Corporate Controller

Corporate Controller

Company: Confidential – Private Equity-Backed Services Organization

Location: Greater Chicago Area; Hybrid Schedule

Reporting Relationship: Senior Vice President, Finance & Accounting

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Our client is a large, private equity-backed services organization operating at significant national scale, with a substantial multi-site footprint across the United States. The business has experienced rapid growth through a combination of acquisitions, organic expansion, and continued development of its operating footprint.

The Company remains focused on its next phase of growth, with meaningful runway for continued expansion through de novo development and future acquisition activity.

The organization is founder-led and operates with an entrepreneurial, fast-moving culture. As the enterprise continues to scale, the finance organization is focused on further maturing its processes, controls, technology, and business partnership capabilities.

CORPORATE CONTROLLER – POSITION OVERVIEW

The Corporate Controller will serve as a key finance leader within a large, private equity-backed, multi-site organization operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. This individual will have end-to-end ownership of corporate accounting, including the integrity of the Company’s consolidated financial statements, operational and technical accounting, financial reporting, and the close process. The Corporate Controller will also serve as the primary day-to-day liaison with external auditors and third-party valuation specialists. Crash Champions - Corporate Con…

As the Company continues to grow and mature its finance organization, the Corporate Controller will play a critical role in strengthening the accounting infrastructure required to support the business at scale. This leader will drive continuous improvement across the close, reporting, controls, and accounting processes, with an emphasis on greater efficiency, automation, and consistency.

The successful candidate will also lead and develop a high-performing accounting organization, establishing clear accountability while building the capabilities and processes needed to support continued growth. This individual will combine strong technical accounting expertise with a hands-on, business-oriented leadership style and the ability to operate effectively in an entrepreneurial environment where priorities evolve quickly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounting Leadership & Close

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process across multiple legal entities and operating locations, maintaining accurate and timely consolidated financial statements in accordance with US GAAP.
• Lead core operational accounting, including revenue recognition, accruals, intercompany activity, account reconciliations, fixed assets, and lease accounting across a significant multi-site footprint.
• Maintain strong balance sheet integrity through disciplined review of reconciliations, aged items, trends, variances, and entity- or location-level results.
• Continue improving the close process while preserving quality, review rigor, and accountability.

Financial Reporting, Technical Accounting & Audit

• Lead preparation and review of consolidated financial statements, footnote disclosures, lender reporting, quarterly and annual debt-related reporting, and recurring reporting to the private equity sponsor.
• Own technical accounting research and documentation for complex and non-routine matters, including business combinations, debt arrangements, equity transactions, impairments, and other US GAAP matters.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors and manage the annual audit and quarterly review process end-to-end, including PBC schedules, timelines, issue resolution, and coordination with valuation specialists.

Internal Controls, Process Improvement & Technology

• Drive continuous improvement across accounting processes, internal controls, and the close cycle, identifying opportunities to standardize, automate, and scale the function.
• Partner with external advisors and internal stakeholders on controls assessments, helping formalize key controls, process documentation, and flowcharts as the organization continues to mature.
• Champion adoption of technology and workflow tools that improve efficiency and allow the accounting team to spend more time on analysis and business partnership.
• Leverage and optimize the Company’s ERP, consolidation, business intelligence, automation, and financial reporting systems.

M&A Integration & Growth

• Support the financial integration of acquired businesses, including opening balance sheets, purchase accounting, accounting-system conversions, and policy alignment.
• Coordinate with third-party valuation specialists on purchase price allocations, goodwill and intangible asset impairment testing, and other fair-value measurements.
• Build scalable accounting processes capable of supporting continued organic expansion, future bolt-on acquisitions, and a growing multi-state operating footprint.

Team Leadership & Business Partnership

• Lead, assess, mentor, and develop the accounting organization, including operational accounting, financial reporting, technical accounting, lease accounting, and fixed assets.
• Rebuild selected areas of the team as needed, establish clear expectations, and create accountability through regular feedback, coaching, and development.
• Partner closely with FP&A, shared services, operations, tax, and other functional leaders to connect accounting outcomes to business activity and ensure timely, accurate financial information.
• Model a responsive, collaborative, customer-service mindset and communicate effectively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance and CPA required.
• Approximately 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with a strong foundation in public accounting and/or a sophisticated corporate accounting environment. Big Four experience is attractive but not mandatory.
• Demonstrated breadth across operational accounting, financial reporting, technical accounting, close management, and audit.
• Strong US GAAP technical accounting capability, including experience researching and documenting complex or non-routine transactions.
• Meaningful exposure to SEC-style quarterly and annual reporting; direct SEC reporting experience is preferred given the Company’s reporting requirements.
• Experience in a private equity-backed, acquisitive, or rapidly scaling organization is strongly preferred.
• Experience in a multi-site, multi-unit, retail, services, franchise, or roll-up environment is highly attractive.
• Demonstrated experience managing external auditors and coordinating with third-party valuation specialists on purchase accounting, impairment, and fair-value matters.
• Proven success driving process improvement, automation, standardization, and stronger controls in a high-growth accounting organization.
• Strong people leadership skills with a track record of developing teams, building bench strength, and creating accountability.
• Comfort with ERP, consolidation, reporting, business intelligence, and automation tools.
• Ability to work onsite in the Greater Chicago area approximately three days per week.

KEY SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

Hands-On Accounting Leadership – Comfortable moving between detailed accounting matters, team leadership, audit discussions, and broader business priorities.

Technical & Reporting Rigor – Brings strong US GAAP judgment and the discipline required for high-quality close, reporting, technical accounting, and audit readiness.

Operational & Multi-Site Mindset – Understands the pace and complexity of a high-volume, distributed operating environment and can create consistency across locations.

Process Improvement & Technology Orientation – Naturally looks for better ways to work and embraces automation, workflow tools, and technology adoption to improve efficiency and insight.

Speed & Adaptability – Can make sound decisions with incomplete information, change gears quickly, and maintain momentum in an entrepreneurial, fast-moving environment.

Business Partnership & Customer Service – Approachable, responsive, and able to work effectively across finance, operations, and shared services while maintaining appropriate accounting discipline. xihmbke

People Leadership – Sets a clear tone, develops talent, holds teams accountable, and can rebuild or reshape parts of the organization as the business evolves.

SE: 510825812