Controller, VP

Job Description

Job Description

Who We Are:

Based in New Jersey and established in 2010, Asset Based Lending, LLC (“ABL”) is one of the nation’s leading Hard Money Lenders. We provide fast bridge financing to real estate investors for the purchase, renovation, or new construction of single family, townhomes, condos, and multi-family properties as well as DSCR rental loans for long term investors. We have closed thousands of loans since we began lending sixteen years ago, producing over $4B in originations. ABL was acquired by a private equity firm in 2021, and with a renewed focus on growth, we’ve set our sights on consistent evolution and cementing our place as the premier private lender in the country.

Our Mission is Simple:

• Make Good Loans
• Provide Exceptional Service, Every Time
• Protect The Firm
• Build The Future

Position Overview

We are seeking a strategic, technically proficient, and highly organized Controller to lead our accounting operations in a fast-paced, growth-oriented private lending environment. Reporting to the CFO, the Controller leads the Controllers group and is responsible for the books and the reporting of actuals: financial reporting, accounting operations, loan portfolio accounting, regulatory and covenant compliance, treasury monitoring, and audit management. The Controller works in close concert with the Finance Manager, who leads the FP&A function, under a deliberate division of responsibilities described below. This role requires someone who thrives under pressure, can manage competing priorities, and is passionate about leveraging technology to drive efficiency and scalability. You’ll be a key partner to operational leaders across the organization while building and developing a high-performing accounting team with a durable structure and real succession depth.

Division of Responsibilities: Controllers & FP&A

ABL deliberately bifurcates the Controllers group and the Finance group (FP&A). The Controller and the Finance Manager both report directly to the CFO and work together closely, but ownership is distinct:

• The Controllers group owns the books and actuals. It books every entry to the general ledger with complete and accurate dimensional tagging — product, origination channel, branch, and cost center — and owns reconciliations, the close, GAAP financial statements, internal controls, audit, tax, treasury monitoring, and commissions. Actuals reported by the Controllers group are the authoritative record.
• The Finance group (FP&A) owns the forward and analytical view. It leads budgeting, forecasting, projections and modeling, and the detailed, nuanced reporting of the P&L — profitability breakdowns and allocations by product, channel, branch, and cost center — along with management reporting packages and KPI dashboards, all built on the Controllers group’s tagged actuals.
• The seam is managed “in concert.” The chart of accounts and dimension structure are designed around FP&A’s analytical requirements; tagged actuals are handed off on the close calendar; and Finance-led planning is supported with accounting authority from the Controllers group. Responsibilities below that touch this boundary are marked “in concert with FP&A.”

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Oversee preparation and delivery of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with GAAP — the authoritative record of actuals
• Ensure accuracy of all financial reporting to management, the board, investors, and warehouse lenders
• Lead the external audit process, coordinating with auditors and managing all audit-related deliverables
• Maintain comprehensive internal controls and ensure compliance with lending covenants and regulatory requirements
• Oversee tax reporting and compliance, coordinating with external advisors as needed
• Manage year-end close processes and ensure timely filing of all required financial reports

Loan Portfolio Accounting

• Direct loan accounting operations including origination, servicing, interest accruals, and payoff processing
• Manage write-off processes and compliance with company policies
• Ensure accurate loan balance reconciliations with loan servicing systems and trustee reporting
• Review amortization schedules, accruals, and payroll allocations related to loan operations
• Ensure loan-level entries carry complete product and origination channel tagging so FP&A can analyze loan product performance and channel profitability (in concert with FP&A)

Accounting Operations & Treasury

• Manage month-end and year-end close processes in NetSuite, ensuring timely and accurate completion
• Oversee the general ledger, journal entries, and account reconciliations — including the dimensional integrity of every entry: product, origination channel, branch, and cost center tagging that enables FP&A’s P&L breakdowns and allocations (in concert with FP&A)
• Direct accounts payable, expense management, and T&E tracking through the RAMP platform
• Review and approve financial adjustments, including rent lease accounting (ROU) and depreciation
• Monitor cash flow and bank custodial and trustee accounts for securitization activities
• Oversee roll forward and other critical accounting schedules for audit
• Ensure accurate tracking and allocation of branch-level and operational expenses that feed FP&A’s branch and cost center reporting (in concert with FP&A)
• Own commission calculations and processing for loan officers and operations staff, ensuring accuracy and alignment with approved compensation plans; as day-to-day commission administration transitions to the Sales Operations Manager (a 2027 initiative), retain review and final approval

Team Leadership, Succession & Organizational Structure

• Design and maintain a clear organizational structure for the Accounting Department — defined roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines that scale with the business
• Create and maintain succession plans for key finance roles, identifying and developing internal talent to ensure seamless transitions and business continuity when team members are promoted or depart
• Train and mentor accounting staff to deepen their technical skills, fostering professional growth and building a high-performing team
• Build scalable processes and infrastructure to support continued team and business growth
• Foster a culture of accuracy, accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration

Strategic Finance & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Work closely with the Finance Manager to ensure alignment between financial reporting and FP&A analysis — one set of numbers, from tagged actuals through analytical breakdowns (in concert with FP&A)
• Support Finance-led budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling — including the annual budget — with authoritative actuals, opening balances, and accounting guidance (in concert with FP&A)
• Support warehouse line monitoring, covenant compliance, and lender reporting
• Serve as the accounting authority for department heads on accounting treatment, controls, and the numbers behind their results — while FP&A leads profitability analysis and business-partnering insights
• Lead or support special projects including system implementations, process improvements, and investor relations

Technology, Process Improvement & Scalability