Moderator – 01/2011 – Present
Chartered Insitute of Management Accountants – CIMAspere Community Online

Responsibilites

  • Facilitate group discussions in the Global Business Challenge Group
  • Provide content resources
  • Recruit group members

Other Work Experience

Finance Planning Manger – 06/1995 – 06/2001 Abbott Inc.
Location, Germany

Financial Analyst – 05/1993 – 06/1995 PeopleSoft / Oracle
Location, Germany

Languages ↓

English: All Attributes – Advanced
German: All Attributes – Advanced

Language Proficiency

Challenge – Overall the candidate’s use of the English language appears strong and they indicate that they are proficient in English. Should I check language proficiency?

Solution – In addition to the actual resume and the stated level of language proficiency, the experience outlined in the resume can also provide an indication as to English proficiency. This candidate has worked for international companies in senior positions; which typically requires English proficiency. There is ample evidence to indicate that this candidate is proficient in English. Proceed with the assumption that he or she is proficient.

 

Affiliations/Associations/Memberships

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Publications

Driving Down Costs – Financial Management Magazine (Fall 2010)

IT Skills

  • Microsoft Office Suite – Intermediate
  • Computer Operations – Intermediate
  • SAP – Advanced
  • Paycor Software – Intermediate
  • PeopleSoft/Oracle – Advanced

Soft Skills

  • Leadership Skills – Advanced
  • Communication Skills – Advanced
  • Financial Analysis & Planning – Advanced
  • Confidentiality – Advanced
  • Detail Orientation – Advanced

Accreditation ↓

Accreditation: CIMA – Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Date Obtained: 02/1998

Professional Credentials

Challenge – We have asked that the candidate for this role hold a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation. Is a CIMA equivalent; the names sound similar? How can I find out?

Solution – Finance is not a regulated profession so a designation is not required by law for a person to practice. The requirement for a CMA is likely intended to ensure that the candidate is able to lead a practice within Canadian GAAP and countries of other operations as applicable. The question becomes, does the CIMA fit this requirement?

The overview on the CIMA website will allow you to see that the CIMA designation is recognized internationally. To find out how it compares to the designation you are seeking, you can speak with both the CMA and CIMA to determine the equivalence.

 

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