Lead Technical Accountant

About the Role

The Wikimedia Foundation is seeking a Lead Technical Accountant to join its Accounting team, reporting to the Senior Manager of Accounting and Financial Reporting within Finance and Administration. In this role, you will serve as a key subject matter expert on accounting policy, financial reporting, and internal controls. As a Lead Technical Accountant, you are responsible for providing technical accounting guidance, ensuring accounting policies remain clear, current, and consistently applied across the organization.

You will lead key components of annual financial statement audits, Form 990 financial reporting, and internal controls over financial reporting. Your work will directly impact financial reporting quality for both the Wikimedia Foundation and the Wikimedia Endowment standalone legal entities.

Key Responsibilities

• Simplify complex financial accounting concepts into actionable strategies and clear guidance for stakeholders
• Maintain and improve the Foundation's accounting and financial governance policies and procedures to enhance financial reporting quality and support adherence to GAAP
• Lead key components of annual financial audits for both entities, including preparing audit support schedules and coordinating auditor responses
• Support preparation of Form 990 filings, including data gathering, schedule review, and accuracy verification
• Research, evaluate, and document conclusions on emerging accounting standards, selecting appropriate methodologies and leading cross-functional implementation
• Review and enhance internal controls over financial reporting, including documentation, process analysis, gap identification, and improvement recommendations
• Lead process improvement projects related to accounting and internal controls, assessing constraints and designing sustainable enhancements
• Advise departments on revenue and expense recognition matters, providing clear technical guidance
• Support treasury and investment operations, including cash monitoring, investment activity tracking, and cash forecasting for liquidity planning

Requirements

• Active CPA license required (or equivalent international certification)
• Strong expertise in accounting policy, financial reporting standards, and internal controls
• Experience with nonprofit accounting and Form 990 preparation
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex financial audits and coordinate with external auditors
• Excellent communication skills for translating technical accounting concepts to diverse stakeholders

Location Note: This is a fully remote position. Candidates must be located within UTC-5 to UTC-8 timezones due to team collaboration requirements.