Executive Director of Finance (SOX / ICFR)

Director of SOX Work model: Remote / Hybrid Employment type: Contract Reports to: Executive Director of Finance Function: SOX and Internal Controls over Financial Reporting Primary system: Workiva Lead a Complex SOX Programme With Real Ownership GCO Partners is looking for an experienced Director of SOX to lead the day-to-day execution of the Sarbanes-Oxley programme for a large, publicly traded US organisation. This is a senior, hands-on opportunity for someone who can take full accountability for a complex SOX environment while building productive relationships across Finance, Accounting, IT, Legal, Operations, senior leadership, external audit, and co-source teams. You will own the programme from planning and risk assessment through to testing, remediation, reporting, and external audit coordination. You will also serve as the owner and administrator of Workiva, using the platform to improve visibility, accountability, consistency, and programme efficiency. The role requires more than technical knowledge. You will need the judgement to challenge constructively, the credibility to influence senior stakeholders, and the curiosity to understand how the business and its controls operate in practice. What You Will Be Responsible For SOX Programme Leadership You will: Own the day-to-day execution of the SOX programme, including planning, scoping, risk assessments, documentation, walkthroughs, testing, review, deficiency evaluation, remediation, reporting, and issue resolution. Serve as the primary point of contact for SOX-related questions, stakeholder concerns, external audit requests, co-source coordination, and programme deadlines. Maintain accountability for the quality and timely completion of SOX deliverables and key programme milestones. Perform core SOX activities directly when required, rather than relying solely on external providers or junior team members. Escalate material risks and decisions appropriately to executive leadership. Stakeholder and Management Partnership You will: Build trusted working relationships across Finance, Accounting, IT, Legal, Operations, control owners, senior management, external auditors, and co-source providers. Explain SOX requirements clearly and help stakeholders understand their responsibilities. Drive the timely completion of documentation, evidence requests, walkthroughs, testing, and remediation activities. Provide practical, business-focused guidance while maintaining the required level of professional challenge. Investigate processes and control activities in enough detail to identify root causes and sustainable improvements. External Audit and Co-source Coordination You will: Coordinate SOX timelines, requests, walkthroughs, testing reliance, evidence requirements, and deficiency discussions with external auditors. Manage the flow of communication between management, external auditors, internal resources, and co-source providers. Improve request discipline and reduce unnecessary rework across the SOX programme. Manage the co-source engagement, including work allocation, progress tracking, quality reviews, open items, and alignment with audit expectations. Documentation, Walkthroughs, and Testing You will: Coordinate and review process narratives, flowcharts, risk and control matrices, walkthrough materials, test plans, and other SOX documentation. Lead walkthroughs with process owners, IT stakeholders, external auditors, and co-source teams. Assess changes to processes, systems, control ownership, key reports, and system dependencies. Ensure control testing remains on schedule. Review control testing and workpapers to confirm that evidence is appropriate, conclusions are supported, and review comments are resolved. Control Deficiency Remediation You will: Lead the remediation of business process control deficiencies with management. Perform or oversee root cause assessments and the development of remediation plans. Assign accountability, manage deadlines, coordinate retesting, and drive deficiencies through to closure. Help process owners design practical improvements that address the underlying issue and can be sustained operationally. Identify recurring weaknesses, control design gaps, and opportunities to strengthen the broader control environment. Communicate remediation progress, risks, barriers, and required decisions to senior stakeholders. Workiva Ownership You will: Own and administer Workiva for the SOX programme. Manage user access, documentation structures, workflows, testing templates, review processes, dashboards, reporting, and deficiency tracking. Maintain consistent standards for naming conventions, test plans, evidence organisation, review status, and reporting. Use Workiva to improve visibility across testing, open items, remediation activity, deadlines, and external audit deliverables. Identify opportunities to streamline execution through improved workflows, reporting, automation, and standardisation. Reporting and Executive Communication You will: Provide weekly SOX status updates covering progress, deadlines, risks, testing, external audit requests, deficiencies, remediation, and open decisions. Prepare monthly SOX presentations for senior finance leadership. Produce clear management reporting and support Audit Committee materials. Communicate complex control matters in a concise, practical, and decision-focused way. Proactively drive internal and external stakeholders towards agreed deadlines. Continuous Improvement and Special Projects You will: Identify opportunities to improve programme efficiency, control automation, testing consistency, documentation quality, and the stakeholder experience. Provide SOX and controls guidance during system implementations, process changes, and other business projects. Work effectively in a fast-paced environment where priorities, risks, and audit requirements may change quickly. Look beyond minimum compliance requirements and help strengthen the maturity of the SOX programme. What You Will Bring Essential Experience At least 10 years of progressive experience in audit, internal controls, SOX compliance, public accounting, or a closely related discipline. At least three to five years of leadership or management experience . Demonstrated experience owning or managing a complex SOX programme within a publicly traded company . Strong working knowledge of: COSO 2013 SOX Section 404 PCAOB auditing standards US GAAP Experience working with ERP systems, including SAP. Experience managing external audit reliance models. Experience using GRC or SOX management tools. The ability and willingness to perform detailed SOX work directly when required. Preferred Experience Hands-on Workiva administration or programme ownership. Big Four or national public accounting experience. Experience coordinating co-source providers. Experience supporting system implementations or significant process transformation. Exposure to executive and Audit Committee reporting. Qualifications A bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline. A master's degree or MBA would be advantageous. A CA(SA), CISA, CIA, or equivalent professional certification is preferred. What Success Looks Like You will succeed in this role if you can: Take clear ownership of a complex SOX programme. Balance technical rigour with practical business judgement. Build credibility across management, control owners, and external auditors. Identify issues early and drive them through to resolution. Improve the quality, consistency, and efficiency of programme execution. Keep multiple stakeholders accountable without damaging working relationships. Move comfortably between executive-level reporting and detailed control testing. Remain effective when deadlines are tight and priorities change. Why Join GCO Partners? GCO Partners connects high-performing professionals with meaningful opportunities in international teams. You will have the opportunity to apply your expertise in a complex, global business environment while remaining supported by a people-first, high-performance organisation. This is a role with visibility, autonomy, and the opportunity to make a measurable impact on the effectiveness of a major SOX programme. At GCO, our work is guided by three values: People. Performance. Progress. We value trusted partnerships, consistent execution, thoughtful problem-solving, and professionals who are always looking for better ways to work. Apply This role is suited to an experienced SOX leader who is comfortable taking ownership, working through detail, influencing senior stakeholders, and improving how a programme operates. Please submit your CV and relevant professional qualifications for consideration.