Assistant Controller

Duolingo•Pittsburgh, PA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in! At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds — while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun. Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world. Read our blog to learn more. About the role... Duolingo is looking for an experienced Assistant Controller to help scale a best-in-class accounting organization. Reporting to the Corporate Controller, you’ll lead core accounting operations and own the close process from end to end. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being deeply involved in the mechanics of the close process and reviewing transactional activity. You’ll be expected to understand the numbers at a granular level, dig into how things work, and quickly recognize when something is off. Success in this role requires curiosity, rigor, and a commitment to 100% accuracy in our financial data. 🧠

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (or equivalent experience); CPA required
10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including public accounting (Big 4 preferred) and industry experience
Experience leading accounting teams in high-growth or complex environments
Deep expertise in US GAAP
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to dive into systems and processes
Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills
Strong organization and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines
Ability to work in Pittsburgh, PA. This role follows our 4+1 in-office model (Monday–Thursday in office, Friday optional)

Nice To Haves

Public company experience
Experience with NetSuite and Zip
Familiarity with Google Workspace
Experience in a fast-paced tech company
A strong Duolingo streak 😉

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day accounting operations, including month-end close, balance sheet reconciliations, and accounts payable
Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, ensuring timely and accurate reporting
Review and approve journal entries and reconciliations with a high bar for quality and documentation
Develop deep expertise in revenue, expenses, and balance sheet activity to proactively identify and resolve issues
Oversee accounts payable, ensuring accurate coding, proper approvals, and timely payments
Improve AP workflows, controls, and vendor experience
Drive automation and systems improvements (e.g., NetSuite, Zip) to reduce manual work and accelerate close
Partner with FP&A and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure alignment and accurate financial reporting
Maintain strong SOX compliance and internal controls
Manage and develop members of the accounting team, setting clear expectations and unblocking challenges