Cengage Group Looking for Director, Finance at Newark, NJ Full Time

We believe in the power and joy of learning

At Cengage Group, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.

Our culture values diversity, engagement, and discovery

Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive and diverse workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work. We achieve these priorities through inclusive programs, benefits, and initiatives that are integrated into the fabric of how we work every day. To learn more, please see ~~~/ .

Reporting to the VP, Finance and partnering directly with the Academic business unit, the Director of Finance serves as a key member of the Academic finance team at Cengage. They should have an independent, strong analytical mindset along with the ability to cultivate strong business relationships in a cross functional team setting. Be proficient in performing financial planning, analysis and modeling, ad hoc financials and proactive idea generation sharing. To be successful, you should be able to shift fluidly from supporting business decision making to challenging it to help achieve the best outcome. And be comfortable in boiling down complex business scenarios into key insights and levers to aid decision making and communicating it to all levels.

What you’ll do here:

Operational/Financial Management:

• Operational/Financial oversight of select Academic functions

• Review monthly results and coordinate monthly entries as needed

• Serve, as needed, on Corporate or Business Unit-level task forces and project teams to ensure that the operational and financial needs and concerns of Business Unit are represented

• Review of all relevant Vendors, Partners, and Work for Hire contracts that impact BU’s growth and profitability

• Build, with SVPs, resourcing plans, assess staffing ratios and optimize current staff

• Lead and mentor a team of Financial Analysts to deliver on business and professional development goals

• Focus on continuous improvement to drive operational efficiency and accuracy across all processes

Financial Planning & Analysis:

• Lead, coordinate, and execute the Annual Budgeting, Intra-year Forecasting and financial component of Strategic Planning process to ensure sound business decision-making and optimal resource allocation

• Measure and communicate the financial performance of the business unit in comparison to funding, budgets, forecasts, and previous years’ performance complete variance analysis that is driver-based

• Construct a reporting and forecasting process for resource models that reconcile monthly billings to contracts for completeness and accuracy

• Build Capex forecast model and develop a standardized method for recognition in alignment with GAAP

• Provide ad-hoc executive analyses to support both current financial review and potential future strategic scenarios and provide the overall financial impact to the business product unit

• Preparation of materials for Business Unit’s leaders, Corporate FP&A, and Executive Committee presentations

• Develop policies and procedures to monitor and improve the business unit’s profitability EBITDA

• Provide ongoing advice and direction to Business Unit especially during the development of strategic plans and goal translation

• Lead annual audit and tax process for Technology group with external firm

Skills you will need here:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or other quantitative fields; MBA preferred

• Minimum of 8 to 10 years of progressive experience in FP&A at Divisional or Corporate entity

• High comfort level with financially sound, fact-based, data-driven approach supporting and consulting all levels of business management

• Expertise in Microsoft Excel, Access and PowerPoint; proficiency in Tableau, Power Pivot and Salesforce a plus

• Strong Accounting background with understanding of GAAP and Compliance standards

• Proven efficiency in highly matrixed organization and flexibility in operating across

• Strong interpersonal skills including excellent written and verbal skills to help build consensus

• Ability to travel (up to 15%)

Cengage Group’s Higher Education business, Cengage, supports learning and student success by providing materials and digital solutions to faculty and students enrolled in two-year, four-year and vocational programs. We currently serve more than 10 million of the 18 million students in US higher ed. Setting a new standard of service for our customers, we deliver quality, easy-to-use course materials from textbooks and eBooks to courseware such as MindTap and WebAssign. In the US, we offer Cengage Unlimited and Cengage Unlimited for Institutions. We help instructors be better teachers, we help institutions solve problems and we empower students to leverage the power and joy of learning to transform lives.

Cengage Group is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason. You may view Cengage’s EEO/Affirmative Action Policy signed by CEO Michael Hansen (~~~) and Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law notice (~~~) by visiting their corresponding links.

Cengage Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at ~~~ or you may call us at +~~~.

About Cengage Group

Cengage Group, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.

Base Pay Range

The full base pay range has been provided for this position. Individual base pay will vary based on qualifications, experience, internal equity, and geographic location. Sales roles often incorporate a significant incentive compensation program beyond this base pay range.

$131,600.00 – $210,600.00 USD

Cengage Group , a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms.

We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.