The Director of International Accounting serves as the strategic and operational owner of all financial accounting activities across the company’s global entities. This role is responsible for ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of international financial reporting, consolidation, and statutory compliance.
The primary purpose is to provide senior leadership that drives the international close and audit processes to completion across multiple jurisdictions, while proactively leading process improvements and efficiencies. The Director acts as a key bridge between the U.S. Headquarters and international subsidiaries, ensuring global policy alignment, robust internal controls, and expert-level management of international VAT and local regulatory requirements.
The Director reports to the Senior Director of Accounting and will lead, guide and hold accountable other members of the international accounting team.
Main Responsibilities
- Ownership & Leadership: Take full ownership of international accounting roles; drive all tasks to completion with high accuracy and timeliness. Lead, mentor, and develop accounting staff, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
- Process Improvement: Proactively identify and lead process improvements and efficiencies. Champion and implement automation initiatives within the accounting function.
- Audit Management: Own the audit process for all international companies. Ensure all statutory and internal audits are completed timely, accurately, and in compliance with local regulations.
- Compliance & VAT: Ensure full compliance with international VAT/GST and local tax reporting (non-CIT). Maintain a deep understanding of international compliance requirements across all relevant jurisdictions.
- Close Process: Lead the international month-end close process with precision; review journal entries, reconciliations, and financial statements for international entities.
- Business Partnership: Partner cross-functionally with business leaders to ensure alignment, provide necessary financial support, and integrate accounting insight into operations.
- Technical Oversight: Maintain and enhance a documented system of accounting policies and procedures. Research and document accounting implications of complex transactions.
- Third-Party Management: Manage and optimize relationships with third-party accountants and external auditors in each country.
Result Areas
Responsibility for Results:
- Managing the preparation and publication of the statutory accounts of international subsidiaries
- Studying the accuracy of financial and legal documents and compliance with financial regulation and acceptable financial principles (local GAAPs)
Advising:
- Generating advice and proposals with regard to the policy to be implemented and financial consequences
- Identifying business risks and advising management on the limitation of risks
- Identifying enterprise risks and setting up a system for reporting and managing these risks
Financial Process Improvement & Innovation:
- Measuring (KPIs) and analyzing financial processes in terms of quality, lead time and efficiency.
- Adjusting procedures, system use and techniques that lead to higher effectiveness of financial processes.
- Researching, advising and implementing new administrative obligations, techniques and AI-tools to continue to comply with legal requirements.
Qualifications & Requirements
- CPA (or equivalent) required
- Minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience in accounting roles
- Proven experience in an audit firm (Big 4 preferred) and industry experience
- Prior experience working within an international company with a US Headquarters
- Expert knowledge of international VAT and international audits/compliance
- Passionate about and experienced in driving automation adoption
- Strong leadership skills with a track record of taking ownership and driving results
- Strong understanding of UK GAAP and NL GAAP
- Extensive knowledge of ERP software (Workday, NetSuite, SAP, etc.) and advanced MS Excel
- Excellent communication skills
