Controller Job Description
A controller job description template covering financial reporting and internal controls, the ATS keywords recruiters screen for, and why CPA matters.
Controller is one of the few finance titles where a credential is a genuine gate rather than a nice-to-have line in the requirements. Most Controller postings at this level require or strongly prefer an active CPA license, because the Controller is frequently the name attached to the financials when they reach an external auditor, a lender's covenant test, or a due-diligence data room. That's a different bar than a financial analyst or staff accountant posting clears.
It's also worth understanding what a Controller is not: a Controller is not a smaller CFO. A Controller owns accuracy, the close calendar, internal controls and compliance — the numbers are right and defensible. A CFO owns strategy, capital allocation and where the company is headed next. At a company Tessworth's size, one person's job posting can blend both, so it's worth reading the responsibilities section closely rather than assuming from the title alone how much of this seat is forward-looking.
This particular Controller role is remote, which changes how the job gets done without changing what it's accountable for. Closing the books on schedule, maintaining controls that would survive an audit, and managing the relationship with outside auditors all still have to happen — they just happen across a team that isn't in one building, which puts a premium on documented process over hallway conversations.
Tessworth · Remote (US)
Full-time · Remote
$148,000 – $188,000
About the role
Tessworth is hiring a Controller to lead our accounting function and own the integrity of our financial statements. You will manage the accounting team through the monthly and annual close, maintain the internal controls our external auditors rely on, and be the point of accountability when a number in our financials gets questioned.
This is a remote, director-level seat reporting into finance leadership. You'll set the close calendar, not just follow one, and you'll be expected to represent Tessworth's numbers directly to auditors, lenders and senior leadership.
What you'll do
- Own the monthly and annual close process, including setting and enforcing the close calendar across a remote accounting team.
- Manage, mentor and review the work of staff and senior accountants, and the AP and payroll functions.
- Maintain and strengthen internal controls, and serve as the primary point of contact for the external audit.
- Prepare and review consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP.
- Partner with FP&A and executive leadership on budgeting, forecasting and board reporting.
- Manage cash flow, banking relationships and compliance with any lender covenants.
- Oversee tax compliance in partnership with outside tax preparers, including timely filings.
- Evaluate and improve accounting systems and processes as the company grows.
What we're looking for
- 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including experience managing a close process end to end.
- Active CPA license in good standing.
- Deep working knowledge of GAAP and its application to a growing company's financial statements.
- Experience managing and developing a team of accountants.
- Direct experience working with external auditors through a full audit cycle.
- Proven ability to run accounting operations for a distributed or fully remote team.
Nice to have
- Public accounting background (Big Four or a regional firm) prior to moving into industry.
- Experience with NetSuite or a comparable mid-market ERP system.
- Exposure to SOX-style internal controls, even if the company was not formally SOX-regulated.
- Experience preparing financials for a lender, investor or acquisition due-diligence process.
- MBA or a master's degree in accounting.
Benefits
- Medical, dental and vision coverage, with employee premiums covered in full.
- 401(k) with a 4% company match, vested immediately.
- Fully remote position with a home-office stipend.
- CPE and professional membership dues covered to maintain your CPA license.
- Twenty-five days of paid time off plus company holidays.
Salary range
As posted for this sample role. Real pay varies by employer, location and experience.
$148,000–$188,000/ yr
ATS keywords for this role
The applicant tracking system (ATS) — the recruiting software a hiring team searches and filters applicants with — will screen for these. Weight shows how central each one is to this specific posting.
Required and central (6)
Important (6)
Mentioned in passing (5)
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need a CPA to be a Controller?
At most companies, yes. The Controller's sign-off carries weight with auditors, lenders and investors, and the CPA is what backs that up. A small number of companies will accept a very senior non-CPA with equivalent experience, but this posting requires an active license, and that's typical at this level.
What's the difference between a Controller and a CFO?
A Controller owns accuracy: the close, internal controls, and financial statements that hold up to an audit. A CFO owns strategy: capital allocation, fundraising and where the company is headed. Smaller companies sometimes combine both into one seat, but they're distinct disciplines — one backward- and present-looking, one forward-looking.
Can a Controller role really be fully remote?
Yes. Close and controls work is largely calendar- and system-driven rather than dependent on being in the same room, and a lot of Controllers now run distributed teams successfully. It does put more weight on documented process and a team that hits deadlines without in-person oversight.
How is a Controller different from a senior accountant?
A senior accountant owns a piece of the close or a specific area under review. A Controller owns the entire accounting function and is personally accountable for what goes out the door — to auditors, lenders and leadership — even when a senior accountant did the underlying work.
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