Accounts Receivable Clerk at Canonical | Finance Career in Columbus
Career & Market Insight
Entry-level finance at a globally respected tech company — this role is well-suited for early-career professionals looking to build a strong foundation in accounting within a fast-paced, technology-driven environment. Reporting directly to the Global Controller is a notable advantage; mentorship at that level is rare for a clerk-level position.
Skills you'll develop:
- Hands-on A/R cycle management: invoicing, debt collection, reconciliations
- Enterprise accounting system proficiency (NetSuite, SAP, or similar)
- International finance exposure across 75+ countries
- Process improvement and compliance documentation
Compensation benchmark: No salary is listed, but Canonical states it reviews pay annually and accounts for geography. Market rates for A/R clerks in Western Europe range from £22,000–£32,000 (UK) or €24,000–€36,000 (EU). The $2,000 annual learning budget actively supports CPA, ACCA, or CIMA pursuit — a significant career accelerant.
Culture signals: Canonical is founder-led, profitable, and growing — suggesting financial stability without the chaos of early-stage startups. The async, distributed model favors self-starters. The emphasis on "passion for process improvement" signals there's room to grow beyond a transactional role.
Green flags: Direct mentorship from Global Controller, clear certification support, twice-yearly in-person summits, and a stable, mission-driven company. Watch for: The role may feel siloed initially — finance in a tech company can be overlooked for advancement compared to engineering tracks. Proactively pursuing ACCA/CIMA alongside this role is strongly recommended.
Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office-based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.
The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing.
We have an exciting opportunity for an Accounts Receivable Clerk to join our growing team. If you are passionate about the technology industry and want to work for a company that aligns with your interests, we might be the place for you! Canonical, and our world-class Ubuntu product, attracts some of the leading talent from around the world. Come and work with exceptional people and kick-start your career in Finance!
Our Finance team is growing and it's a really exciting time to join the team. We are looking for bright, truly motivated people who have a passion for making a difference. You will be seeking an opportunity to drive process improvements and change, input your ideas, grow your career and truly contribute to the team.
Your role will include ensuring accuracy of the A/R ledgers, processing customer invoices in a timely and accurate manner, registering customer payments, dealing with queries effectively and efficiently, and maintaining compliance with processes and procedures. You will learn the fundamentals of how finance works in an organisation.
In return, we will provide you with ample opportunity for career development, including offering you support for continuing education and the pursuit of professional Accounting certifications. You will report directly to our Global Controller who will help you develop into the role and guide you through your learnings.
Location: This role will be based remotely in the EMEA region.
The Role Entails
- Maintain accuracy of our A/R ledgers and reconciliation of accounts
- Manage our customer data (names, addresses, etc.), validate and gain approval for new accounts, and maintain our audit record of customer data changes and approvals
- Process our customer invoices in a timely and accurate manner, including entry of invoices into accounting systems, and maintain our files in a tidy and organised manner
- Efficiently resolve any problems prior to raising and issue of invoice
- Implement and comply with the Canonical credit control policy
- Maximise cash collection through the effective collection of debts and maintain records to track debt collection through to conclusion
- Ensure payments are received in line with contractual terms
- Help with our month end processes: bank reconciliations and balance sheet reconciliations
- Resolve questions/issues, escalating when appropriate in a timely manner
- Maintain compliance with processes and procedures, recommend corrective action when identified, and maintain suitable records to demonstrate compliance
What We Are Looking For in You
- Exceptional education achievements in an Accounting or Finance subject
- Excellent spreadsheet skills, including pivots, lookups, etc.
- Excellent attention to detail, with great organisation skills and the ability to meet deadlines
- Great communication skills that you will use when connecting directly with our customers
- A passion for the world of Finance with ambition to progress your career
- Experience using an enterprise level accounting system
What We Offer Colleagues
We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognise outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.
- Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person
- Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
- Annual compensation review
- Recognition rewards
- Annual holiday leave
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Team Member Assistance Program & Wellness Platform
- Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
- Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events
About Canonical
Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open-source projects and the platform for AI, IoT, and the cloud, we are changing the world of software. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence; in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since our inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.
Canonical is an equal opportunity employer
We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.