Application Guide
How to Apply for Manager, Accounting
at Bird
🏢 About Bird
Bird is a pioneering micromobility company that revolutionized urban transportation with eco-friendly, dockless electric scooters. As a mission-driven organization focused on sustainable urban mobility, Bird offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and rapid growth. The company's fast-paced environment and commitment to reducing carbon emissions make it particularly appealing for professionals who want their financial expertise to support meaningful environmental impact.
About This Role
As Manager, Accounting at Bird, you'll lead the G/L team through complex monthly and quarterly close processes while serving as a strategic partner to Finance, Treasury, and Operations teams. This role is critical for implementing robust internal controls and accounting structures to support Bird's rapid expansion across multiple markets and entities. You'll directly impact the company's financial integrity and scalability by driving technical projects like new GAAP pronouncement adoption and managing multi-national accounting complexities.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve leading morning stand-up meetings with your G/L team to review close progress, collaborating with Treasury on cash flow forecasting for international operations, and working with Operations to implement new internal controls for expansion markets. You'll spend afternoons reviewing complex reconciliations, addressing technical accounting questions from your team, and preparing for cross-functional meetings to align accounting processes with Bird's rapid growth initiatives.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Bird Is Looking For
- A CPA with 6+ years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 1 year managing teams, who has navigated the complexities of multi-entity and multi-national organizations
- Someone with deep US GAAP expertise who has successfully implemented new accounting pronouncements and built scalable month-end close processes in high-growth environments
- A strategic thinker who can partner cross-functionally with Finance, Treasury, and Operations teams to implement internal controls that support rapid expansion
- A hands-on leader who can both manage the G/L team and dive into technical accounting projects while maintaining detailed close schedules and reconciliation functions
📝 Tips for Applying to Bird
Quantify your experience with multi-entity accounting - specifically mention the number of entities you've managed and any international accounting complexities you've navigated
Highlight any experience with rapid scaling or high-growth environments, particularly in tech or mobility sectors, to show you can handle Bird's expansion pace
Demonstrate your technical GAAP knowledge by mentioning specific pronouncements you've implemented (like ASC 606 or ASC 842) rather than just stating 'GAAP experience'
Showcase your cross-functional partnership skills with specific examples of working with Treasury, Finance, and Operations teams to implement controls
Tailor your resume to emphasize both your people management experience (1+ years) and your 6+ years of progressive accounting responsibilities, ensuring both are clearly visible
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your experience managing accounting for multi-national organizations and how you've navigated international accounting complexities", "Specific examples of implementing internal controls and accounting structures in high-growth environments similar to Bird's rapid expansion", 'Your approach to being a strategic partner to cross-functional teams (Finance, Treasury, Operations) beyond just technical accounting', 'How your CPA expertise and GAAP knowledge have directly supported business growth and scalability in previous roles']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Bird's current market expansion and international presence to understand the multi-national accounting complexities you'd be managing
- → Recent financial news about Bird or the micromobility industry to understand current challenges and opportunities in the sector
- → Bird's sustainability initiatives and environmental impact goals to align your experience with their mission-driven culture
- → The competitive landscape of dockless electric scooters and how Bird differentiates itself in urban mobility markets
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on technical accounting skills without demonstrating cross-functional partnership experience with Treasury, Finance, or Operations
- Presenting generic accounting experience without specific examples of managing multi-entity or multi-national complexities
- Failing to show how your experience aligns with high-growth environments or rapid scaling, which is critical for Bird's expansion model
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!