Director, Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting

insitro•South San Francisco, CA

2d•$217,000 - $231,000•Hybrid

About The Position

insitro is looking for an Director, Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting, with level set by experience, to be the company’s technical accounting expert and the owner of its financial reporting. In this senior individual contributor role, you will lead the year-end audit and financial statements, account for insitro’s most complex transactions, including pharma collaboration revenue, equity financings, and stock-based compensation modifications, and own the 409A valuation, international compliance, and accounting policy. This is also a chance to help build the function: as insitro grows, you will take on ownership of SOX and SEC reporting and help expand the team, playing a central role in building a public-company-ready finance organization, with a clear path to grow in level and scope as the function expands. You will be joining a department that brings together Accounting Operations, FP&A, and Procurement. That structure gives this role visibility into each transaction from the contract and purchase order through to the financial statements. You will partner closely with Strategic Finance on forecasts and on Executive Leadership Team and Board materials. Corporate Development and Legal will also bring you in early on partnerships, financings, and equity matters, so the accounting implications are understood before terms are finalized. Our team is lean, collaborative, and hands-on, with a builder’s mindset. We are high-performing and considered a trusted partner across the company. We are also rebuilding our workflows with Claude and other AI tools, and you will help shape how reporting and technical accounting get done. This position is based at our South San Francisco headquarters, reports to the SVP, Accounting & Financial Operations, and works onsite three days per week as part of our in-person hybrid model.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field and 8–12+ years of relevant experience, preferably a mix of Big 4 public accounting and public company experience, ideally in biotech or life sciences
Active CPA license
Deep, practical command of US GAAP and financial reporting, with a track record of authoring accounting positions that withstand auditor scrutiny
Hands-on experience owning audited financial statements and footnote disclosures and working directly with external auditors
Hands-on experience using Claude and other AI tools to build or improve accounting and reporting workflows, with sound judgment about their limits and appropriate use

Nice To Haves

Experience with the accounting and disclosures for preclinical and clinical-stage biotech activities, including R&D and clinical trial accruals
Experience accounting for collaboration and licensing agreements with pharma partners, including upfront payments, milestones, and variable consideration
Experience with ASC 718 award modifications and with 409A valuations, including working with third-party valuation firms
Strong familiarity, or equivalent experience, with R&D tax credits, Section 382 analysis, and tax considerations for international equity grants, enough to partner effectively with our tax advisor
Experience with statutory reporting, local compliance, and transfer pricing for foreign subsidiaries
Experience at a venture-backed or pre-IPO company, ideally including taking a company through an IPO, and with SEC reporting or designing and implementing a SOX program
Experience with Oracle Cloud ERP, Carta or similar equity systems, and Workiva or an equivalent reporting tool; advanced Excel and G-Suite skills

Responsibilities

Own the Financial Statements: Direct the annual audit and financial statement process, preparing US GAAP financial statements and footnote disclosures that are accurate, timely, and fully supported
Run the Audit: Serve as the primary point of contact for our external auditors, leading audit planning, the PBC list, tie-outs, disclosure checklists, and resolution of audit comments
Lead the Disclosure Committee: Own and lead the Disclosure Committee, including setting the agenda, running the meetings, gathering and assessing potential disclosure items from across the company, and documenting conclusions
Prepare Executive and Board Materials: Prepare and update financial reporting and accounting content for Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors materials and support the monthly reporting package and ad hoc investor requests
Lead Technical Accounting: Lead research and author memos on complex and non-routine transactions, including ASC 606 / ASC 808 collaboration and partnership revenue, ASC 842 leases, and equity and financing instruments
Account for the Pipeline: Evaluate the accounting and disclosures for preclinical and clinical activities as our programs advance toward the clinic, including R&D and clinical trial accrual methodologies for CRO and CDMO arrangements
Shape Deals Early: Partner with Corporate Development, Legal, and Strategic Finance on partnership agreements, financings, and other transactions so accounting implications are assessed before terms are finalized
Leverage Advisors: Serve as the primary liaison to our third-party tax advisor, communicating the tax implications of deals, financial results, and other transactions, and overseeing the tax provision, tax returns, R&D credit study, Section 382 analysis, and equity tax considerations for grants outside the US
Set the Policy: Develop, document, and maintain US GAAP accounting policies; monitor FASB developments and lead the adoption of new standards
Own Stock-Based Compensation Accounting: Own ASC 718 accounting and reporting, including expense recognition, award modifications, forfeitures, roll-forwards, and related disclosures, partnering with Legal, which administers grants and the equity plans
Support the 409A Valuation: Partner with our third-party valuation advisor on the 409A valuation process, including providing inputs, reviewing key assumptions and conclusions, and supporting audit review
Ensure International Compliance: Oversee statutory reporting, audits, and local compliance for our international subsidiary, partnering with local advisors so filing, tax, and regulatory requirements are met on time, and coordinate intercompany agreements and transfer pricing with our tax advisor
Support Insurance Renewals: Support the annual insurance renewal process with our insurance brokers, assessing the company’s risk profile and making sure coverage remains adequate as insitro grows and its programs move into the clinic
Support the Close: Prepare or review stock-based compensation, contract revenue, and other higher-risk journal entries and reconciliations
Build for Scale: Design and maintain process documentation and internal controls that will scale with the company; when applicable, lead the SOX program, including planning, risk assessment, ITGCs, entity-level controls, remediation, and third-party testing
Build and Deploy AI Tools: Put Claude and other AI tools to work across reporting and technical accounting, such as roll-forwards, tie-outs, disclosure drafting, research, and memo drafting, and document those workflows so others can use and extend them
Counsel and Advise: Provide clear, decision-ready accounting guidance that non-accountants can act on without a follow-up meeting
Grow with the Function: As insitro grows, take on ownership of SOX compliance and SEC reporting (Forms S-1, 10-Q, and 10-K) and help expand the team, growing with the function into a public-company-ready organization
Special Projects: Participate in special projects and perform other related duties as assigned

Benefits

Annual Performance Bonus Plan
Equity Incentive Plan
401(k) plan with employer matching
Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage
Mental health and well-being support
Open, flexible vacation policy
Paid parental leave of at least 16 weeks to support parents who give birth, and 10 weeks for a new parent (inclusive of birth, adoption, fostering, etc)
Quarterly budget for books and online courses for self-development
New hire stipend for home office setup
Monthly cell phone & internet stipend
Access to free onsite baristas and daily lunch for employees who are either onsite or hybrid
Access to a free commuter bus network that provides transport to and from our South San Francisco HQ from locations all around the Bay Area