Head of Infrastructure Accounting

📋 Description

• • Perplexity is at the forefront of revolutionizing how people search and interact with information online, and our Finance and Accounting team is instrumental in shaping our strategic and financial trajectory. We are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Infrastructure Accounting Manager to join our dynamic team. This role is pivotal in establishing and refining the accounting processes for our Research & Development (R&D) and infrastructure expenditures, ensuring robust financial reporting and empowering informed decision-making across the organization.
• • In this capacity, you will collaborate closely with the Controller and the Strategic Finance team to architect and implement best-in-class accounting practices for our rapidly expanding infrastructure and R&D investments. Your primary focus will be on building scalable, automated, and reliable processes that can keep pace with Perplexity's exponential growth. This includes taking ownership of the end-to-end process for capitalizing internally developed software, a critical component of our technological innovation.
• • You will serve as a key liaison, partnering with both internal business stakeholders and external infrastructure providers. This involves meticulous data acquisition and analysis to foster a clear and accurate understanding of our infrastructure costs. A significant aspect of your role will be to ensure that our accounting processes are not only efficient and well-documented but also fully compliant with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP), with a particular emphasis on relevant accounting standards such as ASC 350 (Intangibles - Goodwill and Other) and ASC 220 (Income Taxes).
• • Key responsibilities will encompass the detailed review and financial reporting of all infrastructure costs, including those associated with our cutting-edge AI models. This ensures a timely and accurate month-end close process. You will proactively drive improvements in the quality and accuracy of infrastructure-related reporting by fostering strong cross-functional relationships. By working closely with internal teams and external infrastructure partners, you will enhance the reliability of data inputs and ensure the accuracy of vendor billing, mitigating potential discrepancies and optimizing cost management.
• • A core function of this role is the development, documentation, and maintenance of a robust process for capitalizing internally developed software, adhering strictly to the guidelines set forth in ASC 350. This requires a deep understanding of the software development lifecycle and the ability to translate technical progress into accurate financial capitalization.
• • You will be instrumental in building scalable processes and championing automation initiatives for both infrastructure accounting and the capitalization of internally developed software. This proactive approach is essential to support the rapid growth and evolving needs of the business, ensuring that our financial infrastructure remains agile and efficient.
• • Furthermore, you will engage in technical accounting research to address and ensure the correct accounting treatment for complex financial arrangements and transactions related to our infrastructure and R&D activities. This requires staying abreast of the latest accounting pronouncements and industry best practices.
• • You will also own the credit and refund processes with our infrastructure partners. This involves diligently monitoring contractual Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and pricing terms to ensure Perplexity receives appropriate credits or refunds when performance or billing terms are not met, thereby safeguarding company resources.
• • Close collaboration with cross-functional partners in Strategic Finance, Product, Data, and Engineering is paramount. This ensures you remain fully informed about ongoing and upcoming infrastructure-related initiatives. This deep understanding allows you to accurately identify and classify capitalizable projects, features, and other expenditures, ensuring proper accounting treatment.
• • Finally, you will play a crucial role in supporting the annual audit preparation process. This includes the meticulous writing of policy memos, compiling essential supporting documentation, performing reconciliations and preparing schedules, and efficiently delivering requested information to our external auditors in a timely manner, ensuring a smooth and successful audit cycle.