Senior Finance Controller

Full time, Independent Contractor
Location: Remote (based in South Africa)
U.S. business hours (PST time zone)

Role Overview

The Role
This is a department leadership role. You will take full ownership of accounting operations, supervise four offshore team members, and serve as the single accountable owner of month-end close, trust accounting integrity, and financial reporting.
You will work directly with the VP of Operations and CEO, alongside a fractional CFO. The objective is clear: install structure, improve systems, and reduce executive involvement in day-to-day accounting.
This is not an accounting role, it is an ownership role.

Core Responsibilities
Month-End Close & Financial Reporting

Own monthly close
Ensure complete balance sheet reconciliations
Review and approve journal entries
Prepare accurate financial statements for leadership

Trust & Owner Accounting

Oversee trust account reconciliations
Validate owner statement accuracy and payout logic
Supervise ~90 monthly owner distributions
Ensure fiduciary discipline and financial accuracy

Team Leadership

Manage four accounting team members
Run weekly cadences and performance management
Improve accountability, responsiveness, and output quality
Recommend hiring and performance actions (with leadership approval)

Systems & Process Improvement

Strengthen internal controls
Standardize close procedures and documentation
Improve workflow efficiency and automation
Demonstrate comfort leveraging AI and technology tools
Partner on automation initiatives where appropriate

Budget & Reporting Support

Own budget vs actual reporting
Maintain and update financial models built by leadership/CFO
Provide clear variance analysis

Tax & Compliance Coordination

Coordinate with external CPA
Manage documentation and deadlines
Oversee 1099 compliance and compliance calendar

Qualifications
Required

7–10 years accounting experience
3+ years managing at least 2 direct reports
Experience owning full month-end close
Reconciliation and internal controls expertise
Experience managing remote/offshore teams
Strong English communication skills
Willingness to work PST hours

Preferred

Big 4 or strong mid-tier accounting background
Property management, hospitality, or trust accounting experience
High-transaction accounting environment
Experience leveraging AI tools in accounting workflows

Culture & Reporting
This role reports to the VP of Operations and CEO. We operate in a high-accountability, founder-led environment that values ownership, initiative, and systems thinking.

Senior Finance Controller - 17931