Controller

Nova Clean Energy • Chicago, IL

35d • $150,000 - $170,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Financial Controller will support the accounting function of a global investment company and oversee aspects of tax, accounting, and audit for its operating entities. Reporting to VP of Finance, this role will be hands-on in all operational aspects of the business. This is a hybrid role working out of our Chicago office.

Requirements

• CPA required with a minimum of 5 years' experience
• Strong working knowledge of US GAAP with experience in consolidation accounting
• Experience in compilation of multi-entity tax returns and tax documentation, K-1’s, 1099 and knowledge of flow-through entities preferred.
• Strong understanding of capital accounts and cost allocations
• Excellent technical/analytical and interpersonal skills with high attention to detail
• Commercially minded, demonstrating an ability to interpret financial information
• Ability to work on own initiative, taking work to completion with minimal support.
• Proven experience managing, reviewing and holding to account outsourced or offshore accounting teams, including SLA and KPI governance
• Strong internal controls mindset, with experience designing and operating month-end reconciliation and review frameworks
• Track record of process improvement and automation, using data and AI tools to drive efficiency
• Excellent organizational skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite with advanced Excel and AI knowledge

Nice To Haves

• Experience in renewable energy preferred
• Please get in touch even if you don’t match these qualifications 100%.

Responsibilities

• Preparation and completion of monthly and quarterly close process, ensuring on-time delivery of financial reporting for Nova
• Consolidating Nova’s results, including the delivery of monthly and quarterly management accounts to senior management
• Lease Accounting under ASC 842, managing and overseeing all workflows
• Completion and management of Nova’s debt schedules, financing costs, and interest calculations
• Manage a combination of outsourced providers and internal accounting stakeholders
• Completion of capital accounts and review of cost allocations for various entities.
• Accurate reporting of development and capital expenditure
• Treasury and management of Bank accounts, checks, and other sources of funds
• Management and coordination of monthly accounts payable payment cycle
• Coordinate with FP&A on cash requirements for Nova and other global business entities, as required
• Process improvements in the streamlining and design of finance processes and further enhancing financial reporting capabilities
• Design, document, and maintain the internal control framework over outsourced accounting activity — segregation of duties, delegated approval limits, and a documented journal review and sign-off hierarchy
• Operate a risk-based journal review protocol, with full review of manual and non-routine entries (balancing entries, reclasses, accruals, intercompany) and retained evidence of review
• Maintain a clear RACI across outsourced providers and internal teams for every close activity, keeping it current as responsibilities change
• Own service-provider SLAs covering the close timetable, deliverable due dates and query turnaround, and manage escalation and remediation where they are missed
• Define and report a monthly provider KPI scorecard — on-time close, first-time-right / rework rate, reconciling items cleared and aged open items — and run periodic service reviews against it
• Own the month-end balance sheet reconciliation process across all entities and currencies, ensuring every material account is reconciled to source, reviewed, and signed off to a defined timetable
• Govern ASC 842 lease reconciliations so each schedule ties to the general ledger every month, resolving differences and reducing reliance on ad-hoc balancing entries
• Own intercompany reconciliation, elimination and multi-currency translation tie-outs across the US and international entities
• Track reconciliation KPIs (accounts reconciled on time, aged and unreconciled items, recurring differences) and drive resolution of root causes, not just clearing
• Continuously challenge and redesign close and lease processes to reduce manual effort, cycle time and key-person dependency
• Identify and implement automation and system improvements, reducing reliance on spreadsheets and standardizing templates and reconciliations
• Apply data and AI tools to monitor accounting activity, detect anomalies and enhance management reporting
• Set measurable efficiency targets each period and track realized improvements
• Act as a liaison with external auditors
• Prepare required audit deliverables, ensuring all audit requests are delivered in a timely manner
• Monitor tax compliance at state and local levels, including property tax assessments
• Assist with any other tax documentation
• Work with the development and legal teams to ensure compliance with all tax laws and regulations

Benefits

• Generous PTO Policy
• Comprehensive medical, vision, dental insurance policies including HSA & FSA accounts
• Paid parental leave for all new parents
• Eligibility to enroll in 401k plan with discretionary company match
• Generous professional development and/or degree program reimbursement policies

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior