Lead Accountant Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Lead Accountant roles qualify as specialty occupations under the H-1B visa, making them strong candidates for visa sponsorship. Employers file a Labor Condition Application with the DOL before sponsoring, and most large accounting teams have PERM and green card pipelines in place for senior hires.
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Get Access To All JobsGeneral Information
Location
Cary, North Carolina
Alternative Location(s)
* Posting Location: New York, New York
Working Schedule
Full-Time
Work Arrangement
Hybrid
Travel Required
10%
Relocation Assistance Available
No
Grade
12T
Posted Date
09-Nov-2026
Job ID
21533
Description and Requirements
The Team You Will Join
When you join MetLife’s Global Technology team, you’ll be part of a forward-thinking group dedicated to shaping the future of digital solutions for customers worldwide. You’ll develop, maintain and support technology applications and delivery, leveraging AI, automation, and contemporary ways of working to enhance experiences and drive business outcomes. Your work will simplify complex processes, improve tech resiliency, and ensure high-performing, seamless solutions that power life’s most important moments. In this dynamic environment, you’ll collaborate with talented peers across teams and functions, expanding your skills in impactful ways. Ready to push boundaries and set new industry standards? Join us and help drive the future of technology forward.
The Opportunity
The Workday Accounting Center Lead is responsible for serving as a Workday Accounting Center subject matter expert, driving the design, configuration, testing, and continuous improvement of Accounting Center and related accounting capabilities within Workday Financials across the enterprise. Guided by our purpose – always with you building a more confident future – and our New Frontier strategy focused on stronger growth, attractive returns and all-weather performance, this is an exciting opportunity to contribute to MetLife’s ERP Modernization journey as we transition from PeopleSoft to Workday Financials.
As an Accounting Center specialist in MetLife, this role will partner closely with Finance and Accounting stakeholders, implementation partners, & other technology teams to deliver scalable solutions that enable the business to transform. During the ERP Modernization program, this lead will provide hands-on expertise in Workday Accounting Center, helping to drive configuration decisions, resolve issues, and support related Workday areas (ie: Reporting, Integrations, Security). Following each market go-live, the role will then support ongoing solution maintenance, functional optimization, & enhancements to maximize the value of MetLife’s investment in Workday.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design, configuration, & deployment of Workday Accounting Center solutions, including accounting rules, posting rules, journal sources, & subledger-to-General Ledger accounting, ensuring alignment with business & IT objectives
- Partner with Finance, Accounting, & other business stakeholders to translate accounting requirements into Workday Accounting Center capabilities
- Support Workday Accounting Center configuration activities during the ERP Modernization program, providing guidance on design decisions, issue resolution, testing support, risk mitigation, and deployment readiness activities
- Coordinate dependencies between Accounting Center and other Workday Financials areas, including Accounts Payable, Procurement, Expenses, Assets, Banking, Reporting, Security, Integrations, & Prism
- Develop & maintain Accounting Center configuration standards, documentation, and governance processes that drive business value
- Coordinate with implementation partners, technical & business teams to deliver enhancements, prioritize work, troubleshoot issues, and continuously improve the user experience for our customers
- Serve as an escalation point for Accounting Center issues, providing functional and solution leadership
- Identify opportunities for process simplification, automation, and optimization within accounting and period-end processes
- Mentor & guide team members while promoting Workday Accounting Center best practices
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related discipline, with demonstrated experience delivering financial technology solutions
- 3-5 years working experience in Workday Financials, ideally Accounting Center, including the ability to configure & support accounting rules, posting rules, journals, & accounting adjustments, with familiarity across related Workday Financials modules (Accounts Payable, Procurement, Expenses, Assets, Banking, Financial Reporting)
- Proficiency leveraging Workday AI-enabled tools & technologies to enhance productivity & operational efficiency
- Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with business stakeholders & translate accounting requirements into technology solutions
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, & communication skills with the ability to resolve complex issues
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Workday Prism & PeopleSoft Financials
- Demonstrated ability to support platform enhancements & continuous optimization efforts
- Strong communication, stakeholder management, & collaboration skills with a track record of effectively partnering with business & technology teams
Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.
The expected salary range for this position is $120,000 - $161,600. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.
Benefits We Offer
Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more! For more information regarding MetLife’s U.S. benefits, please click here.
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
As part of our New Frontier strategy, MetLife is building an AI-enabled, people-centered future. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, adaptability, and a growth mindset as we use AI to enhance how we serve customers, support communities, and evolve the way work gets done. At MetLife, AI is a responsible partner that supports human judgment, creativity, and continuous improvement while helping us build trust, inclusion, and long-term value.
Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!
MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”).
If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at accommodations@metlife.com. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.
MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.
This posting is for a current vacancy and is anticipated to remain open for at least 90 days from the listed posting date.
General Information
Location
Cary, North Carolina
Alternative Location(s)
* Posting Location: New York, New York
Working Schedule
Full-Time
Work Arrangement
Hybrid
Travel Required
10%
Relocation Assistance Available
No
Grade
12T
Posted Date
09-Nov-2026
Job ID
21533
Description and Requirements
The Team You Will Join
When you join MetLife’s Global Technology team, you’ll be part of a forward-thinking group dedicated to shaping the future of digital solutions for customers worldwide. You’ll develop, maintain and support technology applications and delivery, leveraging AI, automation, and contemporary ways of working to enhance experiences and drive business outcomes. Your work will simplify complex processes, improve tech resiliency, and ensure high-performing, seamless solutions that power life’s most important moments. In this dynamic environment, you’ll collaborate with talented peers across teams and functions, expanding your skills in impactful ways. Ready to push boundaries and set new industry standards? Join us and help drive the future of technology forward.
The Opportunity
The Workday Accounting Center Lead is responsible for serving as a Workday Accounting Center subject matter expert, driving the design, configuration, testing, and continuous improvement of Accounting Center and related accounting capabilities within Workday Financials across the enterprise. Guided by our purpose – always with you building a more confident future – and our New Frontier strategy focused on stronger growth, attractive returns and all-weather performance, this is an exciting opportunity to contribute to MetLife’s ERP Modernization journey as we transition from PeopleSoft to Workday Financials.
As an Accounting Center specialist in MetLife, this role will partner closely with Finance and Accounting stakeholders, implementation partners, & other technology teams to deliver scalable solutions that enable the business to transform. During the ERP Modernization program, this lead will provide hands-on expertise in Workday Accounting Center, helping to drive configuration decisions, resolve issues, and support related Workday areas (ie: Reporting, Integrations, Security). Following each market go-live, the role will then support ongoing solution maintenance, functional optimization, & enhancements to maximize the value of MetLife’s investment in Workday.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design, configuration, & deployment of Workday Accounting Center solutions, including accounting rules, posting rules, journal sources, & subledger-to-General Ledger accounting, ensuring alignment with business & IT objectives
- Partner with Finance, Accounting, & other business stakeholders to translate accounting requirements into Workday Accounting Center capabilities
- Support Workday Accounting Center configuration activities during the ERP Modernization program, providing guidance on design decisions, issue resolution, testing support, risk mitigation, and deployment readiness activities
- Coordinate dependencies between Accounting Center and other Workday Financials areas, including Accounts Payable, Procurement, Expenses, Assets, Banking, Reporting, Security, Integrations, & Prism
- Develop & maintain Accounting Center configuration standards, documentation, and governance processes that drive business value
- Coordinate with implementation partners, technical & business teams to deliver enhancements, prioritize work, troubleshoot issues, and continuously improve the user experience for our customers
- Serve as an escalation point for Accounting Center issues, providing functional and solution leadership
- Identify opportunities for process simplification, automation, and optimization within accounting and period-end processes
- Mentor & guide team members while promoting Workday Accounting Center best practices
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related discipline, with demonstrated experience delivering financial technology solutions
- 3-5 years working experience in Workday Financials, ideally Accounting Center, including the ability to configure & support accounting rules, posting rules, journals, & accounting adjustments, with familiarity across related Workday Financials modules (Accounts Payable, Procurement, Expenses, Assets, Banking, Financial Reporting)
- Proficiency leveraging Workday AI-enabled tools & technologies to enhance productivity & operational efficiency
- Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with business stakeholders & translate accounting requirements into technology solutions
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, & communication skills with the ability to resolve complex issues
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Workday Prism & PeopleSoft Financials
- Demonstrated ability to support platform enhancements & continuous optimization efforts
- Strong communication, stakeholder management, & collaboration skills with a track record of effectively partnering with business & technology teams
Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.
The expected salary range for this position is $120,000 - $161,600. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.
Benefits We Offer
Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more! For more information regarding MetLife’s U.S. benefits, please click here.
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
As part of our New Frontier strategy, MetLife is building an AI-enabled, people-centered future. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, adaptability, and a growth mindset as we use AI to enhance how we serve customers, support communities, and evolve the way work gets done. At MetLife, AI is a responsible partner that supports human judgment, creativity, and continuous improvement while helping us build trust, inclusion, and long-term value.
Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!
MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”).
If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at accommodations@metlife.com. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.
MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.
This posting is for a current vacancy and is anticipated to remain open for at least 90 days from the listed posting date.
See all 1,143+ Lead Accountant Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Lead Accountant roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Lead Accountant
Align your credentials to U.S. CPA standards
Many state boards accept a foreign accounting degree for CPA exam eligibility, but you'll need a credential evaluation first. Get a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-member service before applying, so employers see U.S.-comparable qualifications upfront.
Target employers with active PERM history
Lead Accountant roles are common in PERM labor certification filings, which are public record through DOL. Focus your search on Migrate Mate, which surfaces employers with verified sponsorship filing history so you're applying where green card pipelines already exist.
Verify prevailing wage tier before accepting an offer
H-1B sponsorship requires the employer to pay at least the prevailing wage for your location and experience level. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the Level III or IV wage for Accountants in your metro before negotiating, so you catch underpayment risks early.
Distinguish yourself as a lead, not just a staff accountant
Specialty occupation status is easier to establish when the role involves supervisory or complex analytical duties. Make sure your offer letter explicitly describes leading the month-end close, managing junior staff, or overseeing compliance work, not generic bookkeeping tasks.
Ask about PERM timing during the offer stage
If your employer plans to sponsor a green card, the PERM labor certification can take 12 to 18 months before an I-140 petition is even filed. Ask HR whether they've run PERM for this role before and whether the recruitment process for PERM is factored into your start timeline.
Confirm O*NET classification supports your specialty occupation claim
USCIS uses O*NET to assess whether a Lead Accountant role requires a specific bachelor's degree. Cross-check your job duties against the O*NET profile for Accountants and Auditors to confirm the description supports a specialty occupation determination before the LCA is filed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Lead Accountant role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. USCIS generally treats Lead Accountant positions as specialty occupations because the role requires at least a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field. Roles involving supervisory oversight, complex financial reporting, or compliance analysis strengthen the specialty occupation argument. Generic job descriptions that could be filled by any business graduate are more likely to face a Request for Evidence.
Which visas can sponsor a Lead Accountant working in the U.S.?
The H-1B is the most common path, covering up to three years initially with an extension to six. TN visa status is available to Canadian and Mexican nationals under USMCA, which explicitly lists accountants as a qualifying profession. Australians can apply for the E-3 visa, which requires a specialty occupation and an employer-filed Labor Condition Application but has no lottery. All three require a qualifying bachelor's degree in a directly related field.
How do I find employers who sponsor Lead Accountant roles?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified visa sponsorship and LCA filing history, searchable by role and location. This saves you from applying to companies that have never sponsored accounting positions before, which is a common time sink for international candidates targeting senior finance roles.
Does a foreign accounting degree qualify me for H-1B sponsorship as a Lead Accountant?
A foreign degree can satisfy the H-1B specialty occupation requirement if it's equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field. USCIS accepts a credential evaluation from a recognized third-party evaluator as evidence of equivalency. Some foreign three-year degrees may need supplemental coursework or work experience to establish equivalency, so get the evaluation done before the employer files the Labor Condition Application.
Can a Lead Accountant role lead to a green card, and what process applies?
Most Lead Accountant green cards go through the EB-2 or EB-3 employment-based categories, with PERM labor certification as the required first step for both. PERM requires the employer to test the U.S. labor market and document that no qualified U.S. workers were available. The process typically takes one to two years before an I-140 petition is filed, so starting early in your H-1B period is important, especially if you're from a country with a priority date backlog.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Lead Accountant jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.