Division Controller for Schools Division (Full-Time, Remote

Division Controller, Schools--Ensemble Performing Arts

Remote | Accounting Leadership

Ensemble Performing Arts is seeking an experienced, systems and data savvy Division Controller for our Schools Business Unit. This role reports directly to the Corporate Controller with a heavy dotted line reporting responsibility to the Business Unit President and will own the full accounting operations for a portfolio of music and dance schools, leading system and process transformation, and enterprise/school standardization work.

This role must understand the operating rhythm of a school including seasonality, tuition billing and recital/event revenue, and operate with the judgment and independence of a controller who can represent the accounting function in front of and partnering with school leadership.

This is the right fit for a controller who wants to build scalable infrastructure for a portfolio of schools, mentor other accounting leaders, and take ownership of rapidly growing business unit — while still staying close to the transaction-level detail of school operations.

• Accounting Operations & Close
  • Own accurate and timely monthly and year-end closes across a portfolio of schools, with full P&L and balance sheet accountability at each location
  • Oversee tuition and enrollment-based revenue recognition, including deferred revenue for prepaid tuition, seasonal enrollment surges, and mid-session refunds or withdrawals
  • Supervise and develop a remote accounting team, including the responsibility of an outsource relationship, across general ledger and close functions
  • Review and approve school-level financial statements and reconciliations to consolidation, acting as a first line of quality control for the Corporate Controller
  • Identify and resolve complex technical accounting issues (e.g., revenue recognition for tuition and program fees, leases for studio and school locations, purchase accounting) and document conclusions
• Internal Controls & Compliance
  • Design, implement, and monitor internal controls across assigned schools, including cash handling, tuition billing, and refund controls, closing gaps proactively rather than reactively
  • Manage and lead audit preparation activities for the School Division, serving as the primary point of contact for external auditors
  • Partner with the Corporate Controller to standardize policies, procedures, and documentation across the Schools Division and the broader organization
  • Ensure complete capture and reconciliation of revenue processed through third-party platforms, including ticketing, events, and merchandise, so that no revenue stream is missed at month-end close
• M&A & Systems Leadership
  • Lead onboarding of newly acquired schools into Net Suite, student billing/enrollment systems, and related systems, including opening balance sheet validation and purchase accounting support
  • Drive system migrations and process re-engineering projects — including student billing and enrollment platforms — from scoping through go-live, acting as project lead rather than participant
  • Build and maintain scalable reporting templates and chart-of-accounts standards that can be rolled out across multiple schools
  • Create and own Ensemble's F&A integration playbook, documenting the standard onboarding process end to end
• Team & Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Mentor and develop accounting team members across all business units
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with FP&A, HR, and Operations to ensure accounting alignment, clean enrollment and tuition data, and consistent reporting
  • Represent the accounting function directly with School Leadership providing financial clarity on enrollment trends, tuition collections, and school-level profitability, and pushing back on issues independently
  • Act as a proactive thought partner to the Corporate Controller, surfacing risks and improvement opportunities before being asked

• A builder — you don't just maintain systems, you re-architect them for scale across a growing network of schools
• A technical resource — you can research and apply US GAAP independently, including tuition revenue recognition, and explain it clearly to non-accountants
• A leader of leaders —…