Director, Financial Accounting & Reporting

Be essential at Cars Commerce

At Cars Commerce, we’re fanatical about simplifying everything about car buying and selling. We do right by our customers and consumers to better connect the industry with simplified and tierless technology to enhance, measure and drive local automotive retail. Whether through our No.1 most recognized marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience, Dealer Inspire, our trade and appraisal technology, AccuTrade, our reputation-based digital wholesale auction marketplace, Dealerclub, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry.

No one ever travels alone here: at its core, Cars Commerce is collaboration. In fact, it’s built into the very fabric of our shared values. We like to say we Rise Together – putting people at the center of what we do, from consumer to customer to community. Life at Cars Commerce makes it easy when we share the ethos to be Open to All, encouraging open-minded communication because we know diverse thinking yields better outcomes. But critical to our success is Caring to Challengeand Taking Ownership, fueling a competitive spirit in a respectful environment where we think about tomorrow but act today. At our foundation, we have integrity, Doing the Right Thing, even when it’s hard. It’s our shared commitment to these values that makes Cars Commerce a place where growth becomes not only possible, but downright unavoidable.

But don’t take our word for it. As a U.S. News & World Report Best Company to Work For in 2024, we're obsessive about the employee experience. We are among the top 20% being declared “Best” of our industry based on six critical factors that are important to employee wellbeing, like quality of pay, benefits, work life balance and more.

Location: Chicago, IL (hybrid)

ABOUT THE ROLE: 
Cars Commerce is seeking a Director, Accounting and Reporting to lead the Accounting and SEC reporting teams. This role will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day external financial reporting and ensuring compliance with SEC regulations, US GAAP, and SOX requirements for a publicly traded company. This individual will lead a team of accounting and reporting professionals and serve as a key technical subject matter expert on complex accounting matters.  They will partner with various internal stakeholders, including finance leadership, legal, and investor relations, to ensure consistent and accurate external disclosures. The ideal candidate must have a strong technical accounting background, excellent management skills and a proven track record in a public company setting. The position reports to the Assistant Controller.

THIS ROLE IS BASED IN CHICAGO AND REQUIRES IN-OFFICE PRESENCE.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Accounting and SEC Reporting

• Maintain overall responsibility for day-to-day management of monthly, quarterly and annual close processes, ensuring timely and accurate financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP

• Oversee preparation and filing of all SEC reports, including Form 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, and other required regulatory filings

• Coordinate with internal and external auditors on quarterly reviews and the annual audit

Technical Accounting

• Serve as a primary technical accounting resource, researching and documenting complex accounting issues (e.g., revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, leases, business combinations)

• Monitor new accounting pronouncements from FASB and SEC, assessing their impact on the company's financial statements and developing action plan and implementation program

• Develop and maintain comprehensive accounting policies and procedures

• Provide guidance on structuring revenue streams and/or contracts to optimize revenue recognition and financial/operational efficiency

• Act as an escalation point for day-to-day issues by partnering with appropriate parties to reach compromises and resolutions with commercial and operational practicability, while mitigating risk

Special Projects

• M&A Due Diligence and Integration: Act as a primarily resource in due diligence process for accounting and reporting and lead integration o