Senior Accounting Manager

Luminary helps engineering companies be more competitive by getting to market faster, creating new, better products, and reducing development risk. We do this with our Physics AI platform, the fastest and easiest way to build and deploy models to understand and instantly predict physical reality with precision. Customers span industries from automotive and aerospace, to leading sporting equipment providers, including Otto Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Piper Aircraft. Luminary is a Series B company and is headquartered in San Mateo, California.

Luminary is a high-growth, venture-backed startup delivering a cloud-native simulation platform for engineers. We are at a critical juncture where our financial operations must scale alongside our technology. Currently, our accounting is handled by an external firm; we are looking for a Senior Accounting Manager / Controller to lead the high-impact transition of bringing the entire accounting function in-house.

This role requires a unique blend of technical SaaS accounting expertise and a hands-on "builder" mentality. You will be the primary architect of our internal financial systems, specifically managing the complexities of our hybrid revenue models - ranging from traditional SaaS subscriptions to usage-based consumption, while ensuring our books are pristine for upcoming institutional audits.

Core Responsibilities

1. Lead the In-Sourcing Strategy

• Function Migration: Project manage the transition of all accounting activities from our outsourced firm to an internal function.
• Systems Architecture: Evaluate, select, and implement a scalable ERP, and integrate our financial tech stack (Stripe, Ramp, etc.).
• Process Design: Build the "Luminary Accounting Playbook", establishing SOPs for month-end close, AP/AR, and payroll.

2. Specialized Revenue & Transaction Management

• Stripe Ecosystem: Own the end-to-end integration of Stripe for payment processing. Manage the reconciliation of transactions against the general ledger.
• Complex Revenue Recognition: Direct the accounting for ASC 606 compliance across diverse models:
• • SaaS Subscriptions: Managing recurring monthly/annual contracts.
  • Consumption/Usage Models: Implementing and accounting for metered billing, credit-based systems, and overages.
• Metric Reporting: Partner with Ops to ensure accuracy in key metrics like ARR, Net Dollar Retention (NDR), etc.

3. Hands-On Financial Operations

• The Close: Execute the full-cycle month-end close process with speed and precision.
• Internal Controls: Design and implement rigorous internal controls to safeguard assets and ensure audit readiness from day one.
• Tax & Compliance: Oversee sales tax, R&D tax credits, and state/federal filings.

4. Audit Preparedness & Compliance

• Audit Lead: Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors. You will be responsible for preparing the "PBC" (Provided by Client) list, managing schedules, and explaining technical accounting treatments.
• Internal Controls: Build a robust control environment (SOX-lite) early. This includes formalizing month-end checklists, segregation of duties, and rigorous documentation of manual journal entries.

Who You Are

• Early-Stage Veteran: You have 7+ years of experience, with a significant portion spent in a fast-paced, venture-backed startup. You know how to operate with limited resources and high ambiguity.
• Technical Expert: You have a deep mastery of US GAAP, ASC 606, and ASC 842. You have specifically managed Stripe-based billing and understand the nuances of usage-based revenue recognition.
• The "Doer": You are not looking to just "manage a team." You are excited to be the person clicking "submit" on filings and reconciling accounts while simultaneously advising the CEO on financial strategy. Initially you are an individual contributor, with the opportunity to hire accounting staff as volume and complexity increase.
• Data Literate: You are comfortable working with large datasets and can bridge the gap between engineering usage logs and financial statements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA required.
• Proven track record of building an accounting department from the ground up (in-sourcing experience).
• Direct experience with Stripe (Billing, Revenue Recognition, and Data Export).
• Deep understanding of consumption-based business models (metered billing/usage).
• Expert-level Excel skills and experience implementing mid-market ERPs.
• Strong history of successfully managing Big 4 or mid-tier external audits.