Global Controller

About Willow

Buildings are more complex than ever - and the teams responsible for running them are still working with fragmented tools, disconnected data, and reactive workflows. Willow is changing that. We build the leading Operational AI platform for the built world, helping owners and operators of large, complex environments - think commercial real estate, higher education, healthcare, and airports - better understand, manage, and optimize their buildings by connecting physical, operational, and human data into a unified digital foundation.

Our platform enables customers to move from reactive workflows to smarter operations, better decision-making, and meaningful financial and operational outcomes. We're a small but mighty company with real customers, real traction, and a genuinely important problem to solve - scaling commercial momentum and building the foundation for long-term category leadership. If you want to do meaningful work at a company that's defining a category, this is the place.

About the role

Willow is scaling rapidly, and the finance function needs the accounting discipline, operational infrastructure, and leadership to scale with it. We're looking for a US-based Global Controller to lead accounting and finance operations across Willow's jurisdictions - with immediate ownership of the core reporting, controls, tax, payroll, and benefits processes that support the business every day.

This is a hands-on leadership role. In the near term, we need someone hands-on enough to build the foundation, not just direct the work. That means documenting policies and procedures, modernizing the finance tech stack, and building scalable processes - while still providing excellent support to Willow teams throughout.

The Global Controller will report to the CFO and lead Willow's accounting function globally, including oversight of the current APAC-based finance team. This role requires practical leadership across time zones, sufficient shared working time to support effective collaboration and coaching, and a mandate to continuously improve the finance operating model as Willow scales.

Two people we can picture in this role: the first is an experienced Controller from the SaaS or startup world - someone energized by a fast-moving environment, ready for broader scope and real ownership. The second is an experienced Controller from a larger organisation who is bored with the status quo and wants to move somewhere good judgment and strong execution can be felt immediately. If you are neither of these but you have the judgment, ownership, and builder mindset this role needs, we'd still very much like to hear from you.

What you'll do

1. Global accounting operations & close

• Own the global accounting close process and reporting cadence, bringing discipline, accountability, and consistency across jurisdictions
• Own revenue and COGS reporting from day one, becoming the trusted Finance partner GTM and other Willow teams rely on for accurate, timely, and decision-useful revenue information
• Own multi-currency, multi-entity consolidating financial reporting, ensuring results are complete, consistent, and decision-useful across Willow's global footprint
• Strengthen the accounting operating model across reconciliations, account ownership, close controls, payroll and benefits accounting, systems integration, and vendor accountability
• Create the operating rhythm that gives the CFO confidence in the numbers and the business confidence in Finance

2. Policies, procedures & scalable process design

• Document accounting policies, procedures, and workflows so the function is no longer dependent on institutional memory
• Build practical controls and process discipline across revenue, expenses, payroll, benefits, taxes, AP, reconciliations, and management reporting
• Partner with the CFO to refine the finance roadmap and translate it into executable workplans, clear owners, realistic sequencing, and visible progress
• Design processes that are robust enough for scale but still appropriate for Willow's current stage

3. Finance systems & tech stack modernization

• Modernize Willow's finance technology stack, including ERP, spend management, close management, and adjacent finance workflows
• Partner with the CFO and cross-functional stakeholders to implement tools in a way that improves control, visibility, speed, and user experience
• Move the function away from manual, Excel-driven workflows where systems and automation can create a better answer
• Provide excellent support to Willow teams through change, making adoption easier rather than harder

4. Team leadership - globally

• Lead and develop a distributed finance team, setting priorities, clarifying accountabilities, and creating an effective management cadence across regions and time zones
• Create meaningful working-time overlap with APAC-based teammates, while continuing to improve how global Finance operates so collaboration is practical and sustainable
• Coach the team through process change, system implementation, and a higher standard of documentation and ownership
• Help evolve the team's resourcing, ways of working, and operating model so the function has the right roles, skills, and coverage for Willow's next stage

5. Global finance operations, tax & compliance

• Own the operating integrity of global finance operations across tax, payroll, benefits, compliance, and related accounting processes, ensuring Willow has accurate records, clear ownership, reliable controls, and timely execution across jurisdictions
• Lead US tax compliance across payroll, state, and federal obligations, including advisor coordination, internal readiness, supporting documentation, defensible R&D credit positions, and recurring filing deadlines

What success looks like in year one

• The monthly close is disciplined, documented, and less dependent on heroic effort
• Revenue and COGS reporting is accurate, timely, and explainable without last-minute fire drills
• Consolidated financial reports are prepared every month without relying on manual intervention or single-person knowledge
• Core policies, procedures, calendars, and controls are documented and actively used by the team
• Spend management has been re-platformed - all Willow teams know their spend against budget, and procurement processes are well-defined with appropriate controls
• ERP migration is well underway with a clear timeline and roadmap
• The distributed finance team has clearer priorities, stronger accountability, and a more sustainable cadence for global collaboration
• Willow teams experience Finance as responsive, practical, and helpful through change

What is not in this role

This role will have broad ownership of accounting operations, but a few things are not the immediate focus:

• Owning FP&A on day one - we want someone who brings FP&A fluency and can partner with the CFO on board reporting and strategic finance work, but the immediate mandate is to establish a reliable, scalable accounting cadence first
• Operating as a purely strategic leader who delegates the details - this role requires someone willing to build, fix, document, and execute personally where needed

The long-term opportunity is broader than controllership, but the first mandate is clear: build the foundation, strengthen the roadmap through partnership, and raise the operating standard.

What we're looking for

You bring the following to this role:

• Deep accounting judgment - strong command of US GAAP and IFRS, including ASC 606 / IFRS 15 for revenue, ASC 718 / IFRS 2 for share-based payments, and ASC 842 / IFRS 16 for leases. You're comfortable with complexity and can distinguish between what needs to be perfect, what needs to be practical, and what needs to be flagged for visibility.
• A builder's mindset - you can create structure without needing a large team or perfect systems first. You know what good looks like across revenue, COGS, close, controls, tax, payroll, and reporting. You're comfortable documenting policies, designing processes, implementing tools, and improving the operating rhythm while the business keeps moving.
• Low ego, high EQ - you lead through trust, clarity, and service. You can support teams generously, challenge thoughtfully, and make Finance feel like an enabling function rather than a gatekeeper.
• Discernment - you can absorb ambiguity, see around corners, identify the real risk, and make pragmatic decisions without over-engineering the answer.
• A bias toward leverage - you look for smarter ways to get work done, using systems, automation, and AI where appropriate to improve accuracy, speed, visibility, and repeatability.
• Global operating range - you're comfortable leading across countries, currencies, cultures, and time zones, with both strong standards and practical flexibility.

You are effective before the environment is perfect. You can build structure, improve systems, and raise the operating standard while also identifying the process, tooling, and resourcing decisions required for Willow's next stage.

Essential experience

• 8-10+ years of progressive accounting and controllership experience, ideally including time in a global technology or SaaS business
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP and IFRS, revenue accounting, share-based payments, lease accounting, COGS reporting, close management, internal controls, and financial reporting
• Hands-on experience with multi-currency, multi-entity consolidating financial reporting
• Hands-on experience with US tax compliance and payroll accounting, including payroll tax, state and federal tax compliance, benefits accounting, reconciliations, and coordination with external tax advisors
• Experience leading or materially improving accounting processes, controls, systems, and documentation in a scaling environment
• Ability to lead distributed teams across time zones, including creating meaningful overlap with APAC-based finance colleagues
• US-based, fully remote. Strong preference for candidates located in WA, TX, NY, CA, NC, NV, MI, MA, MD, IL, GA, or FL

Valued experience

• CPA credential or equivalent technical accounting depth
• Experience implementing or optimizing ERP, spend management, close management, payroll, or reporting systems
• FP&A fluency, including experience supporting board reporting, investor requests, or strategic finance partnering
• Experience working in a venture-backed, private equity-backed, or high-growth international company
• Curiosity about AI, automation, and modern finance tooling

Compensation & Benefits

$175,000 - $210,000 base salary per year

Exact offer reflects your experience and the scope you bring to the role.

EQUITY

RSUs - details discussed during the interview process.

Meaningful upside as a small but mighty company.

HEALTH COVERAGE

Medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, Life & AD&D

100% of employee premiums covered; 95% of dependent premiums covered by Willow.

RETIREMENT

401(k) with 100% company match on the first 5% of contributions.

TIME OFF

20 days accrued vacation + 10 days paid sick leave + 8 paid holidays per year.

PARENTAL LEAVE

Willow-paid parental leave, coordinated with applicable state leave programs.

REMOTE FIRST

Fully remote. Strong preference for candidates located in WA, TX, NY, CA, NC, NV, MI, MA, MD, IL, GA, or FL. US West Coast hours preferred; meaningful overlap with APAC-based teammates required.

In accordance with applicable state pay transparency laws, the salary range and a general description of all benefits and other compensation have been disclosed above. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, and other relevant factors.

#LI-Remote

The pay range for this role is:

175,000 - 210,000 USD per year (Remote (United States))