Accounting Manager, R&D (Non-Clinical)

Summit Therapeutics • Palo Alto, CA

28d • $140,000 - $160,000

About The Position

The Accounting Manager, R&D (Non-Clinical) plays a critical, hands-on role in owning and managing R&D accruals and expense accounting for non-clinical trial activities across a global footprint (U.S., Europe, China). This role is central to ensuring R&D expenses are accurately accrued, analyzed, and supported, with close collaboration across vendors, internal project managers, and cross functional teams.
This position requires a hands-on accounting leader who goes beyond transactional accounting to critically assess R&D activity and ensure accruals accurately represent the business. Working cross functionally with R&D, vendors, and project stakeholders across the U.S., Europe, and China, this role plays a key part in supporting global audits and statutory financial reporting in a dynamic, high growth environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, related field
• A minimum of 5+ years of experience in accounting or finance with demonstrated ownership of accruals
• Hands‑on experience with R&D accruals in a biotech or pharmaceutical setting, including familiarity with complex R&D cost structure
• Demonstrated ability to apply judgment, evaluate assumptions, and assess the reasonableness of accruals in situations where inputs are incomplete or evolving
• Experience working cross functionally to interpret activity, resolve issues, and ensure accurate financial outcomes
• Exposure to global accounting environments, including supporting audits and statutory reporting across multiple jurisdictions
• Working knowledge of internal controls and close processes, with experience helping build, refine, and improve accounting practices in a growing organization
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to operate effectively in a fastmoving, high growth setting
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, etc)

Nice To Haves

• Experience with NetSuite, close management and reconciliation tools (e.g., FloQast), and contract management systems (e.g., Agiloft) preferred

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end R&D accrual and expense accounting process for nonclinical activities, ensuring costs are accurately captured and reflect underlying business activity
• Prepare and review monthly journal entries and account reconciliations, exercising judgment to assess completeness, accuracy, and overall reasonableness
• Partner closely with vendors, internal project managers, and cross functional R&D teams to obtain data, validate assumptions, and support accrual calculations
• Support R&D cost areas including manufacturing, patient safety, biostatistics, CMC, supply chain, and non-trial clinical operations expenses
• Play a key role in the monthly close process, contributing to continuous improvement, documentation, and close efficiency
• Support global audits and statutory financial statements across the U.S., UK, and Switzerland by preparing schedules, analyses, and audit support
• Contribute to internal controls, SOX readiness, and accounting process development as the company continues to scale
• Ad-hoc tasks as assigned
• All other duties as assigned

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level