Position: Director,Finance
Reports To: VP, Finance
Celebrating 55 years of growth, Sym-Tech is a leading finance and insurance provider to the retail automotive industry. At Sym-Tech we are looking for Associates who share our passion for innovation, creativity and results! We are passionate about delivering excellent client service, an outstanding Associate experience with opportunities to learn and grow professionally. Sym-Tech is growing quickly and that means endless ways to make a real difference! We are currently recruiting a Director, Finance to join our headquarters located in Thornhill, ON.
A career with us offers:
- A fun, fast paced culture
- Opportunities to grow and develop your career
- On-going industry training programs and professional development opportunities
- A workplace that supports workplace diversity, equity and inclusion
- A strong promoter of women in the automotive industry
- The chance to work with some of the best in the business!
Position Summary:
Reporting directly to the VP of Finance, the Director, Finance, will play a critical role in strengthening the Company’s core accounting operations, close processes, and financial controls. This role is heavily focused on improving the quality, timeliness, and reliability of financial reporting through process development, simplification, and automation.
The Director, Finance will oversee monthly, quarterly and annual close activities for the consolidated Sym‑Tech entities, ensure strong balance sheet discipline through robust reconciliations and detailed financial reviews, and provide technical accounting guidance across the organization. While the role includes elements of financial analysis and planning, the primary emphasis is on accounting fundamentals, execution excellence, and building scalable, repeatable processes.
The role provides technical accounting guidance throughout the organization to ensure the consistency of accounting practices and principles throughout the operational business.
The successful candidate will be hands‑on, detail‑oriented, and capable of leading teams through change while operating effectively in a growing, complex environment. This position has two direct reports, and overall responsibility for Financial Reporting, OEM Accounting, and select FP&A activities.
Position Functions:
Core Accounting, Close, and Controls
- On time, accurate and complete financial reporting for the Company. Analyze and prepare dashboards on balance sheets, income statements, financial position forecasts and capital expenditure reporting.
- Manage month‑end, quarter‑end, and year‑end close processes, including journal entries, reconciliations, ad-hoc analyses and financial reporting.
- Ensure accurate accounting for bordereaux, premium flows, claims funds, and insurer settlements.
- Oversee cash management, trust accounts, and insurer reconciliation processes.
- Own and continuously improve the monthly and annual close processes, including developing standardized timelines, checklists, and accountability across the team.
- Lead efforts to simplify, automate, and streamline close‑related activities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and cycle time.
- Ensure strong balance sheet integrity through timely, well‑documented account reconciliations and resolution of open items.
- Perform detailed reviews of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, with a strong focus on accuracy, completeness, and underlying drivers.
- Strengthen core accounting fundamentals, including journal entry discipline, reconciliations, documentation standards, and internal controls.
Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting
- Provide timely, insightful financial analysis on divisional and business unit performance, including revenue, margin, expense, and cash drivers.
- Champion data-driven culture within the finance team and broader organization.
- Oversee all divisional financial reporting, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with local requirements and US GAAP.
- Support the VP, Finance on technical accounting matters, including documentation and assessments for management and external auditors.
- Serve as a subject matter expert on accounting standards and their application, including supporting M&A due diligence and integration activities.
- Act as the primary liaison with OEM partners for quarterly, interim, and year‑end financial reporting requirements.
Process Improvement & Team Leadership
- Develop and implement clear processes, policies, and procedures to support consistent execution across the finance organization.
- Lead, coach, and develop the finance team, driving ownership, accountability, and discipline around key deliverables.
- Partner with Corporate Finance to ensure alignment on close processes, reporting standards, and reconciliation expectations.
Select Planning & Analysis Support
- Provide targeted financial analysis to support management decision‑making, including variance analysis and trend identification.
- Support budgeting and forecasting activities as needed, with an emphasis on ensuring inputs are grounded in accurate accounting data.
Audit, Compliance & Governance
- Manage relationships with external auditors and oversee audit execution to ensure timely resolution of findings.
- Enhance the accuracy and integrity of the Company’s reported financial results.
- Ensure compliance with Amynta and Sym‑Tech policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
Minimum Qualifications & Competencies:
- University degree in Business/Accounting, with professional accounting designation (CPA).
- 5+ years of progressive management experience with knowledge of all aspects of corporate accounting and financial management.
- Strong technical accounting skills (i.e. U.S. GAAP) and strong internal controls and procedures.
- Strong preference for candidates who have worked in an entrepreneurial, high growth environment in a privately held business.
- Demonstrated ability to "roll up the sleeves" and work with the team in a hands-on capacity.
- Advanced computer skills (Word, Excel ,and PowerPoint) and knowledge of ERP accounting systems.
- Prior exposure to Microsoft NAV and Workday would be an asset.
- Ability to hold a strong right hand to general management, with sound judgment on when to appropriately escalate issues and concerns.
- Ability to lead a team, driving ownership, accountability, and discipline around key accounting and reporting processes.
- Expert in project planning, with a proven ability to organize, prioritize, and manage responsibilities to consistently meet deadlines in environments with overlapping and potentially competing priorities.
- Attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy.
- Excellent communication and organizational skills with the ability to quickly build credibility, rapport and relationships at multiple levels of the organization
- A team player and consensus builder.
- Demonstrates strong integrity, social responsibility, and respect, complemented by a flexible, approachable demeanor and a hands-on approach.
Position Type: Replacement