Compliance Lead Jobs in San Francisco, CA

INTRODUCTION

Who We Are
Notion is the collaborative AI workspace where teams and agents think together. We're building one place where your knowledge, projects, meetings, and AI tools live side by side, so work is faster, clearer, and less fragmented. Millions of individuals, small teams, and large companies run their work on Notion. Notinos (our employees) are customer zero in bringing this future of work to life. We care about craft, building things that last, and the belief that great work is still fundamentally human. Our goal isn’t to ship the next feature. Each and every team of Notinos is working to set the standard for how humans work together in the AI era. From building a business’s system of record to making and managing AI agents to automating away the busy work, we care deeply about giving our customers more time for their life’s work.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a strategic and seasoned Lead, Internal Audit and SOX Compliance to join our Finance team reporting to the Head of Internal Audit. This is a broad, high-impact role that goes well beyond traditional compliance. You will help to establish and elevate Notion's internal controls program end to end — designing the governance framework, leading our SOX lifecycle, embedding AI and automation into how we test and monitor controls, and serving as a trusted strategic advisor across the business as we scale. You will partner with leaders across Finance, IT, Engineering, Commercial, Legal, and the business units to embed sound financial controls into how Notion operates, while delivering value-added operational audits that strengthen the company. This role is ideal for someone who thinks like a builder, not just an auditor — someone who can translate complex control requirements into practical, scalable processes in a fast-moving SaaS environment with complex revenue and consumption models.

LOCATION

This role is based in San Francisco, USA. We work from our offices on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays (our Anchor Days) because we do our best thinking and building together in person. We’re looking for someone who’s excited to work alongside the team during those days.

WHAT YOU'LL ACHIEVE

- Lead a comprehensive, strategic governance program that evaluates Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) against the COSO framework, ensuring the design and operating effectiveness of controls company-wide
- Drive enterprise-level risk assessment, proactively identifying emerging risks and continuously calibrating control coverage to where the business is heading, not just where it has been
- Oversee the full lifecycle of SOX documentation — scoping, narratives, risk-control matrices, walkthroughs, testing, deficiency evaluation, remediation, and reporting — and drive automation and efficiency across the program
- Act as a strategic advisor on cross-functional business transformation initiatives (new systems, new revenue streams, M&A, process redesign), ensuring sound financial controls are built in from day one
- Partner with and educate business process owners across the organization, deepening their understanding of the controls framework and building a culture of ownership and accountability
- Design and execute value-added operational audits that surface insights and drive measurable improvements beyond compliance
- Manage relationships with third-party service providers, including external auditors and co-source partners, ensuring quality and accountability
- Provide regular reporting and insight to Finance leadership, the Audit Committee, and senior stakeholders on the health of the control environment
- Champion the adoption of AI and modern tooling to make the audit function smarter, faster, and more forward-looking

SKILLS YOU'LL NEED TO BRING

- 8+ years of progressive internal audit experience, with a combination of Big 4 and high-growth technology company experience
- Deep understanding of PCAOB standards, SEC requirements, and the COSO framework, with hands-on ownership of SOX/ICFR programs
- Software or SaaS industry experience is a must — particularly involving complex revenue recognition or consumption-based reporting
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CIA, CPA, or equivalent certification required
- Proven success implementing AI and automation into the SOX program — from automated control testing and anomaly detection to AI-assisted documentation
- Process leadership — a track record of building functions, designing new processes and policies, and driving continuous improvement
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence and educate partners across all levels of the organization
- A strategic, business-minded approach to controls — you see audit as a lever for value creation, not just a checkbox

COMPENSATION

Notion is committed to providing highly competitive cash compensation, equity, and benefits. The compensation offered for this role will be based on multiple factors such as location, the role’s scope and complexity, and the candidate’s experience and expertise, and may vary from the range provided below. For roles based in San Francisco, the estimated base salary range for this role is $185,000 - $220,000 per year.

By clicking “Submit Application”, I understand and agree that Notion and its affiliates and subsidiaries will collect and process my information in accordance with Notion’s Global Recruiting Privacy Policy.

A NOTE ON AI

You don’t need deep AI expertise for every role, but we do expect every Notino to be intellectually curious, drawn to tinkering and discovery, and excited to use AI as a real collaborator in their work. For some roles, AI fluency is a core requirement — when that’s the case, we'll say so explicitly in the qualifications. People who thrive here don’t treat AI as a novelty. They use it to think better, and make their work easier for others to build on.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & ACCOMMODATIONS

We hire talented people from a wide range of backgrounds. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every bullet, we still encourage you to apply. Notion is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected characteristic. Consistent with applicable law, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Notion provides reasonable accommodations during the application process; if you need one, please let your recruiter know. Notion is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Notion considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Notion is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please let your recruiter know.