Finance Controller

Job Title: Finance Controller Location(s): Lisle, IL Company Overview Founded in 1910, KONE is a global leader that provides elevators, escalators and automatic building doors, as well as solutions for maintenance and modernization that add value to buildings throughout their life cycle. Our mission is to improve the flow of urban life and make our world’s cities better places to live by providing innovative solutions that help make people’s journeys safe, convenient and reliable. Our operations in over 60 countries around the world has helped us achieve our position as an innovation and sustainability leader with repeated recognitions by Forbes, Corporate Knights for clean capitalism and others.   Job Overview The Finance Controller is a key finance leadership role responsible for the integrity of the organization’s accounting, financial reporting, controllership, and finance operations activities across the United States. This role owns the legal entity Balance Sheet and Income Statement and ensures accurate, timely, and compliant financial reporting in accordance with IFRS, company policies, and statutory requirements. Partnering closely with Business Finance, Shared Services, Tax, Treasury, HR, and Operations teams, the Finance Controller plays a critical role in driving financial discipline, strengthening internal controls, improving processes, and delivering high-quality financial insights to support business performance and decision-making. This role leads a team of finance professionals and operates within a fast-paced multinational environment focused on operational excellence, continuous improvement, and strong controllership. Key Responsibilities Financial Reporting & Controllership Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities for US legal entities Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant financial reporting and balance sheet integrity Review and approve key journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and reporting adjustments Partner with Business Controllers and FP&A to support financial analysis, forecasting, and reporting Ensure compliance with IFRS, US GAAP, internal policies, and statutory requirements Balance Sheet & Operational Accounting Oversight Own balance sheet governance and reconciliation quality across key accounts Oversee operational accounting activities including payroll, treasury, fixed assets, intercompany; for P2P, and O2C processes – to the extent it impacts the Balance Sheet. Ensure subledgers reconcile accurately to the General Ledger Identify and resolve accounting discrepancies, process gaps, and reporting risks Drive a strong “zero-surprise” controllership environment Audit, Controls & Compliance Lead external and internal audit activities for US entities Maintain strong internal controls across financial reporting and accounting operations Ensure audit readiness, compliance, and appropriate supporting documentation Monitor and remediate control gaps, compliance risks, and process deficiencies Shared Services & Process Improvement Partner with Shared Services and global finance teams to ensure high-quality execution of accounting and reporting activities Drive automation, standardization, and process improvement initiatives across finance operations Support finance transformation and systems enhancement initiatives Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing finance team Build strong partnerships across Finance, HR, Tax, Treasury, Operations, and Corporate teams Provide financial insight and accounting expertise to support business decisions and operational performance Cash Flow, Treasury & Working Capital Oversight Partner with Treasury and business leaders to support liquidity management and cash flow optimization Oversee cash-related accounting activities, bank reconciliations, and treasury-related balance sheet accounts Support working capital governance including oversight of AR aging, AP balances, unapplied cash, and intercompany settlements Ensure financial impacts of foreign exchange and hedge accounting activities are appropriately reflected where applicable Payroll Accounting & Employee Cost Governance Oversee all payroll accounting activities across salary, field, and hourly payroll environments Ensure accurate accounting and reporting for wages, incentives, commissions, bonus accruals, stock compensation, benefits, and related employee costs Ensure payroll-related balance sheet accounts are fully reconciled and supported Partner closely with Payroll, HR, Treasury, Tax, and Shared Services teams to resolve accounting issues and improve payroll accounting processes Support payroll-related audits, compliance requirements, and reporting obligations Drive process automation and operational improvements across payroll accounting activities Qualifications & Experience Experience 10+ years of progressive accounting, controllership, audit, or finance operations experience Experience leading teams within a multinational or large corporate environment Education Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance CPA or equivalent professional designation preferred Technical Skills Strong knowledge of: IFRS and financial reporting principles General Ledger and financial close processes Balance sheet reconciliations and controls Financial statement analysis and reporting Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems required Experience with financial reporting and reconciliation tools (e.g., SAP BPC, Blackline) preferred Advanced Excel and analytical skills required Experience with Power BI, Alteryx, or Power Automate is a plus Professional Capabilities Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills Excellent analytical and problem-solving ability A "Change Agent" mindset—the ability to influence peers in a matrixed global organization Ability to simplify complex financial concepts for non-finance stakeholders. Strong ownership mindset and attention to detail Abilit