James Watkins

About James Watkins

As a Finance and Accounting Leader, I oversee and optimize financial operations, ensuring adherence to regulatory and internal standards while spearheading budgeting, forecasting, and meticulous financial reporting. I foster strategic partnerships with senior leadership, distilling intricate financial data into actionable insights that steer business decisions. Moreover, I collaborate seamlessly across functions, facilitating a cohesive approach to financial planning and reporting. I am the linchpin for stakeholder communication, producing insightful reports, and serving as the conduit between financial strategies and the overarching business objectives. I design and implement robust finance and accounting systems, fortifying the organization\'s financial infrastructure to meet present needs and anticipate future demands. My dedication to continuous improvement promotes growth and innovation within myself and teammates, enabling the organization to evolve and thrive amidst dynamic market landscapes.Core Competencies:Financial Planning & Analysis | Forecasting | Annual Planning | Budgeting | Capital Management | Growth Strategies | Efficiency | Corporate Communications | GAAP Accounting | Month-end Close | Variance Analysis | Financial Statement Preparation | Collaboration | Creative Problem-solving | Purpose-driven Leadership | Control Design, Implementation and Review | Oracle Hyperion Financial Management | SAP Business Planning and Consolidation (SAP BPC)| IBM Planning Analytics TM1 | Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Word, and Outlook)

Experience

1. Senior Accounting Manager

   Veritiv

   Apr 2025 — Present · Atlanta, GA, US

   Manager general ledger and month-end close process for acquired companies in complex, multi-system environments (including Sage, Great Plains, Infor, QuickBooks), consistently delivering accurate and timely financial results.• Drive GAAP compliance initiatives, including transitioning entities from cash to accrual accounting and standardizing reporting to improve accuracy, consistency, and financial transparency.• Oversee the cash conversion cycle by strengthening payables and receivables processes, capturing early-pay opportunities, and improving working capital performance through disciplined aging management.• Partner in end-to-end finance and accounting integration efforts for acquisitions, including system transitions and the alignment of policies, processes, and controls to support smooth onboarding and scalable operations.• Serve as the primary point of contact for external audits, ensuring audit readiness, timely coordination, and effective issue resolution.• Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders across operations, finance, treasury, tax, and accounting to provide financial clarity and support informed business decisions.

Education

• Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

• University of Central Florida

  Bachelor of Science - BS

• Daytona State College

  Associate of Arts - AA