Director of Technical Accounting and Operations

The Director of Special Projects & Technical Accounting will be responsible for managing complex accounting projects, overseeing operational accounting processes, and ensuring the organization complies with all financial reporting standards. This role will focus on enhancing operational efficiency and effectiveness, aligning financial reporting and accounting practices with business operations, and leading the implementation of accounting-related operational improvements. The director will play a key role in special projects involving finance systems, process optimization, and cross-functional initiatives, working closely with various levels of the business to drive operational excellence and accounting accuracy.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Accounting:

• Lead the technical accounting projects, ensuring adherence to U.S. GAAP or IFRS, including the research and implementation of new accounting standards.
• Provide strategic direction on complex accounting topics such as revenue recognition, lease accounting, commissions, business combinations, and consolidations.
• Oversee and refine accounting policies, ensuring they align with both financial and operational goals.

• Serve as the subject matter expert (SME) for all technical accounting matters, providing support to operational teams to ensure accounting transactions are accurate and compliants.

Operational:

• Work closely with the operations team to understand business processes and identify opportunities to streamline accounting functions and improve operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with operational teams to ensure seamless integration between accounting systems and operational workflows.
• Lead initiatives that drive operational and accounting efficiencies, such as automation of financial processes, reporting enhancements, and system integrations.
• Evaluate existing operational processes and recommend solutions to enhance financial reporting, forecasting, and budgeting processes from an operational standpoint.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting of operational activities, driving transparency between financial and operational performance.

Special Projects:

• Oversee and manage special projects related to operational improvements, systems upgrades, and finance transformations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., operations, IT, legal) to define and execute the scope of projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Act as the lead on financial system implementations or upgrades, ensuring that operational needs are considered in accounting system design and functionality.
• Provide leadership on projects that affect both operational and financial performance, managing key stakeholders and timelines.
• Monitor project risks and issues, ensuring successful delivery on schedule and within budget.

Team Leadership and Collaboration:

• Foster a culture of collaboration between the finance, operations, and IT teams to ensure that technical accounting requirements align with operational needs and practices.
• Guide team members in understanding the operational impact of accounting decisions and provide development opportunities for their professional growth.

Strategic Guidance & Reporting:

• Prepare and present monthly financial reports to executive leadership, highlighting the status of special projects, technical accounting issues, and operational improvements.
• Prepare and present annual financial statements in accordance with US GAAP and applicable statutory requirements
• Monitor and report on key financial performance metrics and progress on special projects.
• Ensure compliance with regulations and internal controls related to financial reporting.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA, CA, or equivalent professional certification required).
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in technical accounting with at least 4 years in a leadership role, ideally within both finance and operational settings.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and experience in accounting for complex transactions.
• Proven experience driving operational improvements, including process automation, system enhancements, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience with financial systems (ERP, BI tools) and operational system integrations.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to translate operational challenges into actionable accounting solutions.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to work across all levels of the organization and explain complex financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to lead multiple projects and deliver results on time and within scope.