Director, Finance – Financial Leadership

Job Description

Director, Finance | American Water

The Tone:
This is a full-time senior leadership role at American Water, supporting operations for a large state or line of business. American Water is a leading provider of water and wastewater services, and this position is critical for driving the financial strategy, ensuring compliance, and evaluating new growth opportunities. The Director, Finance acts as a key strategic partner within the executive management team, leading finance functions to achieve organizational targets and objectives.

The TL;DR
• Role: Senior Leadership
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Supports a large state or line of business

• Team: Reports to the CFO – Operations
• Mission: Lead the finance function for a large state or line of business to drive growth, ensure financial viability, and maintain compliance.
• Tech Stack: SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Hyperion reporting systems

What You’ll Actually Do
• Strategic Leadership: Serve as a key member of the executive management team, leading financial strategy development and the resulting financial plan to achieve targets and objectives aligned with the overall corporate plan.
• Financial Reporting: Coordinate and develop high-quality financial reporting, including monthly and annual reporting, business planning, monthly reforecasting, and analysis of financial risk.
• Business Evaluation: Oversee financial analysis and modeling of proposed growth opportunities to ensure financial viability using appropriate investment and risk appraisal techniques.
• Financial Guidance: Provide financial guidance and serve as the primary point of contact for all other finance-related activities, such as rate reviews, external audits, internal audits, and financing activities.
• Team Management: Build and manage a strong team of finance professionals, including coaching, mentorship, and succession planning within the department.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s Degree in finance, accounting, or a related field, serving in a leadership capacity within the finance function.
• Experience: 10 years of accounting or financial related experience is required.
• Skills: Advanced financial analysis and modeling skills; advanced knowledge of US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (USGAAP); strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities; strong leadership and communication skills; strong planning and organizational skills.
• Bonus: An MBA is preferred; 5 years of supervisory experience is preferred; regulated utility experience is preferred.