Senior Director, SOX Governance

Fresh Del Monte Produce Company•Coral Gables, FL

About The Position

The Senior Director, SOX Governance defines and implements the global strategic direction of the Global Internal Controls and SOX Governance function, improving and streamlining the company’s internal controls framework to mitigate key risks. The role serves as an ambassador for global policies and procedures and advises management and major transformation projects on internal controls and risk mitigation. The position leads SOX governance activities, including risk assessments, annual Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting scoping, coordination with internal and external auditors, control documentation, deficiency assessments, and monitoring of key SOX metrics and timelines. It partners with Finance, IT, business process owners, regional senior leadership, and control owners to design, improve, document, and maintain controls. The role also supports annual SOC report reviews, drives adoption of the Optro (formerly AuditBoard) SOX tool, advises on remediation plans, and helps train process owners and related functions. The role promotes compliance with company policies, legal requirements, and applicable international standards, including those concerning human rights, food safety, environmental sustainability, occupational health and safety, and ethical business conduct. It leads regional team members in alignment with Regional Finance Management and meets reporting deadlines set by the VP, Global Controller in alignment with the VP, Internal Audit.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
At least 15 years of relevant experience, including at least 5 years with a Big Four public accounting firm and experience at a publicly traded company.
At least 5 years of experience supervising and developing professional staff.
Solid understanding of SOX testing methodologies, risk assessment practices, PCAOB requirements, and the COSO framework.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and influencing skills.
Strong project management and data analysis skills; proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Visio.
Expertise in planning, project management, and analysis.
Strong work ethic and capacity, with the ability to collaborate with urgency and commitment.
Demonstrated experience managing projects in a complex operational environment.
Advanced understanding of financial and business processes and related risks.
Strong understanding of financial fraud and error risks and their impact on financial control environments.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.
Deep knowledge and experience in internal controls, audit risk assessment, and control documentation.
Exceptional organization, execution, follow-up, and attention to detail.
Ability to influence and collaborate effectively in a matrix organization.
Ability to handle rapidly changing and sometimes conflicting priorities and meet deadlines without compromising accuracy.
Strong organizational awareness and ability to understand interdependencies and the broader business context.

Nice To Haves

CPA, CIA, or another relevant professional certification; an active CPA license is preferred.
Working knowledge and experience using Optro (AuditBoard) and SAP or Oracle.
Ability to communicate effectively in English and Spanish; multilingual ability is preferred.

Responsibilities

Define and implement the global strategic direction of the Global Internal Controls and SOX Governance function and continuously improve and streamline the FDM Internal Controls Matrix.
Promote company policies and procedures and support management in maintaining a complete, accurate, and current set of policies.
Advise on internal controls for major transformational projects and associated risk mitigation.
Conduct risk assessments of key accounts and processes and determine annual Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting scope, coordinating with internal and external auditors.
Serve as a technical resource on SOX matters, including developing, refining, and documenting internal controls.
Monitor changes in the business environment that may affect internal controls.
Lead control owners and SOX leads in maintaining and updating SOX documentation for relevant processes.
Support the Information Technology team in annual SOC report reviews for relevant service organization applications.
Conclude on the severity of control deficiencies for management’s annual assessment of internal controls.
Partner with Finance, IT, and business process owners to develop, implement, improve, design, update, and streamline controls and processes.
Develop and monitor SOX metrics and timelines.
Support proactive issue identification and practical process improvements.
Assist in training business process owners and related functions on internal controls and SOX compliance.
Drive and monitor adoption of the Optro (formerly AuditBoard) SOX tool.
Ensure appropriate documentation for financial-process controls, including planning documents, narratives, and process maps.
Recommend efficient and effective internal controls for business processes and advise management on key risks and remediation plans.
Meet reporting deadlines set by the VP, Global Controller in alignment with the VP, Internal Audit.
Lead regional Internal Controls and SOX Governance team members in alignment with Regional Finance Management.
Collaborate with regional senior leadership to strengthen internal controls, improve operational efficiency, and support risk management.
Lead adherence to company policies, legal requirements, and relevant international standards, including human rights, food safety, environmental sustainability, occupational health and safety, and ethical business conduct.
Integrate compliance principles into responsibilities, foster a culture of integrity, and identify and mitigate risks to protect employees, consumers, shareholders, communities, and the environment.