Job Description

Who are we looking for?

The Americas Controller is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and compliance of all financial reporting and accounting operations across the Americas region. This role provides strategic and operational leadership across Record-to-Report (RTR), Procure-to-Pay (PTP), and Order-to-Cash (OTC) accounting activities, ensuring alignment with global standards, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and enterprise-wide transformation priorities.

The position plays a critical role in driving standardization, automation, and process optimization across regional finance processes, working closely with the Global BPO team, Global FP&A Hub, Regional FP&A, and FSS to achieve 100% documentation, strong controls, and measurable improvements in efficiency and quality.

The role stewards talent development across the Americas finance organization, building strong teams, developing successors, and cultivating a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. Ultimately, the Americas Controller ensures that the region meets its financial, regulatory, and operational performance expectations and contributes to a unified, high-performing Global Finance & Enterprise Services organization.

What will you be doing?

Financial Governance & Reporting

• Oversee all RTR (Record-to-Report) activities to ensure accurate, timely month-end close and eliminate accounting surprises (rework, demotion, cross-period adjustments).
• Ensure 100% documentation of accounting processes and enforce standardized controls across all entities in the Americas.
• Drive consistency of reporting, account reconciliations, and financial statements in alignment with global standards and SLAs.

Operational Finance Excellence (RTR / PTP / OTC)

• Provide leadership and oversight across PTP, OTC, and Accounting, ensuring operational KPIs are met (e.g., overdue %, credit hold %, timely payment runs, inventory provision accuracy).
• Support harmonization of Americas processes with EMEA and Asia, ensuring alignment with the global FSS model.
• Oversee adherence to standardized SOPs and ensure completion of all SOPs prioritized for automation.

Automation, Standardization & Continuous Improvement

• Lead implementation of automation initiatives across the Americas to improve accuracy, cycle times, and scalability.
• Drive standardized, global finance processes, ensuring consistency with the Global BPO team, and eliminating unnecessary local variations.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and support integration work (where relevant).

Compliance, Audit & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with statutory, tax, internal audit, and SOX requirements, maintaining a zero-defect control environment.
• Maintain and execute a robust compliance calendar, addressing all service level commitments.

Leadership, Talent & Organizational Development

• Lead, coach, and develop the Americas accounting teams, ensuring strong succession pipelines and maintaining turnover below target.
• Set clear objectives for team members, monitor delivery, and drive accountability
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, and collaboration across regions.

Transformation & Harmonization Initiatives

• Execute regional initiatives that support the broader Global Finance & Enterprise Services 2027 roadmap.
• Drive harmonization of processes, systems, and documentation across Americas–EMEA–Asia to achieve globally aligned service delivery.

Who are You?

Technical & Analytical Skills

• High technical proficiency in accounting and financial reporting, with a deep understanding of rules, regulations, and complex transactional flows.
• Strong analytical capability, able to interpret financial data, identify trends, and resolve technical or structural issues with precision.
• Expertise in process standardization, controls, and accuracy—consistent with the “by the book,” detail-oriented working style of Controllers.

Leadership & Influence

• Assertive, proactive leadership, with the drive to challenge assumptions, push for process improvements, and ensure accountability.
• Independence in problem‑solving, often generating innovative solutions when facing roadblocks.
• Ability to coach and develop teams, aligned with expectations in their respective roles.

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Clear, concise communication, especially when explaining technical matters to non-finance partners.
• Strong functional collaboration is required for working with Global BPO, FP&A, FSS, Commercial, Supply Chain, and Regulatory teams.

Change Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Proactiveness in driving automation, standardization, and global harmonization across regions.
• Comfort with challenging the status quo and championing efficient, future‑state processes.

What competencies will you need?

Ability to lead, coach, and develop large, regional accounting teams, ensuring strong succession pipelines and clear accountability.

Advanced team‑building and communication skills, essential for steering a multi-country finance organization.

Driving performance through clarity, structure, and consistent follow-up, ensuring team members deliver on expectations.

We are Offering...

As part of our team here, as well as receiving a competitive base salary, you will also participate in a generous performance-related bonus plan. In addition, you will also receive a 401k plan with company matching, Life Insurance, and Medical Insurance as well as 9 holidays.

The typical base salary range for this position is anticipated to be between $174,732 and $262,098 annually.

Teamwork - At Element Solutions Inc, you will be part of a highly collaborative culture that promotes continuous improvement through cross-functional partnerships to achieve our mission. We do this through a strong and unified culture and transparent management which has empowered us to create high performing global teams that achieve superior solutions for our customers.

Socially Responsible - We care about what you care about. We respect the individual differences that make up our unique expanding organization. We prioritize both sustainability and social impact in both our business operations and our local communities through our various ESI Cares initiatives and the ESI Foundation. There are many ways to get involved from employee network groups that support your interests and sense of belonging to paid volunteer days.