Inventory Accounting & Reporting Lead, NGT

Job title: Inventory Accounting & Reporting Lead, NGT

Company: Ralph Lauren


Job description: Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company’s brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world’s most widely recognized families of consumer brands.At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.Position OverviewProgram OverviewThe Next Generation Transformation (NGT) ERP+ Program will deliver new operating technology solutions and business processes. The As-Is core operating systems of the company (SAP ECC, Island Pacific and Microsoft D365) will be replaced by a core reliance on SAP S/4 Hana and provide a common, global solution. This will enable the Ralph Lauren team to continue delivering competitive advantages in our next great chapter and beyond. The NGT ERP program team is responsible for:

• creating the transformation plan
• defining how the company will operate going forward
• planning the implementation of the new systems leading to a common way of working globally
• designing, building, configuring, testing, and deploying the new systems
• acting as expert key users and subject matter experts within the RL community after deployment

The result will be a new set of technology and business process solutions impacting nearly every area of the Ralph Lauren business. This is an exciting role to create the future way of working and help shape the next 20 years.Position OverviewThe NGT ERP+ Program Inventory Accounting and Reporting Lead will join the Next Generation Transformation (NGT) ERP+ program team comprised of RL business and IT subject matter experts and third-party partners. The team will work closely together to achieve a set of the common objectives leading to the initiation of the global program and the creation of all the articles needed to launch the project in 2025.Specifically, the NGT ERP+ Program Inventory Accounting and Reporting Lead will be a highly experienced (Director/Lead level) accounting leader with demonstrated experience and competence in revenue accounting, margin accounting, inventory accounting/valuation and financial operations. Leveraging their experience and leadership skills, the candidate will be responsible for leading the development or validation of solutions which support finance and cross-functional business partners.Knowing the RL landscape and business processes, while not explicitly required, is a significant benefit. The successful candidate will take lead subject matter expertise within the ERP’s Finance team on Revenue, COGS and Inventory accounting business processes, and ensure the implementation of new applications and business processes support RL requirements and transformation goals. RL requirements include but are not limited to contributing and reviewing specific application configurations to deliver accounting and financial reporting for inventory and gross margin while ensuring compliance with relevant accounting standards and regulations. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance processes, provide critical financial insights, and support strategic decision-making.This is an opportunity to join one of the largest investments that the company will be making over the next decade, and we seek a talent that is excited to help shape the future, being part of the journey and eventually taking this knowledge back into the business.The role may involve some travel and will require working with colleagues of the same function in other regions. This is a truly global program, so collaborating in the Ralph Lauren way is required.The role will serve as an evangelist for the program, helping to educate, raise awareness and grow confidence in those around them. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your skills, expand your knowledge of the business and be part of a team that is helping to shape and then deliver the future.Post the Phase Zero phase, this person will move into a role within the formalized NGT program team supporting the design, build, configure, test and deploy phases. Once the system moves to implementation phase, this role will roll off the project based on a specifically identified development plan enabled by the RL business executive responsible.Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• 10+ years progressive responsibilities including both organizational leadership and accountant roles with responsibility for Revenue, COGS, Inventory and closely related processes within a global, multi-region fashion or consumer goods environment including planning and executing closing routines
• Ability to independently lead cross-functional business solution development and validation initiatives
• Understand and manage inventory valuation methodologies and reserve calculations

The role will lead and execute the following:

• Revenue Accounting: ensure revenue shipment and return transactions are properly posted respected accounting standards. Ensure revenue dilution solutions and accounting transactions are accurately accounted for
• COGS & Inventory Accounting: oversee the accurate configuration and testing of accounting for inventory transactions, including but not limited to purchases, sales, returns, adjustments, and obsolescence
• Gross Margin Analysis: lead the development and testing of gross margin reports and analysis, identifying key drivers and variances, and providing actionable insights to improve profitability
• Financial Reporting: ensure timely and accurate financial reporting for inventory and gross margin, in compliance with GAAP and other relevant accounting standards
• Reconciliation: ensure all account activity is visible and available supporting periodic reconciliation of inventory accounts
• Process Improvement: begin with a global process template, challenge and support all regional and localization requirements. Actively seek and implement process improvements to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of inventory and gross margin accounting
• Internal Controls: ensure solutions are tested and documented to maintain robust internal controls over inventory and gross margin accounting processes, ensuring compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements
• Collaboration: work closely with all relevant project teams to ensure alignment and accuracy of inventory data and achieve RL’s transformation objectives
• Team Leadership: manage and mentor a team of accounting professionals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development

As an ERP project and Finance team member, the role will:

• Assess and prepare summaries of technical information to project leaders, peers and business teams with specific recommendations or gaps to get to recommendations and with brevity leading to executive summaries
• Drill into key business capabilities to identify key outcomes, processes and “must-haves” and then challenges self and others to achieve the most effective and efficient business processes leading to transformation
• Create clear pictures of the AS-IS, documenting the data flows, dependencies and integration points for the current ERP and Edge systems by region
• Identify gaps in any of the AS-IS processes to be specifically resolved in the TO-BE solution
• Lead self and others through the upcoming mobilization of people and thoughts using engagement to educate, while listening, absorbing and reporting findings
• Build, validate, and analyze results of testing scenarios enabling an agile approach to developing and releasing new capabilities
• Build effective relationships and engage in healthy conflict to influence change
• Maintain integrity throughout work product, challenges when required, and commit to team decisions supporting the big picture

Experience, Skills, and KnowledgeThe successful candidate will have 10+ years progressive responsibility, including:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
• 10+ years of accounting experience with at least 5 years in revenue, COGS, and inventory accounting
• Strong knowledge of GAAP (US and local) and internal controls
• Experience with ERP systems and advanced reporting and data management skills
• Fashion/Retail/Wholesale industry experience preferred
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Collaborate inquisitively with peers while steering toward a specific decision/recommendation
• Act as a champion for initiatives and proposals to influence other teams and executive leaders
• Attentive to detail and accuracy, with a commitment to maintaining business process integrity, and focus on global best practice
• Demonstrate ability to identify and implement process improvements
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Expected salary:

Location: Plan-les-Ouates, Genf

Job date: Fri, 17 Jan 2025 23:31:33 GMT

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