Internal Controller (Consultant)
Join the Rapidly Growing Team at Attivo Partners!
Are you dedicated to excellence and eager to advance your career? Passionate about technology and startups? Excited to work with some of the most innovative early-stage companies in the world? If so, Attivo Partners is the place for you!
Why Attivo?
Attivo Partners is a fast-growing full-service finance and accounting consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco, with a presence in major startup hubs across the US. Our remote teams specialize in providing fractional CFO and accounting services to venture-backed emerging growth clients, supporting their journey from inception to over $50M in revenue.
What We Offer:
- Collaborative Environment: Work alongside a talented team with extensive experience in venture-backed companies. At Attivo, we believe in teamwork and value the unique insights and creativity each member brings.
- Culture of Growth: We thrive on the challenges presented by diverse and exciting clients, offering unparalleled learning and professional development opportunities.
- Mentorship and Training: We are committed to nurturing talent and providing ongoing mentoring and training to help you grow personally and professionally.
- Flexibility: We understand the importance of balance and are dedicated to maintaining a culture that supports your career and personal life.
Our Values:
- Lasting Relationships: We build solid and enduring connections with our clients and team members.
- Data-Driven Insights: We leverage data to drive intelligent decisions and impactful results.
- Growth-Focused Mindset: We embrace opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation.
- Collaboration-First: We prioritize teamwork and believe the best solutions come from working together.
- Culture-Conscious: We foster a supportive and inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.
Join us at Attivo Partners and be part of a team that's shaping the future of finance and accounting for startups. Let's grow together!
Engagement Overview
We are seeking a senior-level Interim or Fractional Controller to step in on an hourly, contract basis to stabilize, clean up, and redesign our internal accounting function for a fast-growing organization. This engagement is hands-on and execution-focused, requiring ownership of day-to-day accounting operations while simultaneously building the future-state Controller role.
The consultant will operate as the internal Controller until a permanent hire is made. The primary objective is to establish scalable, well-documented processes and controls, create a comprehensive accounting playbook, and ensure a seamless transition to a full-time Controller at the conclusion of the engagement.
Scope of Work & Key Objectives
- Stabilize and own day-to-day accounting operations during the interim period
- Clean up historical accounting issues and modernize existing processes
- Design and document the ideal Controller operating model for a high-growth company
- Build scalable policies, procedures, and internal controls
- Create a detailed accounting playbook to support long-term ownership
- Support the hiring and onboarding of a permanent internal Controller
Responsibilities
- Fully own and operate the internal accounting function on an interim basis, including day-to-day execution
- Manage and oversee two Staff Accountants responsible for Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable
- Serve as the primary accounting partner to the CFO, translating transactional activity into clear financial insights
- Lead accounting cleanup initiatives, including reconciliations, close inefficiencies, and reporting accuracy
- Design, implement, and document scalable accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls
- Personally execute and test new processes to ensure successful implementation prior to team handoff
- Manage all general accounting activities, including full-cycle month-end close, journal entries, reconciliations, consolidations, and variance analysis
- Prepare monthly financial statements and management reporting, including budget vs. actual and fluctuation analysis
- Direct billing, collections, cash management, and cash forecasting activities
- Oversee payroll processing, sales commission calculations, and tax compliance
- Build standardized KPI dashboards and recurring leadership reporting
- Create standardized and ad-hoc financial reports covering revenue, margins, operating costs, and key performance metrics
- Develop budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow processes in partnership with leadership
- Create and document a comprehensive accounting playbook, including SOPs, calendars, controls, templates, and role definitions
- Define the future-state Controller role and assist with recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding the permanent hire
Ideal Consultant Profile
- Former or current Controller with experience in interim, fractional, or consulting roles
- Proven success rebuilding or scaling accounting functions in high-growth environments
- Comfortable owning day-to-day accounting while designing future-state processes
- Strong change management skills with the ability to bring structure to evolving organizations
- Experienced people manager, capable of leading small accounting teams
- Executive-level communicator with the ability to partner closely with CFOs and leadership teams
Preferred Background
- Experience supporting startups or scaling companies (approximately 100–200 employees)
- Prior ownership of accounting cleanup or post-growth restructuring initiatives
- Experience building accounting playbooks and SOPs for long-term use
- Familiarity with QuickBooks Online, Bill.com, Rippling, and Monday.com
- Professional services industry experience a plus
Engagement Details
- Hourly, contract-based engagement
- Duration: Until permanent Controller hire is completed and onboarded
- High degree of autonomy and ownership expected
Hiring Range: $125-$145 per hour - based on experience
Position Status: 1099 - temporary, 20+ hours per week
Attivo Partners will never request payment, sensitive personal information, or unsolicited account access at any stage of the hiring process. All legitimate communication from our team will come *exclusively from an @attivopartners.com email address. If you receive a message claiming to be from Attivo that does not use this domain - or if something feels unfamiliar - please disregard the communication and report it to us at Recruiting@Attivopartners.com.