Senior Director, Technical Accounting & Financial Reporting

Blackline Systems Inc; United States; Hybrid; USD 224,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

BlackLine seeks a Senior Director, Technical Accounting & Financial Reporting to serve as the subject-matter expert across complex accounting and external reporting. This leader will own US GAAP and SEC reporting, drive adoption of AI in reporting, and own the data warehouse reporting capability, shaping the finance function in a transformative era.

The role partners with the Controller, CAO, CFO, and cross-functional teams, leading Customer Zero and reporting improvements while maintaining a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Active CPA credential.
• 12+ years of progressive accounting experience including public accounting and in-house technical accounting/external reporting.
• Deep expertise in US GAAP and SEC reporting and in drafting technical memos.
• Experience owning or contributing to SEC filings and external reporting close.
• Strong understanding of internal controls and SOX.
• Proven leadership and ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication to translate technical concepts for finance and non-finance audiences.

Responsibilities

• Serve as go-to authority on complex and emerging accounting matters (ASC 606, business combinations, stock-based compensation, leases, debt/equity).
• Own preparation and review of external financial reporting deliverables (SEC filings, earnings support, disclosures).
• Monitor new accounting standards and lead adoption and implementation.
• Partner with external auditors and internal audit; support SOX and control environment.
• Advise senior leaders on accounting implications of transactions and business decisions.

Skills

CPA

US GAAP

SEC reporting

SOX/compliance

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

BlackLine

Snowflake

ERP systems

Job description

Make Your Mark:

We're looking for a Senior Director, Technical Accounting & Financial Reporting to serve as BlackLine's subject-matter expert across complex accounting and external reporting, while playing a leading role in the transformation of our own finance organization. Beyond owning the technical accounting and SEC/financial reporting mandate, this leader will drive three strategic initiatives that make BlackLine's finance team a showcase for the market: advancing our Customer Zero journey (being the first and best user of our own platform), leading AI adoption across the reporting function, and owning the strategy and rollout of our data warehouse reporting capability. This is a rare opportunity to shape both what we report and how modern finance teams should operate in the agentic era.

You’ll Get To:

Technical Accounting & Financial Reporting (Subject-Matter Expert)

• Serve as the go-to authority on complex and emerging accounting matters (e.g., revenue recognition/ASC 606, business combinations, stock-based compensation, leases, debt/equity, and other judgmental areas), delivering clear, well-documented technical accounting positions and memos.
• Own the preparation and review of external financial reporting deliverables, including SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K), earnings support, and disclosures, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with US GAAP and SEC requirements.
• Monitor new accounting standards and regulatory developments, assess impact to BlackLine, and lead adoption and implementation.
• Partner with external auditors and internal audit; support SOX compliance and maintain a strong control environment across reporting processes.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the Controller, CAO, CFO, and cross-functional partners (FP&A, Legal, Tax, Treasury, Investor Relations) on the accounting implications of transactions and business decisions.

Finance Transformation & Customer Zero

• Lead BlackLine's Customer Zero agenda for technical accounting and reporting - championing the adoption and use of our own products to run BlackLine's reporting processes.
• Push BlackLine's finance team to the leading edge of product usage, piloting new and early-release capabilities ahead of the broader market and pressure-testing them in a live, high-stakes enterprise environment.
• Serve as a structured, credible source of product feedback to Product and Engineering, translating real-world reporting needs into roadmap influence and helping shape features before they reach customers.
• Be referenceable to customers and prospects - participating in customer briefings, executive roundtables, advisory boards, and field events to share how BlackLine uses BlackLine, and serving as a proof point for the value of the platform.
• Design and continuously improve reporting workflows to reduce cycle time, strengthen controls, and free the team to focus on analysis and judgment over manual effort.

AI Adoption

• Lead the responsible adoption of AI - including BlackLine's Verity AI and agentic capabilities - across the technical accounting and financial reporting function.
• Identify high-value use cases (e.g., disclosure drafting support, standards research, reconciliation and tie-out, variance and flux commentary, control evidence), pilot them, and scale what works while maintaining auditability, governance, and human oversight.
• Establish practical guardrails and best practices for AI use in a controlled reporting environment, and share those learnings both internally and, where appropriate, with customers.
• Build AI fluency across the team, helping accountants shift from manual preparation toward review, judgment, and strategic insight.

Data Warehouse Reporting Tool (Financial Reporting Scope)

• Own the strategy, design, governance, and rollout of BlackLine's data warehouse reporting capability specific to financial reporting-related areas - creating a trusted, single source of truth for the general ledger, consolidations, external/SEC reporting, disclosures, and management reporting.
• Establish data governance, reconciliation, and controls so that warehouse-driven financial reporting is audit-ready and ties directly to the general ledger, consolidation, and reported results.
• Drive adoption across the reporting and controllership stakeholders, replacing manual and spreadsheet-based financial reporting with automated, real-time visibility.

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Active CPA.
• 12+ years of progressive accounting experience, including a strong foundation in public accounting (Big 4 preferred) and in-house technical accounting/external reporting at a public company.
• Deep, current expertise in US GAAP and SEC reporting, with a track record of resolving complex technical accounting matters and drafting technical memos.
• Experience owning or heavily contributing to SEC filings and the external reporting close.
• Strong understanding of internal controls and SOX.
• Demonstrated leadership: ability to lead and develop a team, drive cross-functional initiatives, and influence senior stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication - able to translate technical complexity into clear guidance for finance and non-finance audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience at a SaaS/technology company.
• Hands-on experience with BlackLine and/or finance transformation, automation, or ERP/reporting system implementations.
• Familiarity with data warehousing, BI/reporting tools, and modern data platforms (e.g., Snowflake).
• Experience piloting or scaling AI in a finance/accounting context.
• Comfort serving as a customer-facing reference or thought leader.

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 BlackLiner'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: $224,000.00-$280,000.00

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.