Chief Accounting Officer (CAO)

Job Description

Job Description

Our client, a rapidly growing and dynamic organization in the specialized financial services sector , is seeking an accomplished and strategic Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) . Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the CAO will serve as a senior executive leader responsible for the oversight of all accounting policies, internal controls, financial reporting, and audit activities.

The ideal candidate will act as a strategic partner to executive leadership, driving the scalability of accounting infrastructure, leading financial system transformations, and fostering a high-performing accounting team to support the company's long-term expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Close Management

• Executive Oversight: Lead the preparation and delivery of comprehensive corporate financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow reporting, and executive management packages.
  
• Accuracy & Compliance: Review and approve high-level journal entries, complex reconciliations, and period-end adjustments to guarantee complete alignment with U.S. GAAP and internal corporate benchmarks.
  

Accounting Operations & Technical Expertise

• Policy Architecture: Establish, implement, and maintain enterprise-wide accounting policies and standard operating procedures designed for maximum consistency and operational scalability.
  
• Subject Matter Expert: Serve as the authoritative internal expert on complex U.S. GAAP guidelines, specifically focusing on complex lending and lease accounting structures (including ASC 842), advanced credit loss methodologies (ASC 326/CECL), revenue recognition, business combinations, and fair value measurements.
  
• Transaction Memoranda: Author and evaluate technical accounting memoranda for intricate, high-value corporate transactions.
  

Internal Controls & Corporate Governance

• Framework Design: Architect, implement, and monitor a robust internal control and compliance framework.
  
• Risk Mitigation: Manage the ongoing documentation, testing, and remediation of controls, ensuring proper segregation of duties and robust reconciliation governance across all business lines.
  

Audit Management & Regulatory Compliance

• Stakeholder Relations: Serve as the primary liaison for external auditors, specialized tax advisors, internal audit teams, regulatory examiners, and parent-company financial leadership.
  
• Audit Execution: Orchestrate annual financial statement audits, tax provisions, and financial due diligence requests, proactively addressing and resolving any audit findings.
  

Systems Innovation & Process Optimization

• Executive Sponsorship: Provide strategic leadership and deployment oversight for major technology initiatives, including core ERP/general ledger upgrades, chart-of-accounts redesigns, data warehousing, and financial reporting automation.
  
• Efficiency Cultivation: Aggressively reduce organizational dependency on manual processes and disconnected spreadsheets by championing modern workflow automation.
  

Capital Markets & Treasury Support

• Strategic Partnership: Collaborate closely with the CFO on corporate liquidity reporting, capital management strategies, and strict debt covenant compliance.
  

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting is strictly required; a Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or an MBA is highly preferred.
  
• Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is required.
  
• 12 to 15+ years of progressive, climbing accounting experience, featuring at least 5 years in a dedicated executive or senior accounting leadership capacity.
  
• Proven background within specialized financial services, banking, corporate leasing, or commercial lending environments.
  
• Prior experience operating as a Corporate Controller, Assistant Controller, VP of Accounting, or Chief Accounting Officer is highly preferred.
  
• Background in public accounting with a Big Four or premier regional firm is strongly preferred.
  
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide ERP implementations and managing complex lender reporting frameworks.