Global Accounting Services Chief Financial Officer

Overview

The Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to fighting poverty, disease, and inequity worldwide. Our headquarters are in Seattle, Washington, and we serve a global community through our financial and accounting services.

About the role

Reporting to the CFO, the Global Accounting Services Chief Financial Officer (CFO) leads the foundation’s global accounting, tax, treasury, payroll, and financial compliance functions. This role is crucial for ensuring financial integrity, operational excellence, and global compliance across multiple international offices and affiliated entities.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for global accounting, tax, treasury, payroll, and financial compliance functions.
• Shape and execute a long-term strategic vision for global financial operations that supports organizational growth, innovation, and mission impact.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, country office directors, and leaders of affiliated entities on financial strategy, risk management, and operational excellence.
• Establish accounting policies and governance standards across international offices, subsidiaries, and related organizations.
• Build strong, collaborative partnerships with colleagues across the foundation and externally.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, IFRS, tax regulations, and applicable local statutory requirements across all jurisdictions.
• Maintain a strong internal control environment and oversee enterprise-wide financial risk management practices including focus on self-dealing and excess business holding regulations.
• Lead the preparation and oversight of financial statements, regulatory filings, audits, and supporting documentation.
• Oversee monthly and annual close processes and coordinate effectively with internal and external auditors.
• Monitor evolving regulatory and accounting standards and drive continuous improvement in financial policies and procedures.
• Coordinate key touchpoints with investment management team at the foundation trust and other funding entities.
• Lead global business transformation initiatives, including the integration of AI-enabled tools, automation, and modern financial systems.
• Drive operational excellence through scalable processes, streamlined workflows, and data-driven decision-making.
• Partner with cross-functional leaders on enterprise initiatives spanning global operations, facilities, retirement plans, crisis management, and business continuity.
• Oversee treasury and insurance operations to ensure effective liquidity management and enterprise risk mitigation.
• Support the establishment and operational launch of new entities and international offices, including financial infrastructure, controls, and governance.
• Lead and develop a globally distributed team grounded in accountability, trust, and belonging, where every team member can contribute fully.
• Foster an inclusive culture where employees can thrive, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the foundation’s mission.
• Build organizational capability to effectively leverage emerging technologies, automation, and advanced analytics.
• Set clear strategic priorities, align resources to organizational goals, and support talent development and succession planning.
• Model inclusive leadership behaviors and equitable decision-making while addressing complex organizational challenges with diplomacy and clarity.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent demonstrated experience in finance, accounting, business, or a related field.
• CPA required.
• Significant executive-level finance and accounting leadership experience within complex, global organizations.
• Deep expertise in global accounting operations, tax strategy, financial reporting, treasury management, internal controls, and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Prior experience leading large-scale transformation initiatives, including systems modernization, process optimization, and organizational change management.
• Strong strategic orientation with the ability to translate complex financial information into actionable insights for diverse stakeholders.
• Proven experience advising senior executives, boards, audit committees, and cross-functional leaders.
• Advanced understanding of enterprise risk management, governance frameworks, and financial controls.
• Experience managing complex multi-entity financial structures — such as a foundation paired with a separate endowment trust, subsidiaries, or affiliated investment vehicles — each operating under distinct governance and regulatory frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience presenting to and working with audit committees, boards of trustees, or equivalent governance bodies — including the ability to translate complex financial matters into clear, accessible narratives for non-financial audiences.
• Exceptional collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust and alignment across geographically distributed teams and functions.
• Strong people leadership experience, including building inclusive teams, developing talent, and leading through complexity and change.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage technical and non-technical audiences alike.

Qualifications

• Must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where this position is located.

Skills

• Strategic Financial Leadership
• Financial Stewardship & Compliance
• Global Operations & Transformation
• People & Organizational Leadership

Benefits

The Foundation offers an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $368,500 to $571,100 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive compensation with our commitment to advancing global impact. New hire salaries are typically positioned between the range minimum and midpoint, depending on job-related skills, experience, and expertise evaluated throughout the interview process.

Schedule

As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive compensation with our commitment to advancing global impact. New hire salaries are typically positioned between the range minimum and midpoint, depending on job-related skills, experience, and expertise evaluated throughout the interview process.