Canada Regional Controller

Gates Corporation•Brantford, ON

15d•Onsite

About The Position

As an innovation leader, we look for ambitious, forward thinking, open-minded and well-rounded individuals to join our global team. Located in our Brantford, Canada office, you will Finance Controller, Canada, reporting to the Director of Accounting, Americas. This role has responsibility for the end‑to‑end financial close and compliance for the Canadian region. You will lead finance transformation and process‑improvement initiatives across the accounting and finance function for the region. The Finance Controller will lead all accounting, controllership, and financial compliance activities for the Canada region. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting, maintaining a strong internal control environment, and driving operational excellence across regional accounting processes. This individual will serve as the key accounting leader for Canada, partnering closely with regional business leadership, operations, commercial, FP&A, tax, internal audit, and corporate accounting teams. The role requires deep knowledge of Canadian accounting practices and statutory requirements, combined with strong technical accounting capabilities under US GAAP and Canadian statutory requirements. The successful candidate will also play a critical leadership role in transforming the regional accounting organization through process standardization, automation, ERP optimization, and continuous improvement initiatives. This is a highly visible leadership role requiring both strategic thinking and a hands-on approach to execution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration
8+ years of progressive accounting and controllership experience, including public accounting experience
Strong knowledge of local accounting, statutory, and regulatory requirements
Strong technical accounting knowledge under US GAAP
Proven experience leading accounting process transformation and continuous improvement initiatives
Experience with ERP implementations, finance systems optimization, and automation projects
Strong understanding of internal controls, SOX compliance, and financial reporting processes
Demonstrated leadership capability with the ability to influence across functions and levels of the organization
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a hands-on leadership style
Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex accounting concepts
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, matrixed global environment
Must be legally authorized to work in Canada without sponsorship

Nice To Haves

CPA designation strongly preferred
Experience within a large global manufacturing or industrial organization preferred
Experience with OneStream, SAP, Oracle, or other large ERP platforms preferred

Responsibilities

Lead all accounting and controllership activities for the Canada region, ensuring accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting
Ensure compliance with US GAAP, Canadian statutory requirements, SOX controls, and company accounting policies
Manage all local payroll, treasury, tax and compliance areas.
Oversee the regional month-end close process, including review and approval of journal entries, account reconciliations, accruals, and balance sheet reviews
Maintain ownership of the integrity and accuracy of the regional general ledger and financial statements
Partner with Corporate Accounting to support consolidated reporting requirements and technical accounting matters
Ensure all regional reporting deadlines are achieved with high levels of accuracy and consistency
Maintain a strong internal control environment and ensure compliance with SOX and internal control requirements
Partner with Internal Audit and external auditors to support audits, remediation activities, and continuous control improvements
Identify financial and operational risks within the region and implement corrective actions and best practices
Lead documentation and enhancement of accounting policies, procedures, and process controls
Lead the transformation of the regional accounting organization through process improvement, standardization, and automation initiatives
Identify and eliminate non-value-added activities to improve efficiency, scalability, and accuracy across accounting operations
Support ERP implementations, system enhancements, and finance transformation initiatives to modernize accounting processes and reduce manual work
Drive adoption of best practices, standardized workflows, and continuous improvement methodologies across the regional finance organization
Serve as a change leader, helping the organization adapt to new processes, systems, and ways of working
Partner closely with operations, supply chain, commercial, HR, IT, tax, and FP&A teams to support business initiatives and operational decision-making
Translate complex accounting and financial concepts into clear business insights for non-financial stakeholders
Support regional leadership with financial analysis, business performance insights, and compliance guidance
Develop, coach, and mentor regional accounting team members while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Participate in special projects including ERP implementations, system integrations, finance transformation initiatives, and process redesign efforts