Job Description
RETAINED SEARCH - conducted by Dave Steineke - ds@davesteineke.com
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Position: Controller
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Reports to: CFO
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Compensation: $258k - $304k + 20% bonus + equity
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Location: San Francisco Bay Area - (remote)
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Company:
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The company is building the next generation of cybersecurity through autonomous offensive security. Their platform helps organizations identify and prioritize exploitable risk so they can act before attackers do.
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$165 million ARR with projected revenue growth of 6x by April 2028.
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They just raised $250 million (current valuation $2 Billion)
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The company is still private (IPO readiness will be important).
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For someone who is high energy and driven this could be a once-in-a lifetime opportunity.
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The opportunity:
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We are looking for a hands-on, systems-oriented Controller to build and lead a scalable finance operating model for a high-growth SaaS business. You will own the company’s accounting foundation while partnering across Finance and the broader business to improve planning, controls, cash visibility, and operational decision-making.
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This role is ideal for a finance leader who can move comfortably between strategy and execution: setting the right policies and processes, strengthening the close, implementing systems, and developing a high-performing team (12 reports)
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What you’ll do:
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Corporate accounting and controllership
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- Own the monthly, quarterly, and year-end close process, including timelines, reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, and management reporting.
- Lead the preparation of accurate financial statements and reporting packages in accordance with US GAAP.
- Establish and maintain accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls appropriate for a scaling SaaS company.
- Oversee revenue recognition, deferred revenue, commissions, expense accounting, fixed assets, leases, equity accounting, and other complex areas as applicable.
- Manage the annual audit, tax and compliance coordination, and relationships with external accounting partners.
- Build a strong control environment and improve audit readiness as the company scales.
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Planning, analysis, and business partnership:
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- Partner with the CFO and finance leadership on annual planning, rolling forecasts, long-range planning, and scenario analysis.
- Improve visibility into revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, cash flow, headcount, and key SaaS metrics.
- Translate financial data into clear insights and recommendations for business leaders.
- Support investment decisions, operating reviews, board materials, and other high-priority finance initiatives.
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Treasury and finance operations:
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- Own cash management, liquidity forecasting, banking relationships, payment processes, and working-capital visibility.
- Strengthen procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, expense management, and other core finance workflows.
- Partner with People, Legal, Sales, Operations, and other teams to ensure accurate and timely financial processes.
- Establish scalable policies for purchasing, approvals, spend management, and financial accountability.
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Systems, process, and team leadership
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- Look for opportunities to introduce AI into Accounting workflows. Suggest ways to remove HITL and automate processes. Identify opportunities to adopt agentic workflows.
- Assess and evolve the company’s accounting, planning, billing, expense, and reporting systems.
- Lead automation and process improvements that reduce manual work, improve data quality, and accelerate close and reporting cycles.
- Document critical processes and create clear ownership, controls, and operating cadences.
- Hire, coach, and develop a strong accounting and finance operations team as the function grows.
- Set a high bar for accuracy, follow-through, judgment, and service to internal stakeholders.
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What we’re looking for
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- 10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including meaningful controllership responsibility.
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA or equivalent experience preferred.
- Experience operating in a high-growth SaaS, technology, or recurring-revenue environment.
- Strong knowledge of US GAAP, financial reporting, internal controls, and audit management.
- Demonstrated experience owning or significantly improving the close, forecast, cash-management, and financial-reporting processes.
- Experience implementing or optimizing ERP, planning, billing, expense, and reporting systems.
- A track record of automating manual workflows and building scalable processes from the ground up.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to connect accounting detail to business outcomes.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with executives and cross-functional partners.
- A practical, high-judgment, hands-on leadership style with a bias toward action.
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Success in this role
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In your first 12 months, you will:
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- Deliver a timely, accurate, and well-controlled monthly close.
- Create a clear, scalable operating model across accounting, planning, treasury, and finance operations.
- Improve the quality and accessibility of financial and operating reporting.
- Reduce manual work through better systems, automation, and documented processes.
- Strengthen cash-flow forecasting and financial visibility for the CFO and leadership team.
- Build trusted relationships across the business and develop the team needed for the next stage of growth.
- Help shape the finance function at a mission-driven cybersecurity company with significant growth ahead.
- Work directly with the CFO and executive team on decisions that matter to the business.
- Build systems and processes that will scale with the company rather than inherit a finished playbook.
- Partner with talented, entrepreneurial colleagues who value ownership, speed, and thoughtful execution.
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