Jess Knight Email & Phone Number

Sandy, UT, US

Salt Lake City, UT, US

Mentoring English students in the South America South Area using the English Connect 3 platform.

I have retired after a wonderful career with the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints and related entities. It provided the opportunity to work with amazing people all around the world. Thank you all for your contributions to this fulfilling experience.

Provo, UT, US

Salt Lake City, Utah, US

• Chief Financial Officer Vice President of Finance and IS/IT
• As a member of the executive team, engage in the development of strategy and direction
• Serve as a Director and/or Officer of several U.S. and International legal entities
• Engage with all levels of the organization to protect and enhance the company’s assets
• Lead a dynamic Finance and Systems team that supports a complex organization of 48 entities in multiple countries
• Responsible for evaluating business success, monitoring internal controls and directing process improvement

• Finance and Records Department
• Led the Controllership effort to develop processes for the establishment of the Global Service Center, reducing the number of finance staff in areas and departments
• Served as technical advisor to areas and departments and provided a fiduciary connection to the Controller
• Participated with Managing Directors to ensure effective risk and control assessment, management, and monitoring
• Developed organization-wide succession planning model, increasing collaboration across areas and departments, and strengthening financial leadership
• Trained local nationals at Headquarters, strengthening controllership and reducing the need for expatriates

• Materials Management Department
• Led global sourcing activities to identify, qualify, negotiate, and contract with supply partners capable of providing products and services with the best net value
• Leveraged the volume of spend in cooperation with departments, areas, universities and affiliates, to maximize savings and increase the efficiency of purchasing operations
• Provided global training and support to strengthen and simplify sourcing activities

• Finance and Records Department
• Responsible for the financial operations of five international areas
• Coordinated the testing and rollout of Physical Facilities and Treasury Systems
• Developed scalable controllership model
• Led the process documentation effort with the international areas

• Budget and Financial Services Department.
• Provided information and recommendations to the Budget and Appropriations Committee
• Primary budget contact for the Educational System, including colleges and universities; summarized all sources and uses of funds for the highest level of approval
• Streamlined the budgeting process and implemented a new system, shortening preparation and review time
• Designed and implemented project budget process, reducing the number of individual appropriations
• Responsible for the global budgeting process for all the non-profit entities of the Church

• Director of Finance and Systems - Audiovisual DepartmentChief Financial Officer - Deseret Media Production, Inc.
• Founding Chief Financial Officer, developed corporate accounting and government reporting processes and systems
• Responsible for all finance and information system aspects of the department and corporation
• Designed accounting, reporting, and hired staff for two major productions, and the broadcast system project for the Conference Center in Salt Lake City

• Budget and Financial Services Department
• Member of Financial Information Systems Core Team oEvaluated, selected, and implemented PeopleSoft financial system

• Finance Department
• Implemented the change from a centralized to a decentralized accounting system

• Central America Area
• Led the transition from an area dependent on Mexico to an independent area office
• Established the Information Systems Function for the area
• On-site multi-functional responsibilities included Finance, Records, Information Systems, and Internal Control Functions for all Central American countries

• Mexico Area
• On-site manager of Financial, Treasury, and Tax functions for 16 separate entities in Mexico

• Europe Area
• On-site manager of Financial, Treasury, and Tax functions for 6 regional offices in Europe
• Managed European investment portfolio
• Extensive communications with multiple nationalities, languages, and cultures

• Developed the accounting structure and staffed a new division which acquired 30 dairy and farming operations within a 6 month period

• Finance and Records Department
• Provided construction accounting support to domestic and international areas and performed internal audits