Director, Compliance and Policies

Description

The Director of Compliance & Policy is a senior leadership role responsible for building and overseeing the company’s SOX compliance program and serving as the enterprise leader for accounting policy governance. This leader ensures the organization maintains a strong internal control environment, meets all SOX regulatory requirements, and operates with clear, current, and well‑governed policies. This role partners closely with Internal Audit, Finance, IT, Legal, and business process owners to establish a strong internal control environment, ensure compliance with SOX requirements, and maintain clear, accurate, and up‑to‑date accounting policies.

SOX Compliance Leadership

• Own and manage the SOX 404 compliance program, including scoping, risk assessment, control design, documentation, remediation, and reporting

• Lead a structured transition of certain SOX 404 program activities currently supported by Internal Audit (i.e. process narratives, flowcharts, RCM documentation, control owner inventory remediation follow-up, etc.), ensuring a clean handoff that restores Internal Audit independence

• Oversee the SOX lifecycle, including annual planning, control design evaluation, documentation updates, remediation tracking, and reporting

• Maintain SOX control documentation (process narratives, flowcharts, RCMs) and ensure timely updates by control owners

• Coordinate with Internal Audit and work with control owners to develop and track remediation plans and expected completion dates as well as ensure timely remediation of any identified deficiencies

• Review testing results provided by Internal Audit and assess deficiencies, including severity (deficiency, significant deficiency, material weakness), likelihood and impact, and aggregation of deficiencies across processes

• Own and manage the SOX 302 sub-certification process, including coordinating with business unit and functional leaders to confirm the integrity of financial reporting controls on a quarterly basis

• Serve as the primary liaison with external auditors for SOX-related matters

• Monitor regulatory changes and emerging risks to ensure the SOX program remains aligned with best practices and evolving requirements

• Provide regular reporting to executive leadership on SOX readiness, issues, and remediation progress
   

Accounting Policy Governance

• Own the accounting policy framework, including drafting, updating, and publishing accounting policies in collaboration with policy owners and technical accounting leaders

• Ensure accounting policies are aligned with U.S. GAAP, regulatory requirements, and industry standards

• Maintain a centralized repository of accounting policies with appropriate version control and documentation

• Drive the annual accounting policy review cycle and ensure timely updates

• Provide guidance to Finance and business teams on the interpretation and application of accounting policies

• Monitor changes in accounting standards and coordinate policy updates, communication and training as needed
   

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on internal controls, SOX readiness, and accounting policy matters

• Partner with Finance, Internal Audit, IT, Legal, and business units to ensure alignment between controls, processes, and accounting policies

• Support compliance-related assessments, investigations, and special projects as needed

• Build strong relationships with external auditors and manage compliance audit-related communications
   

Team Leadership

• Lead a high-performing compliance and accounting policy team

• Provide coaching, mentorship, and professional development opportunities

• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement

Required education, experiences & skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field

• 10+ years of audit and accounting experience from a combined external audit and public company environment

• Deep knowledge of Sarbanes-Oxley, SEC reporting requirements, and PCAOB auditing standards

• Proven experience working directly with external auditors and executive leadership

• Strong background in public company SOX compliance requirements, accounting, and finance processes, including a solid understanding of the concepts of control design and operational efficiency

• Familiarity with financial systems as they relate to reviewing and improving internal controls

• Prior experience leading teams, including improving and reinforcing performance in others and facilitating their skill development by providing clear, specific performance feedback

• A customer focused mindset to help business process owners navigate the SOX program, especially with non-accounting business partners

Preferred education, experiences & skills:

• AuditBoard, Oracle and OneStream experience preferred

• Professional certification including CPA or CIA

• Experience with global operations and complex legal structures

• Big 4 experience

• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including US GAAP topics relevant to a public company (close and consolidation, tax, treasury, stock compensation, etc.)

• Interest in or experience applying AI and automation to compliance and audit processes

• A customer focused mindset to help business process owners navigate the SOX program, especially with non-accounting business partners

Why Work in St. Louis, Missouri

Our facility is located in St. Louis, famous for its Gateway Arch standing at 630 feet tall. St. Louis is a family-friendly, historic metropolitan area with a low cost of living and first-class schools. The city offers excellent restaurants, shopping areas, art galleries, and numerous festivals throughout the year, making this an exciting place to live and work.

About Our Location

Our location is the host of Copeland’s corporate headquarters. Our products have become household names that support the comfort and well-being of our customers. The employees at this location provide support to the various businesses within the platform, allowing for many networking opportunities across businesses.

Collaboration First Hybrid Work Arrangements:

This role is hybrid eligible with the requirement to be in office at least three days per week. Colleagues are expected to demonstrate a collaboration first mindset, which is the understanding that teams will work together in-person and colleagues should be flexible to adjust their hybrid days based on business needs. You will have an opportunity to work with your team and leader to determine when you should be in office to drive meaningful connections and to best serve our customers.

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