Position Overview
The NGT ERP+ Program Inventory Accounting and Reporting Lead will join the Next Generation Transformation (NGT) ERP+ program team comprised of RL business and IT subject matter experts and third-party partners. The team will work closely together to achieve a set of the common objectives leading to the initiation of the global program and the creation of all the articles needed to launch the project in 2025.
Specifically, the NGT ERP+ Program Inventory Accounting and Reporting Lead will be a highly experienced (Director/Lead level) accounting leader with demonstrated experience and competence in revenue accounting, margin accounting, inventory accounting/valuation and financial operations. Leveraging their experience and leadership skills, the candidate will be responsible for leading the development or validation of solutions which support finance and cross-functional business partners.
Knowing the RL landscape and business processes, while not explicitly required, is a significant benefit. The successful candidate will take lead subject matter expertise within the ERP’s Finance team on Revenue, COGS and Inventory accounting business processes, and ensure the implementation of new applications and business processes support RL requirements and transformation goals. RL requirements include but are not limited to contributing and reviewing specific application configurations to deliver accounting and financial reporting for inventory and gross margin while ensuring compliance with relevant accounting standards and regulations. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance processes, provide critical financial insights, and support strategic decision-making.
This is an opportunity to join one of the largest investments that the company will be making over the next decade, and we seek a talent that is excited to help shape the future, being part of the journey and eventually taking this knowledge back into the business.
The role may involve some travel and will require working with colleagues of the same function in other regions. This is a truly global program, so collaborating in the Ralph Lauren way is required.
The role will serve as an evangelist for the program, helping to educate, raise awareness and grow confidence in those around them. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your skills, expand your knowledge of the business and be part of a team that is helping to shape and then deliver the future.
Post the Phase Zero phase, this person will move into a role within the formalized NGT program team supporting the design, build, configure, test and deploy phases. Once the system moves to implementation phase, this role will roll off the project based on a specifically identified development plan enabled by the RL business executive responsible.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
1. 10+ years progressive responsibilities including both organizational leadership and accountant roles with responsibility for Revenue, COGS, Inventory and closely related processes within a global, multi-region fashion or consumer goods environment including planning and executing closing routines
2. Ability to independently lead cross-functional business solution development and validation initiatives
3. Understand and manage inventory valuation methodologies and reserve calculations
The role will lead and execute the following:
4. Revenue Accounting: ensure revenue shipment and return transactions are properly posted respected accounting standards. Ensure revenue dilution solutions and accounting transactions are accurately accounted for
5. COGS & Inventory Accounting: oversee the accurate configuration and testing of accounting for inventory transactions, including but not limited to purchases, sales, returns, adjustments, and obsolescence
6. Gross Margin Analysis: lead the development and testing of gross margin reports and analysis, identifying key drivers and variances, and providing actionable insights to improve profitability
7. Financial Reporting: ensure timely and accurate financial reporting for inventory and gross margin, in compliance with GAAP and other relevant accounting standards
8. Reconciliation: ensure all account activity is visible and available supporting periodic reconciliation of inventory accounts
9. Process Improvement: begin with a global process template, challenge and support all regional and localization requirements. Actively seek and implement process improvements to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of inventory and gross margin accounting
10. Internal Controls: ensure solutions are tested and documented to maintain robust internal controls over inventory and gross margin accounting processes, ensuring compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements
11. Collaboration: work closely with all relevant project teams to ensure alignment and accuracy of inventory data and achieve RL’s transformation objectives
12. Team Leadership: manage and mentor a team of accounting professionals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development
As an ERP project and Finance team member, the role will:
13. Assess and prepare summaries of technical information to project leaders, peers and business teams with specific recommendations or gaps to get to recommendations and with brevity leading to executive summaries
14. Drill into key business capabilities to identify key outcomes, processes and “must-haves” and then challenges self and others to achieve the most effective and efficient business processes leading to transformation
15. Create clear pictures of the AS-IS, documenting the data flows, dependencies and integration points for the current ERP and Edge systems by region
16. Identify gaps in any of the AS-IS processes to be specifically resolved in the TO-BE solution
17. Lead self and others through the upcoming mobilization of people and thoughts using engagement to educate, while listening, absorbing and reporting findings
18. Build, validate, and analyze results of testing scenarios enabling an agile approach to developing and releasing new capabilities
19. Build effective relationships and engage in healthy conflict to influence change
20. Maintain integrity throughout work product, challenges when required, and commit to team decisions supporting the big picture
Experience, Skills, and Knowledge
The successful candidate will have 10+ years progressive responsibility, including:
21. Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
22. 10+ years of accounting experience with at least 5 years in revenue, COGS, and inventory accounting
23. Strong knowledge of GAAP (US and local) and internal controls
24. Experience with ERP systems and advanced reporting and data management skills
25. Fashion/Retail/Wholesale industry experience preferred
26. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
27. Collaborate inquisitively with peers while steering toward a specific decision/recommendation
28. Act as a champion for initiatives and proposals to influence other teams and executive leaders
29. Attentive to detail and accuracy, with a commitment to maintaining business process integrity, and focus on global best practice
30. Demonstrate ability to identify and implement process improvements
31. Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment