Consulting Controller - Public Accounting or Audit Exp Preferred

Do you love consulting but hate the public accounting grind? This role offers the dynamic variety of managing multiple client environments concurrently and running high-impact financial assessments —all while maintaining a predictable, remote schedule without the traditional 60-80-hour per week of a public accounting busy season.

Vessel Advisors delivers financial clarity and operational certainty to growth-stage CEOs and their companies. We serve as an outsourced financial team with a focus on strategic finance, technology, and data-driven metrics. We provide a full accounting and finance team at a fraction of the cost, and we scale up or down with our clients as they do. We work primarily with companies in the growth-stage, or those that need to optimize performance, who need to develop and implement strategic financial and operational plans. We get to serve as trusted advisors to dynamic business leaders and equip them with the financial information they need when they need it.

Position Summary

The Financial Consultant is a Controller+ level resource responsible for providing high-level financial expertise and guidance through Vessel’s financial assessments and fractional accounting (Controller) services engagements. This role reports to the VP of Operations and is primarily responsible for leading and facilitating Vessel Advisors’ proven Financial Assessment process with clients and their key team members.

The Financial Consultant takes extreme ownership of the assessment process, from the day a new client engages, through the approximately six-week assessment process, through to the eventual recurring accounting support services. The Financial Consultant helps clients identify financial goals, understand existing processes, and recommend improvements that lead to real dollars. This role requires a unique blend of technical accounting knowledge, proactive project management, and elite interpersonal skills – both via video conference and in-person – to navigate complex conversations and build trust fast with dynamic business owners and C-level leaders.

Controller Responsibilities

The position will be responsible for providing financial expertise and guidance to clients, helping them to improve their financial performance and achieve their business goals. This includes but is not limited to financial discovery assessments, process improvements, accounting clean-up, budgeting and forecasting, etc. Additionally, the position involves providing financial services to multiple clients concurrently in a fractional capacity. The Controller will take ownership of the client’s existing financial processes and recommend and implement best practices. The Controller will oversee internal and external staff, as well as client staff, as needed. We are seeking an individual who takes extreme ownership over their responsibilities, seeks to provide fast responses in writing and by phone, and will do what it takes to serve and over-deliver Vessel Advisors’ clients.

What We’re Looking For

• Controller-Level Expertise: Has 8+ years of experience as a Controller
• Advisory Expertise: Has 5+ years of experience as an advisor or management consultant in an in-person capacity
• Facilitator: Able to lead intensive, all-day in-person meetings during onsite visits with clietns, maintaining control of the room and navigating complex questions, issues, and team dynamics
• Tech Savvy: An expert in cloud-based software
• Project Management: Deeply, obsessively organized with strong project management skills that have been honed through complex projects with tight deadlines
• Proactive & Flexible: A "can-do" attitude when plans change or travel logistics shift
• Strong Communicator: Excellent written and verbal skills; 95% of internal communication is via Slack. 70% or more of client communication is via email.
• Industry Versatility: Experience in multiple industries; specific experience in Construction, Audit, or public accounting is a plus

Job Responsibilities & Duties

• Lead Financial Assessments: Run and facilitate intensive, in-person discovery sessions to evaluate client financial health and operational efficiency.
• Develop Financial Assessment Reports: Create robust recommendations based on assessment findings with other Vessel Advisors’ SMEs (CFOs, Controllers, and Advisory Partners)
• Financial Clean-up & Technical Integration: Step into ambiguous growth-stage client environments, quickly identify internal control gaps, and map out remediation strategies to make their books "audit-ready".
• Advisory Mindset: Listen, read the room, and turn inputs into clear next steps and recommendations.
• Executive Presence: Lead owner/C-suite conversations with confidence, sound judgment, and a calm, solutions-first approach.
• Real-Time Facilitation: Think on your feet by probing and adapting questions based on client responses and dynamics.
• Engagement Leadership: Own assessments and select fractional projects end-to-end to ensure scope, timeline, and quality.
• Contractor Management: Direct Vessel contractors by delegating, setting expectations, reviewing work, and enforcing Vessel standards.
• Advice on Financial Decisions: Provide clients with financial direction/guidance, including upside/downside scenarios, so clients can make informed decisions.
• Strategic Planning: Work with clients to identify and achieve their financial goals; guide financial planning and forecasting.
• Project Management: Maintain complete ownership of assessment schedules, ensuring on-time delivery of reports and advisory deadlines.
• Policy Enforcement: Protect assets and operations by establishing internal controls and maintaining strict confidentiality.
• Relationship Building: Build trusted relationships with clients and their key stakeholders through professional presence and expertise.
• Guides financial decisions by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing policies and procedures.
• Maximizes return, and limits risk, on cash by minimizing bank balances; making investments.
• Prepares budgets by establishing schedules; collecting, analyzing, and consolidating financial data; and recommending plans.
• Achieves budget objectives by scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; and initiating corrective actions.
• Provides status of financial condition by collecting, interpreting, and reporting financial data.
• Prepares special reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends.
• Prepares fixed asset depreciation and liability schedules to reconcile monthly.
• Reviews and reconciles payroll and benefit liabilities monthly.
• Complies with federal, state, and local legal requirements by studying existing and new legislation; anticipating future legislation; enforcing adherence to requirements; filing financial reports; and advising management on needed actions.
• Protects assets by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing internal controls.
• Monitors and confirms financial condition by conducting audits; and providing information to external auditors.
• Maintains financial staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees.
• Maintains financial staff job results by coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results.
• Work with clients to identify and achieve their financial goals; and guide financial planning and forecasting.
• Engagement Economics: Manage hours, budget, and margin while escalating risks early (scope creep, timeline, resourcing).

Requirements

Other Qualifications

• Location: Must be located PST or MST time zones
• Travel: Ability to travel up to two (2) times per month. Our assessments are generally 2-3 days, including travel time, and we expect the role to manage up to two (2) per month.
• Professional Communication: Elite verbal and written skills with the ability to redirect conversations appropriately.
• Technical Skills: Corporate finance, developing budgets, and analyzing complex information.

Location, Requirements, & Compensation:

• USA - Remote Working Arrangement when not traveling, work from home during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in your time zone).
• State Preferences: NV, AZ, UT, TX, or CA.
• State Restrictions: We are not accepting applications in the following states: NY, IL, NJ, WA, OR, MA, CT, MN, or CO.
• Work Station: Maintain an organized remote station, a controlled audio environment, and business casual dress for virtual and in-person meetings.
• Technical: Daily access to a strong internet connection (min 100+ Mbps upload / 30+ Mbps download).
• Type: Full-Time - 45+ Hours per week, including travel time.
• Required: Annual Vessel Retreat (e.g., 3-4 days in Southern California)

Benefits

Compensation

• Salary: $105,000 - $130,000, flexible depending on experience
• Bonus: Up to 10% (subject to company and individual performance)
• 10 Days PTO
• 10 Paid Holidays
• Health Benefit Option (i.e., monthly stipend)