Director, Accounting Operations

Job Application for Director, Accounting Operations at Anthropic

Director, Accounting Operations San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA

About Anthropic

Anthropic’s mission is to create reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. We want AI to be safe and beneficial for our users and for society as a whole. Our team is a quickly growing group of committed researchers, engineers, policy experts, and business leaders working together to build beneficial AI systems.

About the role

Anthropic is seeking an exceptional Director of Corporate Accounting to lead our Corporate Accounting organization as we scale our financial operations to support frontier AI development. In this pivotal leadership role, you will own the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of our core accounting infrastructure across workplace, workforce, and corporate operations. You will build and lead a world-class team that ensures accuracy, control, and efficiency while supporting Anthropic's rapid growth.

This role sits at the intersection of technical accounting expertise, systems, and operational excellence. You'll partner closely with Finance & Strategy, Tax, Revenue Accounting, and cross-functional stakeholders to establish scalable processes and controls. As a key leader in the Accounting organization, you will drive strategic initiatives including system selection and implementation, close acceleration, and the buildout of our control framework. Your work will be essential in providing the financial foundation that enables Anthropic to focus on our mission of developing safe, transformative AI systems.

Responsibilities:

Accounting Leadership & Operations

Own end-to-end accounting for workplace and workforce, including real estate leasing (ASC 842), fixed assets, cash and treasury, operating expenses, prepaids and accruals, payroll, taxes and benefits, commissions, and stock-based compensation support

Drive month-end and quarter-end close processes, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and continuous acceleration of close cycles

Establish and maintain the Chart of Accounts and master data governance structure, ensuring it supports current operations and scales for future complexity

Design and implement allocation methodologies that provide clear cost visibility across the organization

Ensure compliance with US GAAP, internal policies, and regulatory requirements across all corporate accounting areas

Lead process improvement initiatives to increase efficiency, reduce manual work, and enhance data quality

Systems & Infrastructure

Serve as a key stakeholder in ERP design, selection, and implementation, translating business requirements into system specifications

Lead selection and implementation of specialized systems for lease accounting and commissions management

Own master data governance, ensuring data integrity and consistency across financial systems

Drive adoption of close management tools to streamline workflows and enhance visibility

Partner with Finance Systems team to optimize integrations and automation opportunities

Team Building & Leadership

Build, coach, and lead a world-class corporate accounting team capable of supporting Anthropic's growth trajectory

Recruit top accounting talent with both technical expertise and a growth mindset

Provide mentorship and career development opportunities, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning

Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations as the team scales

Create an environment that balances rigorous controls with operational agility

Strategic Partnership

Collaborate with Finance & Strategy to provide accurate data and insights that inform business decisions

Partner with Tax on compliance requirements and optimization opportunities

Support global expansion initiatives by establishing accounting processes for new entities and jurisdictions

Provide technical accounting guidance on complex transactions and new business models

You may be a good fit if you:

Have 15+ years of progressive accounting experience with at least 5+ years in leadership roles managing teams of 5+ people

Possess deep technical accounting expertise, particularly in ASC 842 (lease accounting), ASC 718 (stock-based compensation), and complex operational accounting

Have proven experience building and scaling accounting organizations in high-growth technology companies

Hold a Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA required

Are a strategic thinker who can balance technical precision with business pragmatism

Have successfully led or played a key role in ERP implementations or major systems projects

Excel at building scalable processes and controls that support rapid growth

Are comfortable operating in ambiguous environments and building structure where none exists

Possess exceptional communication skills and can effectively partner with both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Have a bias toward action and continuous improvement, always asking "how can we do this better?" in a constructive, look forward mentality

Thrive in fast-paced environments and maintain composure under tight deadlines

Care about building diverse, inclusive teams and creating environments where people do their best work

Strong candidates may also:

Have public company accounting experience, including preparation for or execution of IPO readiness activities

Possess expertise in international accounting, consolidations, and multi-entity operations

Have experience with NetSuite, Workday, and modern SaaS accounting platforms

Bring knowledge of subscription and consumption-based revenue models

Have managed accounting through periods of significant organizational change

Possess project management skills and experience leading cross-functional initiatives

Have familiarity with AI/ML business models and infrastructure accounting

Demonstrate thought leadership through participation in professional organizations or speaking engagements

Deadline to apply: None. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The annual compensation range for this role is listed below.

For sales roles, the range provided is the role’s On Target Earnings ("OTE") range, meaning that the range includes both the sales commissions/sales bonuses target and annual base salary for the role.

Annual Salary: $300,000 - $360,000 USD

Logistics

Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience…