Sr. Director, Accounting

Job Overview

The Senior Director of Accounting leads Direct Travel’s core accounting function, reporting directly to the VP of Accounting. This role has daily oversight of Direct Travel’s accounting operations, owning the monthly, quarterly, and annual close and overseeing the accurate recording of all business transactions — including revenue, payroll, vendor spend, certain affiliate entity results, and other accruals and provisions — in preparation for consolidation into Direct Travel’s group-level financial statements. The role partners closely with Accounting Operations, FP&A, Treasury, Tax, business unit stakeholders, and external auditors to support the compilation of reliable, GAAP-compliant financial reporting across the organization. This is a hands-on leadership position requiring deep technical accounting expertise and the ability to build, mentor, and lead a high-performing accounting team.

Responsibilities

• Own Direct Travel’s monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, overseeing the accurate and timely recording of all business transactions — including revenue, payroll, vendor spend, certain affiliate entity results, and other accruals and provisions — and prepare Direct Travel’s core financial results in preparation for consolidation into the group-level financial statements.
• Serve alongside the VP of Accounting as an additional key technical accounting resource, researching and documenting the company’s position on complex or non-routine transactions (e.g., purchase accounting, revenue recognition, lease accounting, goodwill and impairment) and drafting accounting memos.
• Partner with the VP of Accounting to design, implement, and continuously improve close processes, accounting policies, and internal controls across the consolidated entity structure.
• Partner with subsidiary accounting leadership on chart-of-accounts alignment, reporting calendars, and accounting policy consistency to support a clean, timely consolidation, without owning those entities’ day-to-day accounting operations.
• Serve as one of the key liaisons to the external auditors, managing the audit timeline, PBC schedules, and coordination of fieldwork, and preparing supporting documentation and analysis to help resolve findings.
• Manage intercompany accounting and reconciliation processes across the consolidated group, ensuring timely elimination, settlement, and reporting to support accurate group-level consolidation.
• Review and approve account reconciliations, journal entries, and close-related adjustments prepared by the Direct Travel accounting team.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with FP&A, Treasury, Tax, and Legal to ensure accounting positions align with broader financial and business strategy.
• Recruit, develop, and lead Direct Travel’s core accounting team of managers and staff, building a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Monitor emerging U.S. GAAP (and IFRS, where relevant for international entities) accounting standards and assess and implement their impact on Direct Travel’s financial results.
• Support the design, documentation, and maintenance of internal controls over financial reporting for Direct Travel’s accounting processes.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Active CPA license.
• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including substantial experience with multi-entity and multi-currency consolidations.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. GAAP, including consolidation accounting, business combinations, and foreign currency translation.
• Experience coordinating external audit fieldwork, PBC schedules, and supporting documentation requests.
• Proven people leadership experience, including managing and developing accounting managers and staff.
• Experience with ERP and consolidation systems, and a track record of implementing or enhancing accounting systems and processes to drive efficiency.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical accounting concepts for non-accounting stakeholders and executive leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Public accounting and/or private equity-backed, multi-national, or multi-entity organization experience.
• Experience with M&A integration, purchase accounting, and post-acquisition accounting harmonization.
• Familiarity with IFRS and international statutory reporting requirements.
• Experience using AI and/or other automation tools to drive process efficiency and improve controls.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required
• Minimum 10 years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 4-5 years in a management or leadership role overseeing consolidation or corporate accounting functions.
• Experience operating within a multi-entity, multi-currency corporate structure, ideally including international operations.
• A combination of public accounting and industry experience is strongly preferred.

Benefits Summary

In addition to Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits Direct Travel offers a Total Rewards Package which includes Retirement Plans, Wellness, Rewards and Recognition, Sustainability, DE&I initiatives, and Mental Health Support.

About Direct Travel

Direct Travel is one of the world’s largest travel management companies. With a long history of proven market expertise, we blend advanced technology, superior service, and expert insight to drive tangible value and meaningful savings across Corporate Travel, Leisure Travel, Meetings & Events and specialty travel businesses. Through Avenir, our intelligent travel management platform, we reduce obstacles and give clients more direct access to content, trusted data, intelligence and global expertise. What truly sets us apart is the human care behind the technology, delivered by an experienced, passionate team dedicated to anticipating needs and delivering exceptional service at every step. For more information about Direct Travel, visit www.dt.com.

Direct Travel is an equal opportunity employer

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