Director, Accounting Systems Architect

Anthropic•San Francisco, CA

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced Finance Systems Architect to join our Finance Systems team at Anthropic. In this role, you will lead the technical strategy and team responsible for Corporate Accounting, Finance Operations, and Treasury systems, with Workday Financials as the core platform. You will manage a team of Systems Engineers and Business Systems Analysts supporting the full operational finance technology stack—including GL, AP, payroll, T&E, and treasury—and pioneer automation strategies that leverage both SaaS solutions and AI, including Claude. This is a strategic leadership role that will directly shape how Anthropic's finance operations scale. You will work at the intersection of technical architecture, people leadership, and innovation, partnering with Accounting, Finance Operations, and Treasury leadership to build a world-class, intelligent financial systems foundation.

Requirements

Have 15+ years of experience in finance systems, ERP implementation, or enterprise architecture roles, with at least 5 years of hands-on Workday Financials experience
Have 5+ years of people management experience, leading technical teams in fast-paced environments with a track record of developing talent and building high-performing teams
Have a proven track record of designing and delivering complex system integrations using APIs, middleware, and ETL tools
Are skilled at developing and executing automation strategies in finance and accounting contexts, with measurable impact on efficiency and accuracy
Possess strong understanding of end-to-end finance processes including General Ledger, accounts payable, payroll, T&E, treasury operations, and financial reporting
Have excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders and influence at the leadership level
Demonstrate strategic thinking with the ability to zoom out to architecture decisions and zoom in to implementation details
Are comfortable with ambiguity and the pace of a rapidly scaling organization, balancing strategic initiatives with operational support needs

Nice To Haves

Background in accounting, finance, or CPA certification with understanding of GAAP reporting requirements and SOX compliance
Experience at high-growth technology companies, ideally through significant scaling or finance transformation
Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and enthusiasm for applying them to finance operations; experience piloting or scaling AI-powered automation
Experience with treasury systems including bank connectivity, payment platforms, and cash management solutions
Experience with additional finance systems such as Workiva, NetSuite, Pigment, Coupa, or payroll and T&E platforms
Technical proficiency with SQL, Python, or scripting languages for data analysis, integration support, or automation development
Experience integrating Workday with external data platforms such as BigQuery or cloud data warehouses
Experience implementing Workday Financials from the ground up or leading major ERP transitions
Knowledge of Workday Prism Analytics, Accounting Center, or advanced reporting capabilities

Responsibilities

Systems Architecture & Technical Strategy: Own the technical roadmap for Corporate Accounting, Finance Operations, and Treasury systems; establish design standards, data governance frameworks, and integration best practices across Workday Financials and related platform
Team Leadership: Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of Systems Engineers and Business Systems Analysts; manage workload allocation, prioritization, and career development
Integration Design & Oversight: Architect and oversee integrations across the finance technology landscape—including Workiva, payroll, T&E, invoice processing, payments, and banking platforms—ensuring seamless data flow, system reliability, and compliance with security requirements
Automation & AI Strategy: Define and execute the automation strategy for finance operations, pioneering the use of Claude and AI-powered solutions to transform workflows from reconciliations to close processes to payment operations
Stakeholder Partnership: Serve as the primary technical partner to Corporate Accounting, Finance Operations, and Treasury leadership, translating business needs into system solutions and communicating roadmaps to senior leadership
Compliance & Controls: Partner with IT, Security, and Internal Audit to ensure systems meet SOX compliance requirements; maintain documentation of controls, data lineage, and audit artifacts