Director, Accounting and Finance Technology

Director, Accounting & Finance TechnologyFanatics is expanding into the booming trading cards and collectibles business with a new model and vision for the hobby that will fundamentally change the experience for current and future collectors, leagues, and players across many sports.With trading cards and collectibles being a significant pillar of Fanatics' long-term plans to become the leading global digital sports platform, Fanatics Collectibles, a subsidiary of Fanatics, was launched in 2021 after securing long-term, exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards for several sports properties, including MLB, MLBPA, NBA, NBPA and NFLPA. Fanatics is the majority owner of Fanatics Collectibles, with leagues, players associations and investors owning the rest.In January 2022, Fanatics Collectibles announced the acquisition of Topps, the preeminent licensed trading card brand that has serviced collectors, fans, and retailers for more than 70 years. The deal, which included both the Topps physical and digital divisions, established the iconic trading cards company as the cornerstone of Fanatics' trading cards and collectibles business and jumpstarted its MLB and MLBPA rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards, which begin in 2022 versus the original joint start date of 2026. Fanatics Collectibles is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Director, Accounting & Finance Technology to join the Accounting and Finance organization. The role will support both the FP&A and Controllership teams, reporting directly to Fanatics Collectibles VP, Finance.Provide financial leadership by managing general accounting and financial reporting and analytical activities to ensure accurate and timely compliance with all internal & external reporting requirements, projects and deliverables for the Fanatics Collectibles operating company.This unique role offers the opportunity to leverage Data & Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to directly support the Director of Accounting and FP&A function with financial analyses and special projects. Acting as a "utility player," the manager will contribute across a range of functions as needed.This role will require a visionary leader who displays a passion for strengthening the team and fostering collaboration, learning and growth. To be successful in this job, you must be a forward looking, proactive leader with business experience in increasingly complex businesses, across geographies and business channels. This is a high-impact role at the intersection of finance/accounting, data, and technology. You will architect scalable, automated solutions to empower decision-makers and transform the finance function for the future. The candidate must be an experienced, collaborative accounting professional with the background and interpersonal skills sufficient to function successfully in a growth-enabling and challenging position. He or she must have the ability to embrace and assume "ownership" of various processes and reports, implementing structure and enhancing maturity. Attention to detail, superior organizational and project management skills, and exceptional communication skills are important.This position will provide accounting, processing and analytical support for Fanatics Collectibles; specific responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:Leverage AI and other Data and Analytics and Visualization tools to automate processes, creating efficienciesIdentify and implement process efficiencies within the accounting and finance teams by streamlining reporting workflows, automating routine tasks, and enhancing the accuracy and timeliness of financial dataAssist in compiling and supporting internal reporting function, including preparation of monthly and quarterly analytical and executive summary write-ups (BS, P&L and cashflow analyses)Manage monthly accounting processes and reportingTake leadership role in developing cross-functional accounting and finance projects including systems implementations, policy development and operationalization of technical accounting and reporting mattersAssist with technical accounting research and provide technical guidance in preparing transactional accounting and documenting memos, as neededAcquire a deep understanding of the business processes related to assigned general ledger accountsDevelop a deep understanding of transaction flows and underlying mechanics within the general ledger system to ensure accuracy, identify anomalies, and support effective financial analysis and reporting.Maintain effective relationships with organizational leaders across holding company and shared-service controllership, tax, treasury, legal, FP&A functions, and a broad group of cross-functional business teams acting as the conduit to teams on emerging business issues impacting financial reporting prioritiesPerform duties in compliance with GAAP, company and department policies and procedures, internal controls, and Sarbanes-Oxley requirementsPrepare ad hoc financial reporting requests, other analyses and special projects requested by management, particularly around product performance and profitabilityHelp foster a culture of continuous improvement mind-set, drive change within the departmentCollaborate with various departments including Product Development, Commercial, Project Management, etc. to enhance product-level and SKU-level profitability analysisHelp prepare and develop department to scale-up and be SOX compliant based upon process improvements and identifying and implementing key controlsAssist with managing and developing an efficient, clean and successful auditBachelor (or higher) degree in Accounting or Finance required10+ years of accounting experience, public and private experience preferredStrong understanding of US GAAP and internal controls, with experience and proficiency in researching technical accounting issuesExperience with visualization and dashboarding tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Alteryx, LookerExperience with data warehouses such as Snowflake, DatabricksExperience with automation tools such as UiPath, Power Automate, or WorkivaAI exposure: experience building or using ML models, GPT-based tools, or cloud ML platforms (Azure ML, AWS SageMaker, etc.)Experience with ERP systems, specifically Oracle FusionExperience designing or managing data pipelines and system integrations between ERPs, CRMs, and BI tools. Familiarity with ETL processes, APIs, and cloud-based data architectures is preferred.Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and communicating technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to manage organizational change, influence without authority, and gain buy-in for new tools or processesMust be proficient in Microsoft Office suite, including (but not limited to) VBA macros and other advanced Excel functionsExperience handling annual audits and working with internal and external audit functionsExperience in ERP implementation projects and other efforts to increase automation in accounting closing proceduresDesire to develop and continuously improve processes with a focus on automationAbility to handle multiple tasks and stringent deadlines within a fast-paced environment is a mustAbility to organize and prioritize tasksMust have strong analytical skills and strong attention to detailMust have excellent communication skills verbal and writtenAbility to effectively work with multiple departmentsExperience with ERPs (Oracle) is preferredSEC experience with a public company a plusInventory and intercompany accounting experience preferredA CPA (Certified Public Accountant) certification is preferred for this role.