Director of Accounting

About the role

Ansa Biotechnologies is revolutionizing DNA synthesis through novel enzymatic solutions, accelerating innovation in therapeutics, diagnostics, biomanufacturing, and synthetic biology. The Director of Accounting will report to the CFO, ensuring the integrity of financial records and the efficiency of accounting operations while building the financial infrastructure to scale a venture-backed biotechnology company. This player-coach role involves owning the monthly close, financial reporting, technical accounting, and driving cost accounting discipline critical to a manufacturing and R&D-intensive business. You will also serve as the functional and administrative owner of NetSuite, ensuring the system supports accurate, timely reporting as the company grows.

Responsibilities

• Accounting Operations & Month-End Close
  • Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close, including journal entries, revenue recognition, accruals, reconciliations, and the general ledger.
  • Manage full-cycle Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, including vendor management, collections, and cash application.
  • Administer the employee expense reimbursement program, including policy enforcement, approvals, and reporting.
  • Build and maintain a system of accounting policies and internal controls.
• Team Leadership
  • Recruit, mentor, and develop accounting staff.
  • Build a scalable accounting organization with performance expectations and career development plans.
  • Foster a collaborative, high-performance, high-accountability culture.
• Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting
  • Prepare accurate, timely internal and external financial statements in accordance with US GAAP.
  • Research and document technical accounting positions (e.g., revenue recognition, leases, equity, capitalization) and prepare supporting memos.
  • Support management reporting, board packages, and investor reporting as needed.
• Cost Accounting
  • Own the cost accounting function: inventory valuation, standard costing, WIP, and cost-of-goods-sold accounting for synthesis operations and consumables.
  • Perform monthly variance analysis (purchase price, material usage, labor, overhead) and partner with Operations and Manufacturing to explain drivers.
  • Establish and maintain standard costs and BOMs in NetSuite; lead periodic cost rolls and revaluations.
  • Deliver gross margin and product-cost reporting to inform pricing, production, and capacity decisions.
  • Support inventory controls, cycle counts, and physical inventory reconciliations.
• Treasury & Banking
  • Manage banking relationships, cash positioning, and daily/weekly cash flow reporting.
  • Administer bank accounts, user access, wire and ACH approvals, and treasury controls.
• Payroll, Equity, & Benefits Administration
  • Oversee payroll processing and related accounting, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
  • Administer the 401(k) plan, including funding, reconciliations, compliance testing support, and the annual audit.
  • Administer the company's stock/equity plan, including grants, exercises, cap table maintenance, and related accounting (stock-based compensation).
• Tax, Royalty, & Audit
  • Coordinate federal, state, and local tax filings, sales/use tax, and indirect tax compliance with external tax advisors.
  • Manage royalty accounting, tracking, and payments under licensing and IP agreements.
  • Lead the annual audit and serve as the primary liaison to external auditors, preparing schedules and supporting documentation.
• NetSuite Administration & Master Data
  • Serve as the functional and administrative owner of NetSuite: roles and permissions, workflows, saved searches, approval routing, and reporting.
  • Own NetSuite master data governance — chart of accounts, items, vendors, customers, BOMs, and standard costs — ensuring accuracy and consistency.
  • Identify and implement process and system improvements, and manage NetSuite enhancements, integrations, and module rollouts.
  • Work with IT to ensure effective NetSuite integration with other company systems, such as data repositories and manufacturing systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 4+ years in a leadership or Director-level role.
• Strong cost accounting background in a manufacturing, life-sciences, or physical-goods environment (inventory, standard costing, WIP, variance analysis, COGS).
• Hands-on NetSuite experience, including administration and master data ownership.
• Strong working knowledge of US GAAP and technical accounting.
• Demonstrated ownership of the full month-end close and financial reporting cycle.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment and build trusted relationships with internal business partners and leadership.
• Excellent analytical skills and strong attention to detail, with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA (active or inactive).
• Experience in biotech, life sciences, or a scaling manufacturing company.
• Experience administering equity/stock plans (e.g., Carta) and 401(k) plans.
• Experience supporting audits, fundraising, or diligence at a venture-backed company.
• Experience with NetSuite implementation, optimization, or integrations.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for employees and dependents.
• 401(k) retirement planning.
• Company holidays, truly unlimited and company-encouraged vacation time, and parental leave.

Pay

Salary range is $200k–$225k, with industry-competitive and experience-commensurate base salaries, sign-on bonus, and stock options.