Technical accounting lead

About Watershed

Watershed is the enterprise sustainability platform. Companies like Airbnb, Carlyle Group, FedEx, Visa, and Dr. Martens use Watershed to manage climate and ESG data, produce audit-ready metrics for voluntary and regulatory reporting including CSRD, and drive real decarbonization. We are looking for team members who love product-building, want to work hard at a mission-oriented startup, and will collaborate with us in shaping the culture of a growing team.

We have offices in San Francisco, New York, Denver, London, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Mexico City, and remote team members across the US and Europe. We hope that you'll be interested in joining us!

The role

We’re looking for a highly experienced Technical Accounting Lead to own some of the most complex and judgment-heavy areas of our financial statements. In this role, you won’t just be citing guidance — you’ll be designing the strategic framework, writing the memos, and operationalizing key accounting standards for a high-growth software business in a rapidly emerging market and evolving regulatory landscape.

In this role you’ll be the primary technical accounting authority at Watershed, serving as the subject matter expert on key topics such as Revenue Recognition (ASC 606), Capitalized Commissions (ASC 340-40), and Internally Developed Software (ASC 350-40). Beyond technical accounting, you’ll also roll up your sleeves to support month-end close, audit preparation and execution, and financial statement reporting, partnering closely with teams within finance and across the company.

This position would be preferred to be located in one of our hubs in San Francisco or New York City, but we can also be open to US remote.

What You’ll Do

Technical Accounting & Policy (Core Focus)

• Own technical accounting for revenue recognition (ASC 606), including reviewing non-standard contracts, identifying complex terms, and drafting technical revenue memos to ensure accurate revenue recognition

• Manage end-to-end accounting for capitalized commissions (ASC 340-40), including calculating capitalization rates, amortization periods, and monthly journal entries

• Lead internally developed software accounting (ASC 350-40) by partnering with Engineering and Product teams to track development projects and determine appropriate capitalization vs. expense treatment

• Author high-quality technical accounting memos and maintain a comprehensive library of accounting policies and SOPs that scale with the business

Product & Commercial Enablement

• Serve as primary accounting partner for new product launches, partnerships, strategic transactions, and pricing changes, and monetization experiments—providing guidance from design through steady-state operations

• Translate technical conclusions into practical guardrails that influence product design, deal structure, and go-to-market strategy

• Collaborate with Product and Engineering to define and validate revenue data pipelines, creating scalable accounting workflows for complex commercial terms

• Act as accounting DRI in cross-functional forums, proactively flagging risks and driving well-reasoned decisions

Operational Accounting & Reporting

• Actively participate in month-end close for technical areas, including preparing or reviewing journal entries, complex reconciliations, and variance analyses

• Lead preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with US GAAP, including footnote disclosures

• Serve as a key liaison for external auditors, managing preparation of audit schedules, technical position papers, and responses to audit inquiries

• Drive automation initiatives by collaborating with stakeholders to automate contract intake, SSP allocation, and revenue reporting processes

• Define long-term priorities for revenue automation and continuous improvements to processes and controls, leveraging AI tools, ERP features, or emerging technologies

What We’re Looking For

• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience with deep expertise in technical revenue accounting and ASC 606 across SaaS, consumption-based, and professional services arrangements

• CPA required; a mix of Big 4 (or accounting advisory) and tech industry experience in high-growth environments is highly valued

• Deep proficiency in US GAAP, especially ASC 340-40 (Capitalized Commissions), and ASC 350-40 (Internal-Use Software)

• Deep contract review experience including multi-element arrangements, milestone-based SOWs, usage-based models, and complex enterprise agreements

• Proven ability to advise Product and GTM teams on pricing, monetization strategy, and revenue recognition implications—influencing deal and product design before launch

• Systems mindset: ability to bridge technical accounting conclusions with system implementation, ensuring revenue treatment is GAAP-compliant and operationally scalable

• Strong communication skills: able to explain complex accounting concepts to non-accountants and translate technical conclusions into practical guardrails

• Organized and detail-oriented with willingness to prepare journal entries, reconciliations, and own schedules—not just research guidance

• Experience at a high-growth SaaS or technology company

Nice to Have

• Hands-on experience with NetSuite and Salesforce

• Experience with IPO readiness, public company reporting, or SOX environments

• Experience implementing or optimizing revenue recognition systems or commission automation tools

Must be willing to work from an office 4 days per week (except for remote roles)

Watershed has hub offices in San Francisco, New York, London, and Mexico City and satellite offices in Denver, Sydney, Paris, and Berlin. Where we have offices, employees are expected to be in office for 4 days per week. Certain jobs are open to being remote and will be specifically noted on the jobs page and in the job description if so.

What’s the interview process like?

It starts the same for every candidate: getting to know the team members through 1 to 2 conversations about Watershed, your experience, and your interests. Next steps can vary by role, but usual next steps are a skill or experience interview (e.g. a coding interview for an engineer, a portfolio review for a designer, deeper experience call for other roles) which leads to a virtual or in person interview panel. We prioritize transparency and lack of surprise throughout the process.

What if I need accommodations for my interview?

At Watershed, we are dedicated to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. We provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities, long-term conditions, mental health needs, religious observances, neurodivergence, or pregnancy-related support requirements. If you need assistance during your process, please contact your recruiter.