Head of Technical Accounting and External Reporting

POSITION SUMMARY

Umoja is recruiting a highly motivated Head of Technical Accounting and External reporting to help advance its mission. The Executive Director, Technical Accounting and External reporting is a CPA and a senior member of the accounting team reporting to the Chief Financial Officer with a dotted lined to the Executive Director, Controller.  They will be responsible for all technical accounting and external financial reporting activities, equity management and accounting, and oversite of tax related activities. The candidate will also partner with Controller to ensure internal controls remain in a SOX-compliant manner and assist managing key relationships with external accounting and audit service providers, as required. The successful candidate will have public biotech company experience with the ability to prepare the company for IPO and SEC reporting requirements.

REQUIREMENTS 

Specific responsibilities include:  

• Establish scalable SEC reporting processes in partnership with the Controller to support life as a public company, including forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, proxy statements and registration statements.
• Oversight and responsibility for development of consolidated financial pages in partnership with Controller.
• Monitor emerging SEC rules, accounting standards, and disclosure expectations affecting biotech and R&D-drive companies.
• Partner closely with Controller, external auditors, and internal audit team to ensure appropriate SOX scoping decisions and where appropriate, control design and operating effectiveness.
• Serve as the Company’ primary technical accounting authority (e.g business combinations, asset acquisitions, collaborations and licensing agreements) and develop accounting memos as appropriate.
• Lead all efforts related to equity accounting and equity programs in partnership with HR, legal teams, and controller, including equity related disclosures and equity based compensation.
• Lead the selection and transition efforts, in partnership with the controller, to a new Stock Plan Administrator platform if the company completes an IPO.
• Review contracts and agreements and identify areas with potentially complex accounting treatment.
• Lead, mentor and grow a dedicated team of accounting professionals.
• Ensure appropriate tax reporting and filing requirements.
• Partner closely with underwriters, legal counsel, and valuation specialists during creation and maintenance of registrational statements.
• Scale team as appropriate, including hiring and retaining top accounting talent, as the business becomes more complex and if we become a public company.
• Partner with FP&A lead to establish quarterly budget to actual variance discussions with CFO

The successful candidate will have:

• Bachelors in Finance, Accounting or Business. CPA required. Masters preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of experience with a minimum of 10 years of experience in a biotech company, or a mix of public and private experience with an emphasis in biotech and life science companies.
• Big 4 experience strongly preferred.
• Direct experience in biotechnology with private to public company transitions and follow-on equity offers and mergers and acquisitions .
• Strong communication and presentation skills. Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort with uncertainty and demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment under tight timelines and independently determine appropriate action where precedent may not exist.
• Detail-oriented and results-driven with bias for action and sense of urgency.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to influence, collaborate, resolve conflicts, and build consensus with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with high expectations and ability to effectively manage multiple competing priorities effectively.

Physical Requirements:  

• Role requires a minimum of two days per week working in the office.

Salary Range: $240,380 - $282,800