Strategic Ledger Transformation Program: Data Proving Lead / Director

Strategic Ledger Transformation Program: Data Proving Lead

The Strategic Ledger program is the implementation of new General Ledger and Contract Sub-Ledger solution for all legal entities, countries, and products for Citi. It is at the forefront of Citi's finance transformation. Within this critical initiative, the Data Proving team plays a central role. It is responsible for ensuring that through implementation of each release, there is a controlled analysis, reconciliation and understanding of differences in Chart of Accounts between the existing Ledger and Strategic Ledger. The lead is also responsible for modernizing the existing tooling and process to be more scalable as large and more complex entities are onboarded. This involves being keeping appraised of architectural strategy and strategic change in upstream Authoritative Repositories, whist having a strong understanding of Data Governance.

This role is critical for ensuring data accuracy whilst implementing the strategic ledger in the banking industry, which requires a strong accounting background, a robust control mindset, and ability to lead in data governance and strategic data initiatives. This role requires strong global banking experience along with strong understanding of banking data structures and products. Excellent communication skills to negotiate internally, often at a senior level, is a must.

The led will be accountable for full management responsibility of people and planning, including duties such as performance evaluation, compensation, hiring, disciplinary actions and terminations. The role will be a direct report to the overall Strategic Ledger Data lead.

Our mission is to empower the organization with fit-for-purpose data. Accurate, complete, timely, and reliable, is essential for driving critical remediation efforts and supporting the production of robust financial and regulatory reports.

*This role must report on site to the office in Getzville, three times per week. The job cannot be done remotely or from another Citi location.

Core Competencies:

• Accounting / Financial Statements: Expertly applies comprehensive accounting principles and financial statement analysis within the banking industry to ensure precise financial reporting and strategic ledger integrity.
• Control Mindset: Cultivates a robust and accountable control mindset, demonstrating unyielding integrity and an inquisitive approach to proactively identify, investigate, and reconcile ledger discrepancies, thereby preventing financial errors.
• Strategic Data Vision: Possesses a proven ability to architect and articulate a forward-thinking data strategy, effectively integrating data assets into large-scale transformation initiatives to drive innovation and achieve strategic objectives.
• Data Change Governance: Demonstrates exceptional leadership in establishing and overseeing robust, end-to-end data change governance frameworks, ensuring seamless transitions, meticulous stakeholder alignment, and unwavering adherence to data governance policies across all program lifecycles.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Instigates and cultivates a proactive, data-driven organizational culture, leveraging advanced analytics, comprehensive reporting, and sophisticated visualization tools to consistently empower informed, timely, and impactful strategic and operational decision-making.

Data Quality & Integrity
Data Quality Management: Proficiency in establishing and monitoring data quality processes, and metrics for ledger data, including accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness.
Reconciliation Management: Understanding of data reconciliation processes to ensure consistency between the ledger and other systems.
Data Validation: Experience in implementing and overseeing data validation check and controls specific to ledger entries, transactions and reconciliations.
Capability Evolution: Design, build, and run data profiling and analytics function, with roles, responsibilities, processes, and controls to drive Strategic Ledger data requirements.
Conversion: Experience in converting data and loading historical balances to align and with going forward principles.

Business Outcomes

• Output Analysis: Deliver comprehensive analysis and insights from data reviews within Extended Trial Balances and financial reporting, ensuring clarity, conciseness, and accuracy to facilitate efficient consumption, review, and formal sign-off by Accounting and Regulatory stakeholders.
• Financial: Translate complex financial discrepancies arising from intricate design principles and strategic architecture modifications into clear, actionable insights for business stakeholders, fostering understanding and informed decision-making.
• Data Utilization: Understanding of how ledger data supports analytics, reporting, and business intelligence, ensuring data is fit for purpose.

Risk Identification and Change Management:

Insights and Optimization: Leverage data profiling and analytics outputs to identify and drive opportunities to optimize data quality and usage.
Risk and Issue Management: Report and manage risks and issues through the preparation and analysis of large datasets in the Strategic Ledger and associated applications.

Technical Acumen:
Experience with Python, Knime, AI/ML, SQL required.
Ledger Technologies: Foundational understanding of the underlying technology of the specific ledger implementation.

Other:
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders including business users, IT, legal, compliance, audit, and external vendors.
Communication & Influence: Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills to articulate data governance concepts, policies, and their importance to all levels of the organization.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to think strategically about data as an asset and its role in achieving organizational goals.
Team Leadership: Capability to lead, mentor, and develop a team of data governance professionals.
Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex data governance challenges.
Issue Resolution: Leads the identification and drive resolution of issues, including those outside established programs of work.
Delivery: Drives adherence to program processes, procedures, methods, and standards for program delivery and leverage across the program.
Governance: Directs the communication of status, issue, and risk disposition to all stakeholders, including senior management, on a timely basis.
Governance: Ensures all stakeholders are identified and included in scope definition activities, understand the program schedule and key milestones, and receive schedule status regularly.

Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency.

Qualifications:
15+ years of relevant work experience.
In depth knowledge of banking products/systems and how own sub-function contributes to achieving the objectives of the function.
Experience leading global data teams for finance transformation programs is required.
Excellent communication skills required in order to negotiate internally, often at a senior level.
Frequently involved with a variety of broad based and complex issues requiring conceptual thinking.
Should demonstrate a commitment to quality and attention to detail.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Knowledge of Data analytics, Data processes and Operating Models.

Education:
Bachelor's/University degree or equivalent experience, potentially Masters degree

Job Family Group:
Finance

Job Family:
Financial Solutions Design & Implementation

Time Type:
Full time

Primary Location:
Getzville New York United States

Primary Location Full Time Salary Range:
$170,000.00 - $300,000.00

In addition to salary, Citi's offerings may also include, for eligible employees, discretionary and formulaic incentive and retention awards. Citi offers competitive employee benefits, including: medical, dental & vision coverage; 401(k); life, accident, and disability insurance; and wellness programs. Citi also offers paid time off packages, including planned time off (vacation), unplanned time off (sick leave), and paid holidays. For additional information regarding Citi employee benefits, please visit citibenefits.com. Available offerings may vary by jurisdiction, job level, and date of hire.

Most Relevant Skills
Assessment, Change Management, Communication, Credible Challenge, Management Reporting, Problem Solving, Program Management, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Planning.

Other Relevant Skills
For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

Anticipated Posting Close Date:
Jan 27, 2026

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