Head of Accounting Policy

The shape of it

In the posting’s own words

In this role, you will be the company's authority on how we account for what we do: usage-based and enterprise revenue arrangements, large compute and infrastructure transactions, complex financing and equity instruments, and M&A and investment activity. You'll build the technical accounting function from a strong foundation into one that operates at public-company grade — establishing the whitepaper and position-memo discipline that lets us take well-supported positions on novel, first-of-kind transactions, defend them with our external auditors (including their national office), and be ready for public-company-grade reporting when the company needs it.

What it asks for · 6

• Active CPA license
• Public accounting tenure at a top firm that reached at least Director, Managing Director, or Partner — or national office Senior Manager selected into the SEC's Professional Accounting Fellow program
• Deep US GAAP expertise and strong command of SEC reporting requirements
• Experience leading a technical accounting and/or accounting policy function at a high-growth technology company
• Demonstrated ability to research, conclude, and document positions on complex and novel accounting issues, and to defend them with external auditors
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain complex accounting matters to non-accountants and senior leadership

Also a plus

• 15+ years of combined experience across public accounting and industry
• Service at the US Securities and Exchange Commission — in particular, the Office of the Chief Accountant's Professional Accounting Fellow (PAF) program (an approximately two-year fellowship), or comparable senior SEC staff roles such as Associate Chief Accountant in the Office of the Chief Accountant or senior roles in the Division of Corporation Finance
• FASB, EITF, or other standard-setting exposure (task force membership, fellowships, or substantive comment-letter and liaison work)
• Public speaking on technical accounting topics, such as remarks at the AICPA Conference on Current SEC and PCAOB Developments or similar venues
• National office experience at a major firm (accounting standards, accounting consultation, or professional practice groups)
• Experience preparing a private company for public-company-grade reporting

What the job covers

• Own the company's accounting policy framework: establish, document, and maintain US GAAP accounting policies across all significant areas, and keep them current as the business and the standards evolve
• Serve as the lead technical advisor on novel and first-of-kind transactions, including usage-based and enterprise revenue arrangements (ASC 606), large compute and infrastructure commitments, complex financing and equity instruments, and M&A and investments
• Build and institutionalize a whitepaper and position-memo discipline: rigorous, well-cited technical memos that document the company's accounting conclusions and stand up to auditor and regulator scrutiny
• Lead technical discussions with our external auditors and SEC, including engagement on complex or unsettled issues, and drive timely resolution of technical matters
• Prepare the company for public-company-grade external reporting: SEC-style financial statements, disclosures, and the supporting close and reporting processes and controls
• Monitor, assess, and lead adoption of new FASB standards and SEC rules, including impact assessments, implementation plans, and cross-functional execution
• Partner with Legal, Tax, FP&A, and business and deal teams early in transaction design, so accounting consequences are understood — and where appropriate, shaped — before deals are signed
• Advise on equity, financing, and capital-markets transactions, including the accounting for complex instruments and arrangements
• Lead, and develop a high-caliber technical accounting and accounting policy team as the function scales
• Support reporting to company leadership and the Audit Committee on significant accounting positions, judgments, and estimates
• Help design and strengthen controls over complex-area accounting in support of a SOX-ready control environment
• Represent the company externally where useful, including in comment letters and engagement with standard setters and industry groups

Tools and skills named

Words the posting leans on

• accounting24×
• technical9×
• transactions7×
• complex6×
• reporting6×
• sec6×
• senior5×
• technical accounting5×
• accounting policy4×
• experience4×
• lead4×
• standards4×
• chief accountant3×
• controls3×
• deal3×
• document3×

Counted from the posting after the mission statement and the legal notices are set aside. The ones near the top are the ones a screener is looking for.

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