Assistant Controller, Astra

Job Description

As the Assistant Controller, you will be critical in helping to build a highly scalable, best-in-class accounting department. You will help build the standardization of accounting activities, ensuring an adequate control environment. This is an opportunity for someone who can marry strong accounting skills, business acumen and analytical thinking to support the controller at a high-growth business, backed by a well-known financial sponsor.

The Assistant Controller will assist the controller to oversee all financial reporting of the operations within the group, ensuring accurate financial reporting, compliance with regulatory requirements, and implementing effective financial controls to optimize profitability and operational efficiency. To be successful in this role, you will have to take the initiative to drive change in the organization.

Job Responsibilities

Working directly with the CFO, Corporate Controller and Operating Company controllers, you will play a key role in establishing and executing financial and accounting operations. The ideal candidate will have excellent traditional Controllership skills as well as be the technical accounting expert within the company.

Technical guidance will be a key resonsiblity for this role.  The position requires a strong understanding of US GAAP and will be involved in interpretation and implementation of accounting standards, technical accounting research, drafting accounting policies and procedures, and revising existing policies and procedures as necessary.  Key topics include revenue recognition, leases, accounting for debt and equity transactions and business combinations and asset acquisitions and positions of technical view on any new transactions that the company may face.

Key job responsibilities include:

• Provide technical guidance to OpCos and on acquisitions including communication and documentation of accounting policies and procedures.
• Manage the reporting of accurate financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and assist with consolidation of reporting package and analysis.

• Ensure consistency of OpCo monthly closing process and financial reporting and month end financial results analysis.
• Manage the tax compliance requirements for the Group.
• Travel to operating companies will be required approximately twice a month for 2-3 days per trip, with additional travel as needed depending on the pace of M&A activity.
• Temporary Controller if gap coverage is required during integrations and support of OpCo finance stabilization as required.
• Owns full onboarding process for finance.
• Develops rotational and summer internship programs.
• Responsible for monthly close for parent company including posting accruals and expenses monthly. 
• Establish, implement, and monitor internal controls to safeguard company assets and ensure compliance with financial regulations.
• Identify and evaluate financial risks and opportunities, providing recommendations to senior management.
• Build and foster strong cross-functional relationships across the business with financial Controllers in OpCos.
• Establish and roll-out intercompany eliminations process across all business units supported by appropriate monthly back-up schedules for elimination.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring the finance team remains agile and responsive to business needs.
• Lead the annual external audit process.
• Assist with requests for financial information that are cascaded down from the Investment Company team.
• Provide the management team with value-added analyses and insights vital to the decision-making process.
• Model the highest ethical standards and behaviors as a leader in the organization.
• Help hire, develop and retain skilled accounting staff.
• Ad-Hoc projects as required.

Candidate Attributes

This is a collection of skills that we believe would make someone successful in this role.

Must Have:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or professional accounting equivalent license
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting
• 3+ years in public accounting
• Proven experience in providing technical accounting guidance and drafting memos to communicate policies and procedures.
• 2+ years Controller-level experience (managing staff that reports into you)
• Proven experience managing a general ledger of a company and running a month-end close process from start to finish.
• Experience with percentage of completion accounting
• Excellent understanding of US GAAP
• Strong ability to communicate accounting and financial information into common language.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, attention to detail and teamwork
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• A positive and resourceful can-do attitude
• Flexible mindset with the ability to effectively balance and manage multiple priorities.

Nice to Have:

• Knowledge of Cost Accounting
• Experience with systems implementation
• Experience using Sage Intacct
• Experience using Quick Books