Director of Accounting

Director of Accounting, Boulder, CO (Hybrid)

The Director of Accounting owns the day-to-day operations of Ascend's corporate accounting function. You'll drive a timely and accurate monthly close within 5 business days, manage the annual audit with our third-party partners, and maintain the accounting policies and internal controls that support our continued rapid growth. As the technical accounting and controls expert, you'll directly manage the Senior Accountant while staying hands-on with the technical work that matters.

You need an entrepreneurial attitude that blends 'can-do' creativity with 'roll up your sleeves,' coupled with great communication skills and a strong sense of ethics.

At Ascend Analytics, our mission is to create sustainable economic value for energy buyers and producers and transform the power industry. Our team combines advanced analytics, cloud-based technology, and deep market expertise to help our clients solve complex challenges across grid reliability, power market volatility, renewable integration, infrastructure development, and energy investment strategy. As a high-growth, private equity-backed company, Ascend continues to expand its market presence while investing in innovation, talent, and scalable solutions for an increasingly dynamic energy market.

Real influence. Real outcomes. At every level.

• Technical leadership. Own revenue recognition under ASC 606, cash flow management, and audit strategy—bringing expertise in SaaS metrics, multi-jurisdiction tax compliance, and financial statement quality that the leadership team relies on.
• Direct team ownership. Manage, coach, and develop the Senior Accountant, building their technical capability while you both deliver the monthly close and annual audit that power the company's financial transparency.
• Operational excellence. Drive a 5-day monthly close, maintain reconciliations across our finance systems (Maxio, Quick Books, Ramp, Avalara, Numeric), and deliver clear variance commentary that helps leadership understand what's moving the numbers.
• Strategic partnership. Support budgeting and strategic initiatives, manage banking and audit relationships, and be a reliable resource on ad hoc financial deep dives and cross-functional projects.

• Own revenue recognition and billing under ASC 606 across our contract base, including review of non-standard or custom terms; maintain fluency in SaaS metrics (ARR, CARR, churn) and the mechanics of both time & materials and fixed‑milestone professional services delivery.
• Drive cash flow management end to end: monitor daily cash position, drive A/R collections to hit targets, maintain a rolling 13‑week forecast, approve weekly disbursements, and ensure accurate reporting to leadership.
• Directly manage and develop the Senior Accountant, including coaching, performance management, workload prioritization, and building technical accounting capability.
• Direct the monthly close within 5 business days and prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual GAAP financial statements—from preparer to reviewer—ensuring reconciliations are accurate, complete, and on deadline.
• Own the annual financial statement audit end to end: align with audit partners on planning and scope, manage fieldwork and PBC items, drive resolution of open issues, review financial statements and footnotes, and keep the audit on schedule and within budget.
• Manage tax compliance and third‑party relationships across income tax and sales tax, including managing outside preparers, troubleshooting Avalara calculations and filings, and providing supporting documentation.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the company's banking relationship(s), handling account administration and quarterly…