Controller, Finance & Banking, Financial Reporting

Controller

Job type:
Full Time
• Department:
Finance & Accounting
• Work type:
Hybrid
• USD ,000 / year

Lake Forest, California, United States

The Controller is a critical senior finance leader responsible for all accounting operations, financial reporting, and internal controls for a high‑growth Aerospace & Defense SaaS company currently at $60M ARR and executing an aggressive growth plan toward $150M+ ARR over the next 3–5 years. This role partners directly with the CFO and executive team to build a world‑class finance function capable of scaling 2.5x, ensuring compliance with US GAAP and international standards, and supporting transformative strategic initiatives including government contract expansion, international market entry, and potential M&A or capital markets activity.

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process across global entities, continuously compressing cycle times as the business scales toward $150M+ ARR.
• Prepare and review consolidated financial statements in accordance with US GAAP, including revenue recognition under ASC 606 for SaaS and government contracts.
• Manage multi‑currency consolidation and intercompany eliminations across international subsidiaries.
• Partner with external auditors to lead the annual audit and review processes; build audit readiness infrastructure that can support a future IPO or liquidity event.
• Oversee all accounting functions: GL, AP, AR, payroll, fixed assets, equity, and deferred revenue.
• Build and maintain scalable processes and systems purpose‑built to support 2.5x revenue growth, from $60M to $150M+ ARR, without proportional headcount increases.
• Lead Rev Rec analysis for complex SaaS arrangements, multi‑element contracts, and government/defense programs.
• Manage capitalized software development costs (ASC 350‑40) and stock‑based compensation (ASC 718).
• Design, implement, and continuously mature a SOX‑aligned internal control framework scaled for a company on a path to public‑market readiness.
• Ensure compliance with DFARS, FAR cost accounting standards, and government contracting requirements as the defense contract portfolio grows.
• Oversee ITAR/EAR compliance as it relates to financial transactions and entity structure.
• Maintain compliance with international tax treaties, VAT/GST filings, and transfer pricing documentation across an expanding global footprint.
• Manage accounting and reporting across multiple international entities (including UK, EU, and/or APAC), with new entity standup expected as the company expands into new markets.
• Oversee statutory reporting, local GAAP compliance, and coordination with local finance teams and advisors.
• Lead international expansion finance work streams: new entity setup, intercompany structuring, and transfer pricing policy.
• Drive optimization and integration of ERP systems (Net Suite preferred) and supporting tools (Stripe, Maxio/Chargebee, Salesforce CPQ, Carta) to create a finance tech stack that scales to $150M+.
• Identify and execute automation opportunities to reduce close cycle time, improve reporting accuracy, and free the team for higher‑value work.
• Architect scalable accounting policies, procedures, and controls documentation in anticipation of rigorous investor or regulatory scrutiny.
• Partner with FP&A on budget‑to‑actual analysis, board reporting, and investor‑grade financial packages that reflect the complexity of a $60M–$150M growth story.
• Play a leading finance role in M&A due diligence, integration planning, and post‑merger accounting—activity that is expected to accelerate as the company scales.
• Provide technical accounting guidance on new government contract structures, product lines, and evolving business model changes.
• Build, develop, and scale a finance team from 4–8 accounting professionals globally, establishing career paths and succession depth appropriate for a company of this trajectory.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA required.
• 10–15+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 4 years in a Controller or VP Finance/Accounting role.
• Demonstrated experience scaling accounting operations through rapid,…