Director - Controllership & Technical Accounting

Waylin Partners is a leading provider of finance, accounting, and data analytics consulting services to top-tier private equity firms. We embed experienced professionals directly into portfolio companies to strengthen back-office operations, improve financial reporting, and drive measurable results.

Description

Waylin Partners is seeking a Director with a strong accounting and controllership background to serve as a trusted financial leader within our clients' PE-backed portfolio companies. In this role, you will step into interim or project-based Controller and senior accounting leadership positions. You will work alongside and build relationships with experienced PE sponsors and portfolio company management teams to elevate accounting operations and support value creation initiatives.

Your role on client projects will include a variety of responsibilities, including the functions in the below categories:

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead accounting teams during interim roles or times of need
• Lead and mentor accounting staff and junior consultants; manage day-to-day workflow and deliverable quality
• Build strong collaborative relationships with portfolio company management, PE sponsors, and cross-functional teams
• Manage ad-hoc requests from senior management and PE deal teams, including due diligence support and carve-out accounting

Financial Reporting & Close

• Own and manage the full monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close process to ensure accuracy and timeliness
• Prepare and review GAAP-compliant financial statements, including balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement
• Lead variance analysis and provide detailed explanations of financial results versus budget and prior periods
• Maintain general ledger integrity, including journal entries, reconciliations, and account analysis

Controllership & Compliance

• Coordinate external audit and tax processes, serving as the primary liaison with auditors and tax advisors
• Ensure compliance with debt covenants, lender reporting requirements, and PE sponsor reporting obligations
• Identify and remediate control gaps or accounting weaknesses; implement best practices across the finance function

FP&A Support & Business Partnering

• Partner with FP&A to provide accurate actuals and commentary to support budgeting, forecasting, and board reporting
• Deliver financial results and KPI reporting to leadership and PE sponsors to facilitate informed decision-making
• Support cash flow forecasting, working capital analysis, and liquidity reporting
• Assist with SKU/customer profitability analysis and other operational reporting as needed

Process Improvement & Systems

• Assess current-state accounting processes and implement improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability
• Support ERP implementations, system upgrades, and automation initiatives
• Develop and maintain standardized reporting templates and close checklists to drive consistency

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
• CPA strongly preferred
• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, with significant time in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or senior accounting leadership role
• Prior experience in a PE-backed business, public accounting (Big 4 or large regional firm), or consulting environment strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of GAAP, financial statement preparation, and the monthly close process
• AI fluency and ability to leverage tools to increase efficiency and quality of work product
• Proven ability to manage audits, implement internal controls, and drive process improvements
• Advanced Excel proficiency; experience with financial reporting and data visualization tools preferred
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present financial information clearly to both finance and non-finance audiences
• Ability to operate independently in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple engagements simultaneously
• Experience in a consulting or fractional leadership capacity across multiple portfolio companies preferred
• Exposure to M&A transactions, carve-outs, or purchase accounting preferred