About the job
The Wikimedia Foundation is on the lookout for a skilled Lead Technical Accountant to become an integral part of our Accounting team. Reporting directly to the Senior Manager of Accounting and Financial Reporting within the Finance and Administration division, you will be a pivotal subject matter expert in accounting policy, financial reporting, and internal controls. Your role will encompass offering technical accounting guidance, ensuring our accounting policies are clear, up-to-date, and consistently executed. Additionally, you will take the lead on essential aspects of our annual financial statement audit, Form 990 financial reporting, and maintaining robust internal controls over financial reporting.
Your collaborative efforts will span across various functions, including Finance and Administration, Legal, and Advancement, to guarantee exemplary financial reporting for both the Wikimedia Foundation and the Wikimedia Endowment as independent legal entities.
Please note: This is a fully remote position; however, candidates must reside within UTC-5 to UTC-8 time zones to facilitate team collaboration.
Your Responsibilities Include:
- Simplifying intricate financial accounting concepts into actionable strategies and clear guidance for stakeholders.
- Maintaining and enhancing the Foundation’s accounting and financial governance policies and procedures to improve the quality of financial reporting and ensure adherence to generally accepted accounting principles.
- Leading critical components of the Foundation’s and the Wikimedia Endowment’s annual financial audits, which includes preparing audit support schedules and coordinating responses to auditor inquiries.
- Assisting in the preparation of the Foundation’s and the Wikimedia Endowment’s Form 990 by gathering data, reviewing schedules, and ensuring the accuracy and completeness of information.
- Researching, evaluating, and documenting conclusions on emerging accounting standards, selecting appropriate evaluation methodologies, 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 and processes, identifying gaps, and recommending improvements.
- Leading process improvement projects related to accounting and internal controls, independently assessing operational, regulatory, systems, and resource constraints, and designing and implementing sustainable enhancements to workflows, documentation, and control environments in collaboration with Accounting and cross-functional stakeholders.