SOX Manager

Job Summary

This Manager role will lead the design, execution, and continuous improvement of the company’s Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance program, with a strong focus on building an efficient, risk-based control environment that maximizes external auditor reliance. This role partners with Finance, Accounting, IT, business process owners and external auditors to strengthen internal controls over financial reporting, streamline compliance activities, and support major transformation initiatives, including ERP implementations and process automation. The ideal candidate brings deep SOX expertise, strong project leadership skills, and demonstrated success modernizing compliance programs in complex organizations.

Essential Functions

• Lead the end-to-end SOX compliance program, including annual scoping, risk assessment, control design evaluation, testing oversight, deficiency assessment, remediation tracking, and reporting.
• Transform and optimize the SOX program to improve efficiency, standardization, automation, and overall control effectiveness while maintaining a risk-based approach.
• Develop testing strategies, documentation standards, and evidence requirements that enhance the ability of external auditors to rely on management’s work.
• Serve as the primary liaison with external auditors on SOX-related matters, aligning on scope, testing approaches, timing, documentation expectations, and reliance opportunities.
• Partner with controllership, finance, and business process owners to rationalize controls, reduce redundancy, and improve the precision of key controls over financial reporting.
• Support ERP implementations, upgrades, and other major system or process changes by embedding SOX requirements into design, configuration, user access, change management, and business process controls.
• Assess the impact of ERP and digital transformation initiatives on financial reporting risks, IT general controls, automated controls, interfaces, and reports.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of process narratives, risk and control matrices, flowcharts, and other SOX documentation.

Essential Functions Continued

• Monitor control deficiencies, partner with management on remediation plans, and evaluate severity in accordance with regulatory and company standards.
• Drive continuous improvement through the use of data analytics, compliance technology, and process automation where appropriate.
• Provide training and guidance to control owners and stakeholders on SOX requirements, documentation quality, and effective control execution.
• Prepare concise, executive-ready updates for senior leadership on program status, emerging risks, significant issues, and transformation progress.
• Lead or mentor team members, co-sourced resources, or consultants supporting the SOX program.

• Monitor control deficiencies, partner with management on remediation plans, and evaluate severity in accordance with regulatory and company standards.
• Drive continuous improvement through the use of data analytics, compliance technology, and process automation where appropriate.
• Provide training and guidance to control owners and stakeholders on SOX requirements, documentation quality, and effective control execution.
• Prepare concise, executive-ready updates for senior leadership on program status, emerging risks, significant issues, and transformation progress.
• Lead or mentor team members, co-sourced resources, or consultants supporting the SOX program.

Education Description

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Business Administration or a related field. 

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive experience in SOX compliance, internal audit, external audit and/or internal controls.
• CPA, CIA, CISA or equivalent professional certification
• Public accounting and/or utility industry experience is preferred
• Experience participating in ERP implementations is preferred
• SAP software experience preferred
• Strong knowledge of SOX, COSO, internal controls over financial reporting, and external audit reliance requirements.
• Experience enhancing SOX compliance programs, with measurable targets to assess effectiveness
• Self-motivated and the ability to work with minimal supervision
• Strong ability to develop issue identification
• Ability to work on multiple projects at the same time meeting deadlines
• Strong interpersonal and team-oriented skills
• Ability to prioritize tasks and change focus as new information becomes available
• Effective oral and written use of the English language
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Access, Excel, Word, Visio, and PowerPoint)