Financial Controller (Fractional, CPA)

Overview

This organization is seeking a Financial Controller (Fractional, CPA) to own finance end to end. The role supports a marketplace where each booking moves money in two directions—between travelers and operators—requiring accurate accounting, strong controls, and reliable reporting.

This is a hands-on, builder-focused position: you will start by working directly in the books, then translate that understanding into scalable systems, policies, and team processes.

Responsibilities

• Own the books, including closing every month on schedule and delivering clear financials with a short narrative on what changed and why.
• Work hands-on in the ledger initially, then document processes and lead day-to-day transaction work with a bookkeeping team.
• Plan cash: build budgets, rolling cash forecasts, and a runway view used by leadership; answer “can we afford this?” with confidence.
• Build and maintain controls, including approval workflows, spend policies, and an audit trail that applies to everyone, including founders.
• Ensure marketplace accounting is correct, including revenue recognition, customer credits and refunds, and operator payables.
• Maintain compliance by owning the tax and compliance calendar, including aviation excise taxes and multi-state obligations, and managing an outside CPA firm.
• Provide the finance voice in strategy by bringing the numbers that guide investment decisions and preparing for investor reporting as the organization grows.

Requirements

• Active US CPA license (hard requirement).
• 5+ years in accounting, including owning the close at a startup or high-growth company.
• Experience building a finance function from scratch (not just maintaining one).
• Strong marketplace accounting knowledge, including gross vs. net, funds held for others, refunds, and payables.
• Deep QuickBooks Online experience.
• Hands-on US tax compliance experience, including sales and use tax, multi-state payroll tax, and pass-through entities.
• Uses AI in daily work.
• Ability to explain a variance to a non-accountant in a few sentences.
• Absolute discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aviation, charter, or travel accounting experience.
• Federal excise tax experience.
• Fundraising and investor reporting experience.
• Experience leading a remote bookkeeping team.

Compensation & Benefits

• Fractional role to start.
• Pay is depending on experience.

Location

• Remote, US-based.
• Meaningful overlap with US Pacific hours is required.

Role Details

• Fractional to start: more hours in the first two months while learning the business, then about 10 hours a week, growing with the organization.