Chief Accounting Officer

World Business Lenders, LLC•Philadelphia, PA

13d•Remote

About The Position

World Business Lenders (WBL) is a privately held portfolio lender specializing in real estate-secured business loans and providing access to capital for under-served businesses that lack traditional funding options. Founded in 2011, WBL is majority institutionally owned and a best-in-class specialty finance servicer and default manager. WBL has a fully remote, multinational workforce of ~200 and a proven, seasoned leadership team consisting of several USMA graduates and former Army Officers. Typically, the work schedule is from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, though additional hours may be required based on business needs. This role leads the accounting organization through a critical period of modernization and scale, with title and scope calibrated to the selected candidate's experience level (Chief Accounting Officer for seasoned executive leaders; Director of Accounting for high-potential leaders growing into executive scope). The individual will build, professionalize, and scale accounting operations, systems, and talent to support a growing organization, while ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial reporting. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring both technical accounting depth and organizational-building capability. Role Purpose To transform the accounting function from its current state into a scalable, well-controlled, modern organization capable of supporting the company's growth trajectory. This position drives the design and implementation of accounting processes, systems, and controls; builds and develops a high-performing accounting team; and partners with Finance, FP&A, and business leadership to ensure accounting operations enable rather than constrain business objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance.
CPA required
Mortgage, lending, or financial services industry experience strongly preferred.
CAO track: 12+ years progressive accounting experience with 5+ years in a senior leadership role (Controller, Assistant Controller, or CAO).
Director track: 8–12 years progressive accounting experience with demonstrated team leadership and process improvement impact
Experience in a growth-stage or scaling organization strongly preferred.
US GAAP Accounting
Financial Reporting & Close Management
SOX & Internal Controls
Technical Accounting (CECL, FAS 91, Revenue Recognition)
ERP & Accounting Systems Implementation
Process Automation & Optimization
Audit Management
Advanced Excel & Financial Systems

Nice To Haves

working knowledge of FAS 91 and CECL accounting rules and practices strongly preferred.
Familiarity with Sage 300 a plus.
Financial Services
Specialty Finance
Commercial Lending
Mortgage Lending
Real Estate Finance
Portfolio Lending
Banking
FinTech / Financial Technology
Growth-stage or scaling companies
Executive Leadership
Team Building & Development
Process Improvement Mindset
Strategic Problem Solving
Change Management
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Strong Communication & Stakeholder Management

Responsibilities

Recruit, hire, and develop a scalable accounting team structure (staff accountants through senior management) aligned with growth projections and complexity of the business.
Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and career paths within the accounting organization; build a culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Conduct regular performance management, coaching, and professional development; identify and close skill gaps through training and hiring.
Build succession planning and cross-training practices to reduce key-person risk within the accounting function.
Assess current accounting processes, systems, and controls; develop and execute a roadmap to modernize the general ledger, close process, and supporting sub-ledgers.
Lead evaluation and implementation of modern accounting/ERP systems or system upgrades; reduce reliance on manual, spreadsheet-based processes.
Standardize and document accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls in accordance with GAAP and applicable regulatory requirements.
Drive automation of routine accounting tasks (reconciliations, journal entries, reporting) to improve efficiency and reduce error rates.
Shorten the monthly/quarterly close cycle while improving accuracy and control quality
Own the integrity and timeliness of financial statements, ensuring compliance with GAAP and, if applicable, SEC reporting requirements.
Design and maintain a strong internal control environment; manage relationships with external auditors and coordinate annual audit process.
Oversee technical accounting matters including revenue recognition, FAS 91, CECL , and other complex areas relevant to the business.
Ensure accurate and timely tax provision, compliance filings, and coordination with external tax advisors.