Principal Strategic Optimization Consultant

Blackline Systems Inc; United States; Hybrid; USD 132,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

BlackLine is seeking a Platform Adoption Services Principal to partner with customers on strategy, process, and technology for end-to-end digital transformation in the accounting and finance function.

The role requires deep BlackLine expertise, strong accounting knowledge, and the ability to challenge customers’ processes while delivering innovative optimization solutions and executive-level guidance. You will drive adoption, revenue, and customer success through consultation and leadership.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in accounting/auditing and/or accounting/financial industry software solutions.
• 6+ years customer facing experience.
• 5+ years BlackLine experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience building relationships.
• Strategic focus with actionable plans.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and high‑pressure situations.

Responsibilities

• Use the Transformation Framework to guide customers through digital transformation.
• Generate pipeline and close on billable consulting engagements.
• Assess current state processes, challenge the current state, and architect solutions.
• Design original, innovative solutions for complex customer challenges.
• Articulate value of optimized solutions and document use cases for reuse.
• Provide coaching and guidance for POCs and engage with customer leadership.

Skills

Accounting knowledge

Client-facing experience

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Sales & pipeline development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Economics or Business Administration

Job description

Make Your Mark:

The Platform Adoption Services Principal partners with customers to integrate strategy, process, and technology while providing thought leadership to optimize the accounting & finance function. Through the Transformation Framework, professional optimization consulting helps customers 1) understand their end game 2) understand the keys to a successful journey 3) envision end-to-end process optimization with BlackLine 4) organize their journey based on the nine foundational accounting process categories 5) assess their current state and develop a roadmap for process optimization 6) optimize processes using the 7 steps to process optimization. Consultant partners with customers to design and drive a digital transformation roadmap leveraging BlackLine. The role partners with Account Managers to develop a plan to deploy the key elements of the Transformation Framework to advance the customers’ digital transformation journey. The role challenges the customer's processes and designs innovative solutions to advance the customers’ digital transformation journey, increasing adoption and expansion of BlackLine, driving consulting services revenues, preventing attrition and churn, and continually enriching the customer experience. The role leverages their BlackLine expertise, accounting, internal controls, and process optimization expertise, as well as their professional judgment to provide leading practice optimization strategies, insights, and deliverables. These deliverables include original, innovative solutions for complex customer challenges, consulting services, process redesign and transformation, solution architecture specific to the customers’ challenges, one to many thought leadership, Executive touchpoints and strategy sessions, and recommendations to accelerate customer’s accounting innovation journey. Most importantly, the role must be confident in the unknown as many customers require assistance in understanding their own processes before considering optimization with BlackLine. All facets of the role are designed to drive customers’ successful digital transformation journey.

You'll Get To:

• Use the Transformation Framework, partner with customers as they pursue digital transformation.
• Ensure that customers are aware of all billable services available to partner with them on their journey.
• Generate pipeline and independently close on billable consulting engagements with customers. Responsible for utilizing knowledge of company products and services and developing sales pitches to connect with customers and generate sales.
• Work with customers to assess current state processes, challenge the current state, architect potential solutions, and partner to deliver process optimizations (BlackLine Optimization Blitz).
• Design original, innovative solutions for complex customer challenges where no standard solution currently exists.
• Articulate value and benefits associated with optimized solutions.
• Document process optimization use cases in a way that allows for their use throughout BlackLine.
• Shadow customers as they pursue digital transformation, providing consultative guidance worthy of elevated hourly billing rates to ensure success (BlackLine Optimization Consulting Services).
• Leverage prior and current experiences and expertise to develop and deliver thought leadership to customers through webinars and other multi‑customer events.
• Listen to customers to understand their needs and translate their pain points into actionable BlackLine solutions.
• Use professional judgment and expertise to offer opportunities where customers can provide their processes without written documentation; review and analyze the processes and develop solutions (even when the customer is unsure of their process) based on personal experience and experience with other customers.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and guidance for POCs to assist with more complex process optimizations.
• Engage with customer leadership and partner with AM to understand the customers' goals, objectives, and challenges and adapt our offerings to support their needs.
• Work as a team with Account Managers and other departments on account planning focused on ACV expansion, services revenue, user adoption, referencability, and preventing attrition.
• Deliver actionable advice and expertise to customers regarding using BlackLine's solutions as a foundational technology supporting their digital transformation journey.
• Maintain and elevate BlackLine knowledge as well as other relevant domain knowledge that is imperative for advising customers on their Digital Transformation.
• Identify and communicate on "at‑risk" customers and work with AM and leadership to devise the best approach.
• Exhibit authentic energy for BlackLine solutions and the desire to motivate and engage our customers.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring:

• Years of Experience in Related Field:
• 8+ years of experience in accounting/auditing and/or in accounting/auditing/financial industry software solutions.
• 6+ years customer facing experience (internal or external).
• 5+ years BlackLine experience.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Economics or Business Administration.
• Technical/Specialized Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience building relationships.
• Strategic focus with actionable plans.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, customer needs in high‑pressure situations with poise, diplomacy and tact.
• Comfort and confidence in dealing with the unknown. An ability to complete the puzzle without the final picture being available for reference.
• Highly process‑oriented mindset, with an aptitude for dissecting processes and delivering optimized solutions.
• Excellent listening and empathy skills: identify with the customer and want to help solve their business challenges.
• Desire to be solution focused.
• Strong verbal and written professional communication.
• Demonstrated strong presentation skills including content building and delivery in varied settings (live, recorded, webex, etc).
• Constantly elevate knowledge of BlackLine, current accounting practices, and changes in the industry.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of BlackLine solutions to optimize processes.

We're Even More Excited If You Have:

• Recognized process optimization skills and ability to architect multiple solutions with limited customer support/documentation.
• Demonstrated value communication skills; succinctly tie customer challenges to actionable solutions that deliver value.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Adaptability to changing priorities and customer needs.
• Self‑motivated, proactive team player with a natural curiosity and passion for learning.
• Prioritization and time management skills.
• CPA, CIA or related professional accounting certification.

Thrive at BlackLine Because You Are Joining:

• A technology‑based company with a sense of adventure and a vision for the future. Every door at BlackLine is open. Just bring your brains, your problem‑solving skills, and be part of a winning team at the world’s most trusted name in Finance Automation!
• A culture that is kind, open, and accepting. It's a place where people can embrace what makes them unique, and the mix of cultural backgrounds and varying interests cultivates diverse thought and perspectives.
• A culture where BlackLine's continued growth and learning is empowered. BlackLine offers a wide variety of professional development seminars and inclusive affinity groups to celebrate and support our diversity.

BlackLine is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, age, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, ancestry, color, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, medical condition, genetic information, or any other protected class or category recognized by applicable equal employment opportunity or other similar laws.

BlackLine recognizes that the ways we work and the workplace itself has shifted. We innovate in a workplace that optimizes a combination of virtual and in‑person interactions to maximize collaboration and nurture our culture. Candidates who live within a reasonable commute to one of our offices will work in the office at least 3 days a week.

Salary Range: $132,000.00-$165,000.00

Pay Transparency Statement: Placement within this range depends upon several factors, including the applicant's prior relevant job experience, skill set, and geographic location.

In addition to base pay, BlackLine also offers short‑term and long‑term incentive programs, based on eligibility, along with a robust offering of benefit and wellness plans.

We are committed to pay transparency and ensuring candidates have clear information about compensation expectations. For roles that include variable incentive components such as an Incentive Compensation Plan (ICP) or On‑Target Earnings (OTE), the compensation structure may follow a split model - for example, a 50/50, 70/30, or 60/40 ratio between base salary and variable incentive.

BlackLine is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation that would better enable your success during the application or interview process, please complete this form.

Accommodations: BlackLine is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation that would better enable your success during the application or interview process, please complete this form.