I

Intuitive Surgical

Builds robots for minimally invasive surgery

Director Accounts Payable & Travel Expense

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's, MBA
Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
In Person
AccountingAccounts Payable/Receivable

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field is required; an MBA or comparable advanced degree is preferred.
  • At least 12 years of progressive shared services experience, including at least 5 years in management within a multinational environment; healthcare experience is preferred.
  • Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management abilities.
  • Deep expertise in global accounts payable and travel expense reimbursement functions is highly desirable.
  • Advanced knowledge of enterprise resource planning and travel expense platforms such as SAP, Oracle, Concur, Coupa, Appen, and Xelix, and a proven track record implementing or leveraging finance process automation.
  • Robust understanding of compliance, controls, and medical device sector regulations, including SOX, FDA, Sunshine Act, and HIPAA.
Responsibilities
  • Oversee, manage, and develop the accounts payable and travel and expense teams, cultivating a culture of high performance, service excellence, and integrity.
  • Collaborate with global and local finance teams to harmonize processes and uphold rigorous industry-specific controls.
  • Drive strategic initiatives to enhance automation, standardization, and scalability of accounts payable and expense reimbursement processes.
  • Develop and monitor reporting, including key performance indicators and service-level agreements, to drive accountability, productivity, and process improvement, resolve issues swiftly, and support continuous improvement.
  • Participate in site leadership meetings and cascade information to controlling team managers.
  • Set a regular meeting cadence and lead and coordinate controlling team leadership meetings.
  • Lead coordination of local team trainings and events.
  • Lead local performance and compensation cycles for the controlling teams.
  • Provide mentorship to controlling team members.
  • Ensure site requirements are consistently followed across controlling teams.
  • Perform ad hoc requests at the request of controlling team leadership.
  • Ensure accurate and timely supplier payments and employee expense reimbursements in accordance with company policy, SOX controls, and healthcare industry regulations.
  • Maintain current process documentation and serve as the primary liaison for accounts payable and travel expense matters, building relationships with commercial, research and development, supply chain, clinical, and legal teams, as well as external vendors and service providers.
  • Proactively manage escalations, regulatory audits, and complex issues while maintaining stakeholder satisfaction and effective communication.
  • Drive process improvement projects, including robotic process automation and enterprise resource planning enhancements, related to accounts payable and travel expense reimbursement.
  • Champion adoption and expansion of digital tools such as SAP, Coupa, Xelix, Concur, and Appzen to improve data integrity, visibility, accuracy, and compliance across shared service operations.
  • Collaborate with information technology and finance transformation teams to implement scalable technology solutions that increase accuracy and expedite processing.
  • Serve as the primary liaison for accounts payable and travel expense matters, building strong relationships with internal business partners, external vendors, and service providers.
  • Mentor and inspire team managers and team members, promoting career growth and talent development.
  • Oversee continual education programs to keep staff current with changes in healthcare reimbursements, finance technologies, and compliance standards.
  • Uphold a strict control environment aligned with SOX and medical device industry requirements.
  • Partner with internal and external auditors on accounts payable and travel expense processes, rapidly resolving findings and enhancing procedures as needed.
Desired Qualifications
  • Healthcare experience in a multinational shared services management environment.
  • Deep expertise in global accounts payable and travel expense reimbursement functions.

About the company

Intuitive Surgical makes da Vinci robots that let surgeons operate through a few small incisions, and Ion, a robot that reaches deep into the lungs to take tissue samples. In 2000, da Vinci became the first robotic system cleared by the FDA for general laparoscopic surgery, meaning keyhole operations in the abdomen. A surgeon sits at a nearby console and steers robotic arms holding a 3D camera and wristed instruments, which turn hand movements into smaller, steadier motions. Hospitals buy or lease the robots, then keep paying for the instruments used in each operation and for service. Intuitive was founded in 1995 to commercialize robotic surgery research from SRI International and is based in Sunnyvale, California.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Sunnyvale, California

Founded

1995

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Demand keeps compounding: da Vinci procedures grew 15% and revenue 19%, to $2.89 billion, in the June 2026 quarter.
  • Room to grow: Intuitive listed 748 open roles in October 2026, including 191 in engineering and 312 in Sunnyvale.
  • Repeat sales steady the business: instruments and service made 76% of revenue in the June 2026 quarter.

What critics are saying

  • Stock grants have shrunk: shares fell 27% from January to October 2026, versus 9% for rival Medtronic.
  • Device giants are moving in: the FDA cleared rival robots from Medtronic in December 2025 and J&J in July 2026.
  • Instrument sales face a court fight: in August 2026, an appeals court revived a repair firm's monopoly suit against Intuitive.

What makes Intuitive Surgical unique

  • Hospitals rent more than they buy: 254 of 468 da Vinci systems placed in the June 2026 quarter were leases.
  • It runs without borrowing: Intuitive had no debt and $8.6 billion in cash and investments in June 2026.
  • Its CEO is a 30-year insider: Dave Rosa, CEO since July 2025, joined as employee number nine in 1996.

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Benefits

  • Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

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Yahoo Finance
Oct 1st, 2026
Intuitive Surgical down 30% in 2026, but Wall Street analysts stay bullish

Intuitive Surgical has lost nearly 30% year-to-date in 2026, making it one of healthcare's biggest losers. The stock fell over 40% by late July. Despite this decline, Wall Street remains bullish—24 of 32 analysts surveyed by S&P Global in September rated it a "buy" or "strong buy." The medical device maker faces several challenges. Growth is slowing whilst the stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings multiple over 33. Competition in China remains difficult, and the company now battles healthcare giants Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and Stryker in robotic surgical systems. The expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies and rising GLP-1 drug usage have also impacted procedure volumes. However, the company's Asian revenue still jumped 20% year-over-year in Q2, suggesting these headwinds aren't insurmountable.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 17th, 2026
Intuitive Surgical, IonQ, and Accenture hold billions in net cash for growth

Investors seeking financial stability often look to companies with more cash than debt, as these businesses have greater flexibility for growth investments, buybacks, and dividends. Intuitive Surgical holds $5.22 billion in net cash. The robotic surgery pioneer achieved 20.7% annual revenue growth over the past two years, whilst its earnings per share increased 17.4% annually over five years. IonQ maintains $2.06 billion in net cash, representing 14.1% of its market capitalisation. The quantum computing company posted 181% annual revenue growth over two years and expects 163% growth next year. Accenture has $1.78 billion in net cash. The professional services firm employs approximately 774,000 people across more than 120 countries. Companies with strong balance sheets can navigate uncertain markets whilst pursuing expansion opportunities without the burden of significant debt obligations.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 23rd, 2026
Thermo Fisher vs Intuitive Surgical: which premium healthcare stock justifies valuation?

Thermo Fisher and Intuitive Surgical both delivered strong recent quarters, but their premium valuations rest on different foundations. Thermo Fisher's case depends on recovery in life sciences spending after the pandemic slowdown. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment saw reported revenue climb 13% year-over-year, with organic revenue up 3%. The Analytical Instruments business returned to growth after nearly two years of weak demand, suggesting laboratory spending is normalising. Intuitive Surgical maintains its premium through business model strength. The company's non-GAAP gross profit margin reached 70.0%, whilst its non-GAAP operating margin expanded 330 basis points year-over-year to 42.1%. Recurring revenue streams constitute roughly 85% of total sales. Intuitive placed 468 da Vinci surgical units in fiscal Q2, marking 18% year-over-year growth, indicating continued hospital investment in robotic surgery platforms.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 19th, 2026
Abbott beats Q2 estimates with 13% sales growth as diagnostics surge 42%, while Intuitive Surgical posts 19% revenue rise

Abbott Laboratories reported strong fiscal Q2 2026 results, with sales rising 13% on a reported basis and 4.8% on a comparable basis, beating estimates and prompting the company to raise its annual profit forecast. The diagnostics segment was particularly strong, growing 42% to $3.09 billion, driven by its cancer diagnostics business following the Exact Sciences acquisition. Intuitive Surgical also exceeded expectations in Q2 2026, with revenue growing 19% to $2.89 billion and adjusted EPS of $2.80, beating forecasts by $0.30. The company placed 468 da Vinci units during the quarter, an 18% year-over-year increase, whilst maintaining a non-GAAP gross margin of 70.0%. The companies present contrasting investment cases: Abbott offers diversified healthcare portfolio resilience, whilst Intuitive Surgical relies on its robotic surgery ecosystem with recurring revenue comprising approximately 85% of total sales.

PR Newswire
Aug 17th, 2026
Intuitive leases 316,000-sq-ft facility in Penang to manufacture surgical instruments, create 1,200 jobs by 2032

Intuitive, the global leader in minimally invasive care and pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery, has signed a lease agreement with Penang Development Corporation for a new manufacturing facility in Malaysia. The 316,000-square-foot site in Bandar Cassia Technology Park will produce surgical instruments and electromechanical devices for Intuitive's da Vinci surgical system. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 and create 1,200 highly skilled jobs by 2032. The investment reflects Intuitive's commitment to Asia Pacific, where its da Vinci systems have treated more than 2.5 million patients across 13 markets over two decades. The expansion aims to support growing demand for robotic-assisted surgery across the region and strengthen Penang's position as a MedTech manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia.