Josette Melanson Email & Phone Number

Toronto, On, Ca

Toronto, Canada Area

Strategic senior executive that can transform and improve finance or business processes with technology. Rich experience re-engineering end to end business processes beyond finance. Expertise leading large cross functional projects: complex M&A's, SAP implementation, system upgrades, strategic system roadmaps with a specialty in finance close and reporting, planning, procure to pay and product costing.

Led the finance, risk and compliance teams that supported the largest global shared service division, which provided IT, Corporate Real Estate and other business services to Sun Life employees and clients. Responsible for the strategic and operational execution of the finance operations functions (accounts payable, fixed assets and employee travel reimbursement) and financial systems for the North American and India Service Center businesses. Board member of the Sun Life India Service Center.• Increased cost transparency by improving business partnering with divisional leaders and peer finance organizations. Launched an improved strategic planning process, facilitating timely integration with business plans and prioritization of key initiatives. • Reorganized the finance team, processes and financial reporting to provide a framework that contributed to the transformation to a strategic business services organization.• Met cost recovery objectives and managed a budget representing over 30% of the company’s operating expenses. Created internal products and services, chargeback mechanisms, fully allocated unit costs and a reporting process to fairly represent a business unit’s utilization and ability to benchmark unit costs• Improved financial planning processes and analytics by implementing Hyperion Planning. The tools and processes deployed were subsequently leveraged by other business unit finance groups • Led the strategic systems roadmap assessment and M&A activities for the company’s shared financial applications. Enabled finance peer groups to plan resources and activities, confirmed the need for key system upgrades and prepared the organization for invasive regulatory changes such as IFRS 16 and 17• Managed volume growth in financial transactions of 20% while reducing staff complement by 10% through process improvements and launching a digital, automated tool for employee travel reimbursement

Special Assignments in addition to the day to day: Integration Lead Pfizer-Wyeth acquisition from (2009-2010) and Canada Business/IT Lead - SAP implementation (2006-2008) Led the information technology- application development and support teams, with a dual reporting relationship to the Canadian VP Finance and Global VP International Information Systems. Drove the strategic direction and operational support for Sales and Marketing, Manufacturing, Distribution, Finance, Human Resource and other business applications. • Reorganized the team to introduce scalability of resources supporting project work, leading to 15% reduction in staffing• Led the strategic roadmap for the company’s business analytical tools as well as the implementation of documentation management, translation and employee performance management tools• Led the deal discovery phase for Wyeth Canada and International IT. Subject matter expert for Wyeth International Finance sites. Successfully completed the fiscal date change required for financial reporting for 38 countries, 76 general ledgers.• Led the implemented the SAP Manufacturing, Distribution, Plant Maintenance, Finance and Procure to Pay modules for the 2 Canadian legal entities, 5 sites, remediated the impact to related applications and the concurrent outsourcing of key finance functions, meeting all key project metrics. Canada was a key deployment for the company and led to improved operational visibility and effectiveness across US and international sites

Business Finance Lead responsible for planning, forecasting, reporting and analysis and the corporate transfer pricing processes, including the recommendation of target intercompany transfer prices and contemporaneous documentation for Tax. Finance representative on major integrated brand teams.• Restructured the team and led the re-engineering of the budget, forecast and financial reporting processes and systems to facilitate decisions and prioritization. This deployment received the Business Performance Management Vision Award, presented by the Business Finance Magazine for its alignment of operational activities to strategic imperatives.• Successfully implemented a new chart of accounts, providing key input and creative alternatives to corporate finance group. Implemented a transfer pricing reporting process and tool to support tax ‘s contemporaneous documentation.

Special Assignment in addition to the day-to-day role: Project Lead – JDEdward Corporate system implementation 1997-1999 – reporting to the PresidentLed the corporate accounting, financial reporting and consolidation functions. Organized the activities and managed the relationship with internal and externa auditors. Led the strategic and operational support for the company’s budget/forecast, finance operations (AP, AR, Fixed Assets) and reporting systems, including the general ledger.• Led the financial amalgamation analysis and activities for Wyeth Canada with Cyanamid Canada. Implemented a new reporting process to manage pre and post financial views.• Defined the combined team structure for the controller’s and finance operations groups.• Led the financial systems migration for all modules from the Cyanamid Canada to Wyeth Canada’s applications.• Successfully migrated the financial, customer service and distribution modules and implemented the integrated manufacturing functions on time and on budget.

Mba, Management

Cpa (Cga), Accounting

B.Comm, Finance