Sr. Manager, Accounting Operations & Transformation

About the Role

The Senior Manager, Accounting Operations & Transformation is the execution engine behind the accounting transformation agenda. Where the Director sets strategy and organizational direction, you make it happen. You will own the day-to-day delivery of process improvements, system initiatives, and operational changes across the accounting organization, ensuring that what gets designed actually gets built, adopted, and sustained.

This role serves as the accounting lead on business initiatives from start to finish. You will be brought in early to define accounting requirements, lead user acceptance testing, manage the implementation, and own the stabilization period for several months post go-live. Once the initiative is fully embedded and operating as business as usual, you will transition ownership to the appropriate team and move to the next priority. The ability to drive a clean handoff, without things falling apart after you step back, is a defining measure of success in this role.

This role reports to the Director, Accounting Operations & Transformation and works closely with Finance, IT, and Business Operations. You will be the person who goes deep on the details, understands how the close actually works, knows where the process breaks down, and builds the fixes that hold. This is a hands-on, high-accountability role for someone who takes pride in flawless execution and finishing what they start.

What You Will Do

Execute and Deliver Initiatives

• Serve as the accounting lead on business initiatives from requirements definition through UAT, go-live, and post go-live stabilization
• Own the day-to-day execution of accounting improvement initiatives from kickoff through stabilization
• Manage a structured transition to business as usual once initiatives are fully embedded, ensuring clean handoffs that do not require ongoing intervention
• Manage project workstreams, timelines, and deliverables, keeping work on track and escalating when needed
• Ensure changes are fully implemented and do not revert after go-live, following through until improvements are embedded in daily operations
• Build and maintain SOPs and process documentation so work is repeatable and not dependent on individuals

Drive Process Improvements Across Core Accounting Functions

• Identify and fix recurring issues across AP, AR, GL, Treasury, and Inventory
• Diagnose root causes rather than symptoms, and design practical solutions that can actually be implemented
• Standardize close processes, reconciliation templates, and close cadence across the team
• Identify and remediate data quality issues affecting reconciliations, subledger accuracy, and close reporting

Support Oracle ERP Upgrade Execution

• Own the accounting workstream details for the Oracle upgrade, including readiness planning, process documentation, and coordination with IT
• Lead user acceptance testing for accounting-related system changes and ensure all issues are resolved before go-live
• Serve as the day-to-day point of contact between Accounting and IT during testing and deployment phases
• Support stabilization post go-live, ensuring the team is operating effectively in the new environment

Partner Across Functions to Resolve Operational Issues

• Work directly with Finance, IT, and Business Operations to resolve issues that impact Accounting, especially where ownership is unclear
• Surface upstream data and process gaps that create downstream accounting problems and drive them to resolution
• Ensure accounting requirements are clearly communicated and carried through in cross-functional initiatives

Drive Adoption and Sustainment

• Lead change management at the ground level, including training, communication, and reinforcement of new processes
• Build consistent ways of working across the team so process quality does not depend on individual effort
• Monitor improvements post implementation and address issues before they become recurring problems

What You Bring

Experience

• 8+ years in accounting operations, or a blend of public accounting and industry experience
• Proven track record executing process improvement and system initiatives in a real operating environment
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems, preferably Oracle, including user acceptance testing and deployment support
• Deep understanding of how the close works in practice, including reconciliations, subledger processes, and close cycle mechanics
• Experience leading business initiatives end-to-end, including managing stabilization periods and transitioning work to business as usual
• Experience building SOPs, process documentation, and standard ways of working
• Experience working effectively in a remote or distributed environment

Technical Knowledge

• Strong working knowledge of accounting operations across AP, AR, GL, Treasury, and Inventory
• Ability to diagnose operational root causes and design solutions that hold up in practice
• Familiarity with data quality issues that impact reconciliations and close reporting
• Solid understanding of internal controls within accounting processes

Execution and Influence

• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously
• Ability to drive accountability and move work forward across teams without direct authority
• Clear communicator who can simplify complex operational issues for both accounting and non-accounting audiences
• Comfortable working in ambiguity with a bias toward action and follow-through

Credentials

• CPA preferred

How You Work

• You go deep on the details and do not hand off before the work is done
• You follow through until changes are embedded, not just delivered
• You communicate proactively and keep leadership informed without being asked
• You are practical, build solutions that work in the real world, and move fast
• You are as effective working remotely as you are in a room, and you make the distance invisible

What Success Looks Like in 6-12 Months

• The Oracle ERP upgrade accounting workstream is executed on time, with clean UAT and no disruption to the close
• Recurring close issues are identified, root-caused, and resolved, not just tracked
• Core processes across AP, AR, GL, Treasury, and Inventory are more consistent, documented, and repeatable
• Business initiatives are delivered fully, with clean transitions to business as usual that do not require ongoing intervention
• Process improvements are sustained after go-live and do not revert
• The Accounting team has clear, documented ways of working and greater confidence in their day-to-day tools and processes
• Leadership does not need to follow up on execution, because delivery is reliable and proactive

Business Travel (How much will you travel?)

<10%

Location (Where will you be working?)

San Diego, CA (Hybrid work schedule)