Associate Director, Technical Accounting

About the role

Airwallex is the only unified payments and financial platform for global businesses, powering over 250,000 businesses worldwide with integrated solutions for accounts, payments, spend management, treasury, and embedded finance. Founded in Melbourne with over 2,300 employees across 27 offices and valued at US$11 billion, the Finance & Corporate Development team drives financial strategy and growth through planning, analysis, and corporate transactions. As an Associate Director, Technical Finance on the Financial Controllership team, you will be the primary authority and architect for complex accounting treatments, leading the Global Technical Accounting function, overseeing technical integrity of monthly reporting, partnering with Product and Business teams on accounting implications of new products, owning resolution of technical accounting issues, leading expansion of the global US GAAP reporting framework, architecting ICFR for technical accounting areas, preparing and defending technical memos, spearheading initiatives to mature Controllership through automation and AI, and providing technical guidance to regional finance teams. This role is remote‑based in the US.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the technical integrity of the monthly reporting process by providing expert US GAAP oversight on regional submissions. You will ensure that high-risk accounting areas are treated with technical precision.
• Partner with Product and Business teams. You will assess the accounting implications of new product launches (including gross vs. net revenue, embedded derivatives, cost of sales vs OPEX classification etc) before they go live.
• Own the resolution of technical accounting issues and judgmental estimates.
• Lead the expansion and evolution of our global US GAAP reporting framework. You will author and maintain the Global Accounting Policy Manual to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Architect and oversee the Internal Control over Financial Reporting (ICFR) for technical accounting areas. You will ensure that all complex accounting judgments are backed by robust, SOX-compliant documentation and that "Reviewer Controls" are designed with sufficient precision to meet public company standards.
• Lead the preparation and defense of high-quality technical memos, ensuring all documentation meets PCAOB auditing standards regarding management’s estimates, assumptions, and data integrity.
• Spearhead department-wide initiatives to mature the Controllership function, focusing on the automation of technical accounting workflows and the implementation of AI technology and new accounting standards.
• Provide continuous technical guidance and training to regional finance teams, uplifting their capability to maintain high standards of financial control and reporting accuracy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
• 7+ years of professional experience in technical finance roles
• Deep expertise in US GAAP standards with a proven ability to apply them to complex business transactions
• Strong working knowledge of PCAOB Auditing Standards and SOX requirements
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, navigate ambiguity, and thrive in a hyper-growth environment

Qualifications

• Active CPA license or equivalent professional qualification
• Prior experience at a Big Four accounting firm
• Direct experience with the pre-IPO process and scaling finance functions for public market readiness
• Strong "thought leadership" skills with a history of driving innovative solutions and influencing organizational change

Pay

Compensation Range: $125K - $205K