Position Overview

This is a unique opportunity to lead two highly respected teams within the Group Finance function at a particularly important time for CRH as the Group transitions its primary listing to the New York Stock Exchange (‘NYSE’). This pivotal role involves overseeing the Group’s expanding US GAAP and IFRS accounting and external reporting functions, partnering with senior stakeholders across a range of teams in CRH Group, CRH divisional offices and the operations to provide practical solutions to accounting and reporting complexities.

The Accounting Advisory and Financial Reporting teams form part of the External Reporting function at CRH and are high performing teams with a diverse range of backgrounds, skills, and experience.

The work of the teams provide exciting opportunities to build a wide network of relationships across CRH functions and locations; access to a wide variety of challenging and interesting work adding value for key senior stakeholders across the Group; to develop project management and decision-making skills; to refine judgement capabilities and continual learning.

Accounting Advisory Team

The team is a valued and trusted business partner that supports the business development and tax teams to determine the optimal structures for deals; supports local finance teams in preparing opening balance sheets for newly acquired businesses; presents at internal conferences and delivers training; and which will respond to ad-hoc US GAAP queries across the Group as they arise. Project-based work includes preparing the Group for changes in accounting policies and developing / maintaining the Group accounting manual in conjunction with key stakeholders. A priority project for the team during 2023/2024 centres around the Group’s transition to a primary NYSE listing and the related US GAAP reporting transition.

Financial Reporting Team

This high performing team is responsible for the delivery of best-in-class financial reporting driving the implementation and management of best practice financial reporting across the group (CRH was the Overall Winner of the 2022 Chartered Accountants Leinster Society Published Accounts Awards, in addition to winning the ‘Euronext Dublin (Large Cap > €1bn)’ Award category). It has overall responsibility for the preparation and management of the external SEC financial reporting cycles (Form 10-K and Quarterly Form 10-Qs), supporting CRH’s US listing and for CRH’s Irish and UK external reporting requirements.

The team is responsible for supporting any newly acquired businesses with the Group’s external reporting requirements; which through the delivery of training programmes and attendance at site visits provides an exceptional opportunity to both travel and become a key business partner.

Outside of the external reporting cycles, the team is responsible for a variety of areas including; being a key business partner to the Divisional Finance teams on relevant reporting issues, as well as the preparation and review of Board and Audit Committee deliverables, overseeing the continued development and optimisation of the financial consolidation and reporting systems across the Group and maintaining and developing the global external audit relationship.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Assessing the accounting implications of potential deals with business development teams and providing practical solutions to accounting issues;
• Responsibility for developing the Group accounting manual;
• Responsibility for resolving accounting queries with colleagues, including the internal / monthly reporting, internal audit, tax, and treasury teams, along with divisional and operational and finance teams;
• Presenting accounting and US transition matters to a range of teams across the Group, Divisional and operating companies;
• Build strong relationships, acting as a business partner to different functions across the Group including Strategy & Development, divisional and operational finance teams, sustainability, innovation & venturing, procurement, technical services etc.
• Supporting newly acquired businesses to align with CRH’s accounting policies
• Review of the Form 10-K/Form 10-Qs in compliance with United States SEC reporting requirements;
• Review of Board and Audit Committee deliverables including annual and interim results, audit deliverables and regulatory developments;
• Engaging with both internal and external stakeholders including year-round interaction with the Group auditors and other external specialists;
• Supporting newly acquired businesses with the Group’s external reporting requirements;
• Involvement in the development and implementation of financial reporting systems across the Group;
• Involvement in a variety of ad-hoc projects including process improvement initiatives; and
• Lead and coach the team to assist in the delivery of responsibilities and develop team members as required.

Key Characteristics

For this role you should be/have:

• Strong financial, accounting, and analytical skills;
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral, ability to communicate complex issues in a clear and concise manner to senior management;
• Strong motivation and a high degree of initiative with the ability to thrive in a fast paced, dynamic, and commercial environment;
• Self-confident with strong interpersonal, organisational, and influencing skills and the ability to liaise with Executive management;
• Organisational skills to manage multiple deliverables and use decision-making capabilities and judgement to prioritise; and
• Enjoy building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives

Key Functional Competencies

For this role you should be/have:

• Confidence to address and withstand challenges as they arise, while maintaining positive relationships;
• Demonstrated track record of excellent leadership skills in different situations and types of challenges;
• Champion change, challenge fixed mindsets, and demonstrate a clear intention to learn from each experience;
• Focus on adding value to CRH by meeting customers’ needs and being flexible in doing so;
• Ability to apply a practical solutions-based approach to complex accounting issues;
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task within tight deadlines while maintaining exceptional attention to detail at all times; and
• Ability to engage multiple stakeholders with varying objectives and build strong relationships

Individual Competencies

You are able to:

• Drive Results - Consistently achieving objectives, even under tough circumstances, pushing self and others to accomplish goals;
• Have Courage - Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said;
• Collaborate - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives; and
• Make Quality Decisions - Making good and timely decisions that keep the organisation moving forward

Experience / Education

You are/have:

• Qualified accountant with minimum 15 years’ PQE;
• Strong financial accounting background essential, with group consolidation experience highly preferable and US GAAP experience advantageous;
• Experience in consolidation, business combinations and divestment accounting is advantageous

The Accounting Advisory and Financial Reporting Teams form part of the External Reporting function at CRH and are high performing team with a diverse range of backgrounds, skills, and experience.

Key stakeholders include:

• Executive Management
• Audit Committee
• Divisional & Operating Company Management
• Strategy & Development, Sustainability, Procurement, Innovation and Venturing, Technical services etc
• Other Group Finance teams - Tax, Treasury
• Internal Audit
• External Auditors
• External Regulators – SEC/FRC/IAASA

What CRH Offers You

• A culture that values opportunity for growth, development, and internal promotion
• Highly competitive base pay plus bonus
• Secondary benefits including medical benefits and tax saver schemes
• Group retirement savings program
• Health and wellness programs, including an on-site gym and fitness classes
• Excellent opportunities to develop and progress with a global organisation

CRH is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Agency support is not required unless requested.