Head of Accounting (Mountain View)

Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure and enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.

As Lightmatter enters a crucial phase of accelerated product development and volume deployment with our lead customers, the company is poised for rapid expansion. Our team includes brilliant innovators, world-class engineers, and accomplished business leaders who have successfully delivered large-scale solutions to leading hyperscale data center operators globally.

Lightmatter has close to 200 employees and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA, with offices in Boston, MA, and Toronto, Canada. To date, the company has raised over $420 million and is valued at over $1.2 billion. It is backed by leading technology investors, including Fidelity, Google Ventures, Viking, Sequoia, and Spark.

Lightmatter values exceptional talent and kindness. We have created a high-performance, collaborative, and open culture where our employees are inspired to power the future of computing.

As the Head of Accounting, you will lead the company’s accounting organization, including developing and implementing control processes and accounting policies, managing the general ledger, overseeing monthly and quarterly close, reviewing financial statements, handling tax and treasury matters, guiding international financial operations, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations and reporting requirements.

Reporting directly to the CFO, you will be a key leader at the company during rapid growth. You will be responsible for building a world-class accounting organization to support our transition to a public company and significant growth in the years ahead.

Responsibilities

• Lead the accounting operations, including financial reporting, technical accounting, cash management, and a comprehensive set of controls designed to mitigate risk.
• Manage the monthly, quarterly and annual close, including monitoring close deliverables, review of journal entries and account reconciliations, preparation and review of flux analysis.
• Oversee the preparation of timely and accurate consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP and internal company policies.
• Drive the development and implementation of accounting policies and procedures to enhance efficiency and compliance. Advise on accounting-related matters.
• Manage equity plan administration as part of accounting functions.
• Oversee the development of technical accounting memos.
• Understand the accounting implications of customer and supplier contracts and provide strategic financial insights to senior management to support decision-making.
• Oversee the accounting systems and continuously evaluate opportunities to improve our productivity, accuracy, and controls.
• Partner cross-functionally to scale our company-wide systems and processes to achieve over time appropriate levels required of a public company.
• Manage relationships with external stakeholders, including auditors, accounting advisors, banks, and tax authorities.
• Recruit top performers to expand the accounting team to an appropriate size for a public company, delivering high performance with high integrity across the organization.

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience, including 10+ years of related accounting experience at a high-growth company and a minimum of 4 years of public accounting experience with a "Big 4" firm; semiconductor experience is a strong plus.
• Bachelor's or master’s in accounting or finance. A CPA is required.
• Knowledge and experience in assessing, developing, and implementing accounting systems, including NetSuite.
• Experience in a US public company and/or experience as Controller at a late-stage private venture-backed company.
• Strong technical accounting skills (US GAAP) with demonstrated ASC 606/revenue recognition and cost accounting experience.
• History of scaling and process improvement for finance and accounting operations.
• Proven ability to hire, manage, and mentor high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication skills, distilling complex accounting topics and providing actionable recommendations.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Self-starter who finds satisfaction in being accountable for accomplishing results quickly and accurately, with a “no task is too big or small” attitude.
• Works harmoniously with multiple functional teams across various organizations.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• 401k matching
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Paid Family Leave
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Flexible, hybrid workplace model
• Stock Option Plan

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role, inclusive of all US locations, is $240,000 - $350,000. Your base salary will be determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.