The Lead Technical Accountant will serve as a key subject matter expert on accounting policy, financial reporting, and internal controls at the Wikimedia Foundation. This role involves providing technical accounting guidance, leading audit components, ensuring compliance with US GAAP, and supporting financial reporting for both the Foundation and the Wikimedia Endowment.
What You'll Do
- Simplifying complex financial accounting concepts into actionable strategies and clear guidance for stakeholders.
- Maintaining and improving the Foundation’s accounting and financial governance policies and procedures to enhance the quality of financial reporting and support adherence to generally accepted accounting principles.
- Leading key components of the Foundation’s and the Wikimedia Endowment’s annual financial audits, including preparing audit support schedules and coordinating responses to auditor inquiries.
- Supporting the preparation of the Foundation’s and the Wikimedia Endowment’s Form 990, including gathering data, reviewing schedules, and ensuring information is accurate and complete.
- Researching, evaluating, and documenting conclusions on new or emerging accounting standards, selecting appropriate evaluation methodologies and criteria, and leading cross-functional implementation by designing the adoption approach, establishing timelines, and guiding the accounting team and impacted departments through execution.
- Reviewing and enhancing internal controls over financial reporting, including documenting controls, processes, identifying gaps, and recommending improvements.
- Leading process improvement projects related to accounting and internal controls, independently assessing operational, regulatory, systems, and resource constraints, designing and implementing sustainable enhancements to workflows, documentation, and control environments in partnership with Accounting and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Advising departments on revenue and expense recognition matters by evaluating accounting implications and providing clear guidance.
- Supporting treasury and investment operations, including monitoring cash and investment activity and performing cash forecasting to support liquidity planning and decision-making.
What We're Looking For
- Active CPA license required (or equivalent international certification with strong US GAAP experience).
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance plus 8+ years of relevant experience, including experience in public accounting.
- Solid understanding of US GAAP, nonprofit accounting, and core financial reporting concepts.
- Proven ability to assess accounting issues and communicate recommendations clearly and concisely.
- Experience collaborating with Accounting, Finance, Legal, and other key business partners.
- Strong time-management skills with the ability to plan, prioritize, and handle multiple deadlines.
- Experience with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), including designing, documenting, and testing internal controls.
- High attention to detail and a proactive, solution-oriented approach.
- Proven ability to document accounting conclusions in technical accounting memos, and to draft, maintain, and update accounting policies and internal controls in alignment with COSO standards.
Nice to Have
- Experience supporting audited financial statements and/or Form 990 preparation strongly preferred.
Team & Environment
- Reports to the Senior Manager of Accounting and Financial Reporting within Finance and Administration.
- Values collaboration with a range of stakeholders and knowledge-sharing and transparency.
- Translates complex financial concepts into clear, accessible language for non-experts.
- Committed to the Foundation’s mission and excited to support it through strong financial stewardship.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and adaptable to a rapidly evolving environment.
- Thrives in a results-oriented, collaborative culture.
- Proactive problem solver and self-starter.
- Balances multiple priorities in a diverse, global, and remote-first environment.
- Values diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workplace.
- Encourages people with diverse backgrounds to apply.
- Does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.
Benefits & Compensation
- Fully remote role with collaboration requirements limited to UTC-5 to UTC-8 timezones.
- Salaries set competitively, equitably, and consistently with values and culture.
- Diverse and inclusive workplace with equal opportunity employment.
- Remote-first organization with staff in 40+ countries.
- Access to U.S. benefits and perks for U.S.-based employees (details not specified but implied).
- No consideration of applicant salary history during compensation determination.
The anticipated annual pay range of this position for applicants based within the United States is $105,194 to $159,405. For applicants located outside of the US, the pay range will be adjusted to the country of hire.
Work Mode
Fully remote role; candidates must be located within the UTC-5 to UTC-8 timezones due to team collaboration requirements. Available locations include: US States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Countries: Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
As an equal opportunity employer, the Wikimedia Foundation values having a diverse workforce and continuously strives to maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage people with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate against any person based upon their race, traits historically associated with race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy or related medical conditions, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristics.
