Controller - Part Time up to 30hrs 100-125k

Title: Controller
Type: Part TIme up to 30hrs
Location: Chicago hybrid remote / in-office a few days
Salary: $100k-$130k

Position Overview
Our client is seeking a financially rigorous, intellectually curious, and growth-oriented Controller to serve as the operational and strategic financial backbone of our organization — with a clear path toward senior financial leadership.
This role is designed as a steppingstone to senior financial leadership. The right candidate will have the opportunity to expand their scope over time — taking on strategic planning and executive-level decision support as the organization grows.
Beyond accurate books and regulatory compliance, this role is expected to be a value driver — helping the firm improve margins, manage risk, and make smarter financial decisions.
We value intellectual curiosity and a bias toward improvement. The ideal candidate will proactively identify inefficiencies and propose solutions — not because they're asked to, but because they can't help it. Responsibilities
Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Establish and implement comprehensive finance policies and procedures to ensure accurate financial reporting and adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Review monthly financial records prepared by outsourced accountant, verifying accuracy and compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Complete month-end closing processes and prepare monthly financial statements for each subsidiary.
• Prepare quarterly financial package for the board of directors.
• Oversee the annual financial audit of the Broker Dealer.
• Oversee the annual financial review of the consolidated entity.
• Ensure preparation of timely and accurate reporting/filing of regulatory requirements, including quarterly FOCUS reports and SSOI reports.
• Prepare semi-annual SIPC reports.

Accounting Operations

• Review A/P invoices, expense allocation, postings to the General Ledger, and payment processes.
• Prepare payment of all vendor invoices.
• Supervise customer invoice processes and accounts receivable collection.
• Take part in annual insurance needs assessment and budget approval.
• Review major vendor contracts on an annual or as-needed basis.
• Prepare, monitor, and manage the annual budget.

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Partner with executive leadership on strategic financial planning, capital allocation, and long-range forecasting.
• Present financial insights and recommendations directly to the CEO and Board, building executive communication skills over time.
• Develop and track key financial performance indicators (KPIs) across the firm, surfacing insights that enable faster and more informed business decisions.
• Identify cost reduction opportunities, revenue leakage, and working capital improvements through rigorous analysis.
• Build financial models to support pricing decisions, vendor negotiations, strategic investments, and scenario planning.
• Develop and mentor junior finance staff, building the team infrastructure needed to support a scaling organization.

Process Improvement & Technology

• Continuously evaluate existing financial workflows, systems, and controls — proactively identifying and implementing improvements.
• Benchmark financial processes against industry best practices and bring forward recommendations without waiting to be prompted.
• Evaluate and implement financial technology solutions that increase reporting efficiency, reduce manual processes, and improve data integrity.
• Stay current with emerging fintech and AI tools relevant to financial operations and actively pilot those with organizational value.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of relevant experience in finance, compliance, or related roles.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or related field; CPA preferred.
• FINRA Series 79, 24, and 27 licenses preferred but not required.
• In-depth knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Preferred experience in Broker/Dealer finance.
• Strong technical, quantitative, and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in QuickBooks and strong working knowledge of modern financial tools; experience with ERP systems, business intelligence platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau), or financial automation tools is a plus.
• Comfortable leveraging AI-powered tools (e.g., for financial analysis, reporting automation, anomaly detection) and eager to explore new applications.
• Experience automating recurring financial tasks — or a demonstrated appetite to learn how.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex concepts concisely.
• Demonstrated ambition to grow into a CFO or senior finance leadership role, with a track record of expanding responsibilities over time.
• A track record of independently identifying process gaps and implementing improvements that saved time, reduced risk, or improved accuracy.
• Naturally inquisitive; someone who asks "why do we do it this way?" as a matter of habit.
• Proven ability to translate financial data into actionable business insights — not just reporting what happened but explaining why and what to do about it.
• Experience contributing to measurable improvements in financial performance (margin improvement, cost reduction, cash flow optimization, etc.).