Vice President, Financial Operations

AMB Sports & Entertainment is a subsidiary of AMB Group LLC, and is comprised of the Atlanta Falcons Football Club, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United Football Club, Atlanta Women’s Professional Football Club (AWPFC), and Atlanta Drive GC. These entities are all owned by one of the city’s most influential businessmen and philanthropists, Arthur M. Blank. The Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, and AWPFC (beginning 2028) play their home matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The stadium is also host of numerous other sports and entertainment events.

Position Summary

The Vice President, Financial Operations provides strategic leadership to ensure Finance products, systems, services and procedures meet the strategic and tactical objectives of the business. Focus will be on continuous improvement, innovation and enhanced operational efficiencies by staying abreast of industry trends and best practices. 

This associate will work on-site at Mercedes Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta and will report directly to AMBSE’s Chief Financial Officer. This associate will lead a team consisting of both direct and indirect reports within the Shared Services Finance group (Payroll, Accounts Payable, Procurement, and FP&A). This associate interacts with the Senior Finance Leadership of the AMBSE businesses as well as IT. They will work closely with IT and Project Management associates to facilitate the technology needs and requests of the businesses. The associate will also work with various levels of business and technology staff as it strives to successfully implement new/enhanced finance technology

Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to ensure Finance products, systems, services and procedures meet the strategic and tactical objectives of the business.

• Lead the standardization and optimization of the AMBSE finance and accounting policies and processes.

• Manage four direct reports who lead the Shared Service Payroll, Accounts Payable, Procurement, and FP&A teams.

• Responsible for operating budget lines related to their direct teams as well as the related financial system costs.

• Strategically engage in discussions throughout the product life cycle to advise on development, implementation and/or ongoing administration.

• Lead standardization, optimization, and continuous improvement of core Finance processes, ensuring systems, controls, data, and team responsibilities are aligned to scalable operating practices.

• Own Finance-side prioritization and roadmap alignment.

• Serve as the executive business sponsor for Finance technology initiatives.

• Ensure Finance requirements, process decisions, controls, and adoption plans are clearly defined.

• Identify gaps and target improvements to organizational system capabilities.  Build out and execute a plan to address any identified areas.

• Work closely with executives and senior business leaders to facilitate an environment optimizing the use of reporting products, systems, services, and procedures to meet the strategic and tactical objectives of the business.

• Lead the strategy to innovate existing processes and system functionality.

• Lead business-side change management, communication, training, and adoption efforts for Finance systems and process changes.

• Identify opportunities to improve overall control environment through use of system analytic tools and best practices.  Develop and implement plans as appropriate.

• Serve as Finance’s primary strategic partner to IT, working closely with technology leadership to define priorities, shape solution roadmaps, align delivery capacity, support change management, and ensure successful adoption of Finance technology capabilities.

• Coordinate the development and maintenance of Service Level Agreements between the business and IT.

• Lead the strategy with the Financial Systems team to facilitate lessons learned following implementation of new technology/process.

• Work closely with IT, Risk and business leaders to ensure appropriate governance roles, policies, and representation are in place.

• Educate key business stakeholders on emerging technologies.

Qualifications and Required Skills

• 15+ years’ experience managing stakeholder relationships and technology in Microsoft-based systems.

• Experience in partnering and influencing senior leadership management and key stakeholders.

• Ability to communicate at all levels of the organization and prepare presentations that provide technical concepts clearly to a non-technical audience.

• Experience in managing and/or collaborating with diverse, cross-functional teams including Payroll, Payables, Procurement, Finance, and Accounting as well as IT and External Consultants.

• Workday, Concur, and Vena experience required. Great Plains & Financial Services experience a plus.

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree or CPA a plus.

• Excellent accounting, finance and technology acumen.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and conceptual skills.

• Excellent facilitation, advisory, presentation and negotiation skills.

• Proven track record of Project Management leading large, successful financial system projects with the ability to handle multiple complex tasks and prioritize them in a fast-paced environment.

• Adept at requirements gathering, business case construction, RFPs, Service Level Agreement creation, project monitoring and reporting, design and testing.

• Must have a strategic, forward-thinking mindset and be proactive in maintaining state-of-the-art knowledge of information technology and trends and ability to advise on technology solutions that streamline business processes.

• Build and lead high-performing financial operation teams. Cultivate a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

• Service-minded, approachable and grounded. Must have a “roll up your sleeves” mentality with a polished executive presence. Must embrace AMB core values and thrive in a high-accountability, high performance culture.

• Perform other functions, duties and projects assigned.