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Full-Time

Chief Accounting Officer

Updated on 9/3/2024

Benchling

Benchling

501-1,000 employees

Cloud-based platform for life sciences R&D

Food & Agriculture
Hardware
Enterprise Software
Biotechnology
Healthcare

Compensation Overview

$250k - $500kAnnually

+ Equity

Senior, Expert

San Francisco, CA, USA

Category
Financial Accounting
Tax Accounting
Financial Controller
Governmental Accounting
Accounting
Required Skills
Customer Service
Requirements
  • Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business; MBA or Masters in Accounting preferred
  • Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) License highly preferred
  • Experience with a Big 4 or other national accounting firm preferred
  • Minimum 10 years accounting and finance experience, with a minimum of 8 years in a financial senior leadership position in a public technology company
  • Experience managing international accounting functions at both a corporate and a business unit-level for a global publicly-traded company, including consolidating US and non-US financial statements rolling up to the corporate level
  • Experience presenting to Board of Directors, Audit Committees and other internal and external decision-makers
  • Significant experience in SaaS business models
  • Expert knowledge of financial activities, policies, and processes, including multi-currency consolidations, SEC reporting, and Sarbanes-Oxley
  • Experience meeting SOX requirements and maintaining effective internal controls over financial reporting
  • Must be a proven and effective leader that garners trust and loyalty from team members
  • Demonstrated proficiency in enhancing financial systems to enable efficiency and scalability of the business and accounting functions
Responsibilities
  • Direct and lead accounting teams in the oversight of company- wide accounting policies and controls consistent with SEC, US GAAP, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance
  • Plan and direct all accounting activities across the organization, to ensure compliance with GAAP, SEC regulations, SOX, statutory guidelines, and internal financial policies and procedures
  • Coordinate the preparation of the company’s financial statements
  • Drive external reporting, including presentations and direct communication with the external auditors, the Audit Committee and the Board
  • Provide leadership required to strengthen and grow the Accounting team, with a commitment to recruiting, training, and mentoring
  • Provide guidance and training of any relevant new accounting guidance including SEC regulations to the accounting team and the broader organization
  • Partner with the FP&A organization to ensure the accuracy of the financial statements through a monthly executive review of revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities
  • Build the technical infrastructure and control environment to support the company's global growth and readiness for public life
  • Leverage technology to build scalable/sustainable processes to create efficiencies, streamline accounting operations, and improve the employee experience
  • Establish strong relationships with inter-departmental peers and be the go-to accounting source in the Company
  • Continually evaluate and optimize month-end close processes, striving to deliver process automation, improved accuracy, and higher customer service
  • Develop/enhance, implement and enforce accounting policies and procedures that will improve the overall operation and reduce risks of the business
  • Manage insourced and outsourced international accountants for general accounting, payroll, tax, statutory accounts, and compliance
  • Manage the annual consolidated external audit working with independent auditors

Benchling provides a platform designed for life sciences research and development, primarily catering to biotech and pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and research organizations. Its cloud-based platform includes tools like an electronic lab notebook, molecular biology tools, and sample tracking systems, which help scientists manage experimental data, collaborate with colleagues, and streamline workflows. Users can design experiments, record results, and analyze data in an organized way. Benchling operates on a subscription-based model, offering different pricing tiers based on organizational size and feature needs, ensuring a steady revenue stream. The company differentiates itself by focusing on the specific needs of life sciences R&D, providing essential tools that enhance research efficiency and effectiveness. The goal of Benchling is to help clients accelerate their research and bring innovations to market more quickly.

Company Stage

Series F

Total Funding

$412M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2012

Growth & Insights
Headcount

6 month growth

4%

1 year growth

4%

2 year growth

-1%
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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Partnerships with industry giants like Sanofi and Zealand Pharma highlight Benchling's credibility and potential for significant market influence.
  • The platform's ability to aggregate complex data from various departments enables better decision-making, analytics, and collaboration, accelerating research timelines.
  • Benchling's continuous innovation, such as the development of AI-driven R&D capabilities, positions it as a leader in the rapidly evolving biotech sector.

What critics are saying

  • The highly specialized nature of Benchling's platform may limit its market to only life sciences and biotech, potentially constraining growth opportunities.
  • Integration challenges with legacy systems in large organizations could slow down adoption and impact customer satisfaction.

What makes Benchling unique

  • Benchling's cloud-based platform integrates a wide array of tools like electronic lab notebooks, molecular biology tools, and sample tracking systems, offering a comprehensive solution for life sciences R&D.
  • The company's focus on life sciences and biotechnology, coupled with its partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies like Sanofi, sets it apart from more generalized data management platforms.
  • Benchling's subscription-based model ensures a steady revenue stream, allowing continuous investment in platform improvements and customer support.

Benefits

Four months of fully paid parental leave

401(k) plan

Remote working stipend

Yearly company-wide retreat

Monthly gym and wellness stipend

Commuter benefits

100% premiums covered for health, dental, and vision

Weekly company social events

Flexible PTO and company-wide winter holiday shutdown