Lead Technical Accountant

The Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects, supporting global collaboration to make information accessible to everyone. The organization is seeking a Lead Technical Accountant to provide expertise in accounting policy, financial reporting, and internal controls. This role focuses on supporting audits, maintaining compliance with accounting standards, guiding financial governance, and partnering with cross-functional teams to ensure accurate financial reporting across the Foundation and the Wikimedia Endowment.

The Wikimedia Foundation is seeking a Lead Technical Accountant to join its Accounting team and provide subject matter expertise on accounting policy, financial reporting, and internal controls. This role supports the financial governance of both the Wikimedia Foundation and the Wikimedia Endowment by ensuring compliance with accounting standards, strengthening internal controls, and supporting external audit processes. The position requires strong collaboration with teams across Finance, Legal, Advancement, and other departments to maintain high-quality financial reporting within a global nonprofit organization.

Responsibilities:
- Provide technical accounting guidance and maintain clear, up-to-date accounting policies and procedures
- Lead key components of annual financial statement audits and coordinate responses to auditor inquiries
- Support preparation and review of Form 990 filings for the Foundation and Wikimedia Endowment
- Research and evaluate new or emerging accounting standards and guide implementation across teams
- Review and improve internal controls over financial reporting and identify process improvement opportunities
- Advise internal teams on revenue and expense recognition matters and financial reporting implications

Requirements:
- Active CPA license or equivalent international certification with strong US GAAP expertise
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance with at least 8 years of relevant experience
- Experience supporting financial statement audits and nonprofit reporting such as Form 990
- Strong knowledge of US GAAP, nonprofit accounting principles, and financial reporting standards
- Experience designing and testing internal controls, including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) frameworks
- Ability to clearly communicate complex accounting concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Benefits:
- Fully remote work environment with global team collaboration
- Competitive salary with location-adjusted compensation
- Professional development opportunities and collaborative culture
- Mission-driven nonprofit environment supporting global knowledge access

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to financial transparency and governance while supporting the global mission of providing free knowledge to millions of people worldwide.