Director, External Reporting and Technical Accounting

Director, SEC & Technical Accounting Reporting

Our Client is seeking an accomplished accounting professional to lead external financial reporting, technical accounting, and compliance activities across a dynamic, complex organization. A mix of public accounting and/or public company experience is a must. This highly visible leadership role will oversee the preparation of external financial statements and disclosures, provide guidance on complex accounting matters, and support strategic business initiatives through technical accounting expertise and process improvement efforts.
The successful candidate will serve as a key advisor to executive leadership, partnering closely with finance, legal, treasury, tax, and operational leaders to ensure compliance with accounting standards and reporting requirements while driving continuous improvement across reporting functions.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the preparation and review of quarterly and annual external financial reporting packages, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable accounting standards and debt covenant reporting requirements.
• Act as the organization's primary technical accounting resource, providing guidance on complex accounting topics including revenue recognition, acquisitions, asset impairments, leasing arrangements, financing transactions, derivative instruments, and employee benefit obligations.
• Conduct technical accounting research, prepare supporting analyses, and develop position papers for significant accounting matters and business transactions.
• Lead the adoption and implementation of new accounting pronouncements, including related disclosures and internal process changes.
• Provide accounting support for mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, capital transactions, strategic contracts, and other non-routine business activities.
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to evaluate accounting implications of business decisions and emerging initiatives.
• Drive process improvement and finance transformation efforts related to financial reporting, controls, and technical accounting governance.
• Prepare and present accounting analyses, reporting updates, and key judgments to senior leadership and external audit teams.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors regarding reporting matters, technical accounting positions, and financial disclosures.
• Coordinate audit requests and facilitate the timely resolution of accounting and reporting matters.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in U.S. GAAP and financial reporting within a complex corporate environment.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to resolve complex accounting issues and communicate conclusions effectively.
• Proven project management capabilities with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical concepts to non-financial audiences.
• Experience utilizing enterprise reporting and consolidation platforms; familiarity with modern financial reporting technologies is preferred.
• Background preparing, reviewing, or supporting external financial filings and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Experience evaluating and documenting accounting treatment for strategic transactions and complex business arrangements.
• Ability to build strong relationships across finance, operations, legal, tax, treasury, and executive leadership teams.
• Willingness to travel periodically in support of business initiatives and leadership meetings.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline required.
• CPA designation strongly preferred; advanced degree is a plus.
• 10 years of progressive accounting experience, including a combination of public accounting and/or publicly traded company experience.
• Experience within a manufacturing, industrial, aerospace, engineering, or other complex operating environment is highly desirable.

EEO Notice


Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.


Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io .


Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal .

Representation Notice


By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada: Based on Highspring's discussions with its Client, Highspring's understanding is that this position for employment is a current vacancy (either through Highspring as a contractor or with the client directly).

Privacy Notice


Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here .
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here .
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here .
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here .
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here .

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here ( ). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice


Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations;
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.