Director, Accounting Policy

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary:

The Director of Accounting Policy will serve as a senior leader within the Finance organization, responsible for developing, interpreting, and implementing accounting policies that ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, SEC regulations, and other applicable reporting standards. This role requires exceptional professional judgment, the ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity, and the skill to translate technical accounting into clear, actionable guidance for business and finance leaders. The Director will be a trusted advisor to senior leadership, driving consistency, transparency, and excellence across the company’s financial reporting framework.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Manage a team of financial controllers and ensure their effective performance
• Perform risk assessments and identify improvements in the control and risk management framework
• Develop and maintain accounting and reporting processes in compliance with laws and regulations
• Monitor Key Performance Indicators and Key Risk Indicators to drive operational performance
• Ensure regulatory compliance of outsourced activities
• Manage the month close process and present reports to senior leadership
• As a finance leader, you will help shape the strategy for CAO and finance, and influence decision making of stakeholders across the enterprise.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 10+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary technical accounting authority, applying exceptional professional judgment, for complex and judgment-intensive transactions, including revenue recognition, financial instruments, business combinations, consolidations and equity investments, fair value and impairments, derivatives and hedging, and share-based compensation.
• Lead the evaluation, development, and maintenance of the company’s accounting policies to ensure alignment with U.S. GAAP, SEC requirements, and industry practices.
• Monitor, interpret, and implement new accounting and regulatory standards (FASB, SEC, and IFRS), simplifying complex guidance into practical, scalable policies and implementation plans.
• Prepare clear, concise, and well-reasoned technical accounting memos, and present recommendations effectively to senior leadership and external auditors.

• Act as a trusted advisor to Finance, Legal, Treasury, Tax, FP&A, Investor Relations, and business partners, providing timely guidance on accounting implications of strategic initiatives and transactions and managing complexity and ambiguity by creating clarity and alignment across stakeholders.

• Partner closely with external auditors, leading technical discussions and resolving complex accounting matters efficiently.

• Mentor and coach team members to strengthen technical accounting expertise, professional judgment, and leadership capabilities.
• Encourage a proactive and creative mindset, promoting continuous improvement in processes and innovative thinking in how accounting challenges are addressed.

Expected Qualifications:

• 15+ years of progressive experience in technical accounting, including public accounting and/or relevant industry experience.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. GAAP and SEC guidance with demonstrated ability to apply standards using exceptional professional judgment in complex, ambiguous situations, with specific emphasis on revenue recognition, derivatives and hedging, debt and equity investments, share-based compensation, and business combinations and divestitures.
• Strong collaboration, relationship-building, and influencing skills across a matrixed organization with a proven ability to distill complexity into clear, practical guidance and influence decision-making.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with superior presentation abilities and experience presenting to executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success in coaching and developing teams, building both technical excellence and leadership capability.
• Proactive, creative problem-solver with strong analytical skills and sound judgment.
• Experience in technology, fintech, or financial services preferred.

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

-

The base pay for this role will depend on where you work and the relevant experience and expertise you bring. The expected range of pay for this role by location is:

Primary Location | Pay Range:

San Jose, California | ($176,500.00 - $262,350.00 Annually)

Additional Location(s) | Pay Range:

No other locations are assigned to this requisition currently.

Additional compensation for this role may include an annual performance bonus, equity, or other incentive compensation, as applicable.

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. When making an application directly, we will never ask you to share passwords, one-time passcodes (OTP), or verification codes.  Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. All communication regarding your application will come from official PayPal email domains. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it immediately.  To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us. 

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset-you. That’s why we offer comprehensive, choice-based programs, to support all aspects of personal wellbeing—physical, emotional, and financial—delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support your mental health.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [email protected].

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.