Head of Corporate Accounting and Planning

Head of Corporate Accounting and Planning

• Team: Finance and Operations
• Location: US-MA-Natick
• Salary Range: USD 149,600 - 254,400

Job Summary

Are you a forward-thinking finance leader who can turn accurate financial information into meaningful business insights? Do you enjoy developing high-performing teams, improving processes, and using technology to eliminate manual work and increase the impact of Finance? Join MathWorks as the Head of Corporate Accounting and Planning and play a key role in shaping how Finance supports business decisions, operational efficiency, and scalable growth.

This role is not a traditional controllership role focused only on accurate accounting. This role requires a leader who combines strong accounting judgment, financial analysis, operational thinking, and technology-enabled process improvement. The ideal candidate will build and lead a team that blends accounting expertise, analytical capability, business partnership, and continuous improvement to help the business understand financial drivers, identify risks and opportunities, and make better decisions.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, inspire, and develop a team of finance professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional growth.
• Develop capabilities in financial analysis, data visualization, process improvement, data storytelling and business partnering.
• Encourage the team to collaborate across functions to support effective decision-making.

Financial Reporting, Operational Accounting & Analysis

• Oversee the monthly close-to-report process, ensuring timely, accurate, and well-controlled financial information.
• Continuously evolve financial reporting to align with current and future business priorities, while maintaining a strong focus on controls, consistency, and data integrity.
• Translate financial and operational data into actionable insights and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Manage accounts payable operations, leveraging technology and process improvement to increase efficiency while maintaining appropriate controls and risk mitigation.

Financial Planning & Forecasting

• Manage financial forecasting and planning processes, aligning financial goals with organizational objectives and business priorities.
• Provide scenario analysis and business modeling to evaluate initiatives, operational investments, and changing business conditions.
• Partner with business leaders to identify risks and opportunities throughout the year and assess the impact on financial results.

Technology, Automation & Process Optimization

• Lead efforts to simplify, standardize, automate, and modernize finance and operational processes, reducing manual effort while improving accuracy, scalability, and user experience.
• Collaborate with the Financial Systems Team, IT, and other stakeholders to identify and implement workflow improvements, system enhancements, reporting automation, and data integration opportunities.
• Partner with stakeholders to create an integrated data and reporting environment that supports consistent definitions and analytics.

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree and 15 years of professional work experience (or equivalent experience) is required. 5 years management experience is required.

Additional Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and developing professional-level staff.
• Strong accounting foundation with the ability to apply judgment to complex transactions, operational changes, and evolving business models.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze financial and operational data and translate findings into actionable business recommendations.
• Ability to explain complex financial and operational information clearly to both finance and non-finance audiences.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• A collaborative mindset with a willingness to partner, iterate, and adapt to support effective decision-making.
• Experience improving processes, strengthening controls, and increasing efficiency in finance or accounting workflows.
• Familiarity with ERP systems such as Oracle, with a strong understanding of their application in financial processes.
• Experience working in a multinational corporate environment.
• Active CPA or CA license.