Senior Director, Finance Shared Services

Barry-Wehmiller•St. Louis, MO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology solutions, powered by a deeply held belief: “Everybody Matters.” Across more than 120 companies and 12,000+ team members, we thrive by fostering a people‑centric culture built on trust, continuous learning, and meaningful work. Our Finance Shared Services Director will play a critical role in extending this culture into a world-class global service organization. Role Overview The Director, Finance Shared Services will lead Barry‑Wehmiller’s multi‑location shared services organization, elevating process excellence across critical finance activities, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, and Master Data Management. This leader will champion continuous improvement, deploy best‑in‑class automation technologies (AI/RPA), and build an empowered team that delivers exceptional service to our global businesses. This position requires an experienced shared services leader who is both strategic and deeply operational, and who embodies Barry-Wehmiller’s commitment to caring leadership and long-term value creation. What Makes This Role Unique At Barry‑Wehmiller, leadership is defined not by authority but by stewardship—the responsibility to care for those we are privileged to lead. This role is ideal for someone who wants to build something enduring, elevate people’s lives, and shape a shared services organization rooted in trust, efficiency, and continuous learning.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in finance shared services, including leading multi-function teams; global experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated leadership of continuous improvement programs (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent).
Fluency in automation technologies, including RPA platforms (e.g., UiPath), AI/ML tools, intelligent OCR, workflow systems, and analytics platforms.
Proven ability to deliver transformational change while cultivating a positive, people-centric team environment.
Strong process orientation with an ability to simplify, standardize, and scale.
Excellent communication skills and ability to influence at all levels.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading shared services in a multi‑business, global manufacturing or industrial environment.
Background working with hybrid and offshore delivery models.
Certifications in CI (Lean, Six Sigma) or automation technologies.
Familiarity with Microsoft D365/F&O environment
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance

Responsibilities

Shared Services Leadership & Strategy Build and lead a cohesive, high-performing shared services organization aligned to BW’s culture of caring, performance, and service.
Implement a scalable operating model for global shared services, ensuring consistent processes, strong internal controls, and outstanding service delivery.
Create a compelling multi-year roadmap for efficiency, modernization, and continuous improvement.
Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence Instill a CI mindset across the team—driving standardization, waste elimination, root‑cause problem solving, and measurable performance improvement.
Design processes and workflows that are simple, reliable, and continuously optimized.
Partner with operational excellence leaders to develop CI skills within the team and embed a culture of ongoing improvement.
Automation, Technology & AI Enablement Serve as a thought leader on finance process automation, championing the use of AI, RPA, workflow automation, machine learning, and analytics to transform service delivery.
Identify opportunities to automate manual processes, improve data accuracy, and enhance service speed.
Partner with IT and business units to ensure technologies are adopted effectively, responsibly, and securely, including new ERP technologies.
People-Centric Team Leadership Lead with empathy and clarity, fostering an environment where team members feel valued, respected, and supported in their development.
Invest in coaching, skill-building, and career pathways for all levels of the shared services organization.
Model Barry‑Wehmiller leadership behaviors: listening, recognition, empowerment, and stewardship.
Stakeholder Partnership Build trust-based relationships with business unit finance leaders, controllers, and operational teams.
Serve as a strategic advisor to the CFO and senior leadership on shared services structure, performance, talent, and technology innovation.
Ensure service performance is transparent, communicated, and continuously improved.