Controller

Arbor Energy•El Segundo, CA

16h•$130,000 - $150,000

About The Position

At Arbor Energy & Resources Corporation ("Arbor Energy"), we’re creating technology to power our lives while protecting the planet that sustains them. Our advanced power systems deliver clean, reliable baseload electricity with zero operating emissions—modular, fuel-flexible, and engineered for the realities of today’s energy demand. At the core is a supercritical CO₂ turbine with integrated carbon capture, designed to bring carbon-neutral power online quickly at meaningful scale. Our team includes aerospace engineers, combustion experts, and systems thinkers with a shared goal: to build technology worthy of the world we want to live in. While many of us began our journeys looking to the stars, we’re applying that expertise here at home to deliver dependable, emission-free baseload power and a future of lasting abundance. If you share our values and are drawn to rigorous work with lasting impact, we’d love to learn more about you. Come build what the future will run on. Steward our planet: We build for tomorrow, ensuring every bolt we tighten and every hand we lend leaves our environment stronger than we found it. Lead with Love: We champion the success of our people, partners, and planet, nurturing excellence through camaraderie and rigor. Explore the Uncharted: We embrace the unknown with curiosity, using courage and discipline to transform uncertainty into opportunity. Role Overview We are seeking a Controller who will own Arbor's core accounting operations and build scalable financial infrastructure as the company grows. You'll manage outsourced accounting operations, lead ERP implementation, establish manufacturing cost accounting, and build grant compliance capabilities — all while ensuring accurate, timely, audit-ready financials. This role requires strong judgment, comfort with ambiguity, and a bias toward building scalable systems and processes. You'll partner closely with the Director of Finance (who owns forward-looking FP&A and modeling) to ensure historical actuals are accurate and provide the foundation for strategic planning. The Controller is backward-looking and compliance-focused, answering the question: "Are the books right?" You'll ensure Arbor has clean books, compliant processes, and scalable accounting infrastructure.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
8+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, with deep expertise in general ledger management, financial close, internal controls, and systems implementation
Experience working in (or with) venture-backed, growth-stage companies in capital-intensive environments such as manufacturing, hardware, energy, infrastructure, or industrial operations
Deep understanding of US GAAP, financial reporting, and audit processes
Hands-on experience leading ERP selection and implementation (NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or similar), including requirements definition, vendor evaluation, and change management
Experience with manufacturing cost accounting, including inventory management, standard costing, and variance analysis
Strong systems thinking and ability to build scalable accounting infrastructure from the ground up
Excellent communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with Engineering, Operations, and Commercial teams
Proven ability to manage outsourced teams and determine optimal timing for building in-house capabilities
Comfortable operating in ambiguity with incomplete data while maintaining rigor and accuracy

Nice To Haves

CPA certification
MBA or Master's degree in Accounting or Finance
Prior Big Four or national accounting firm experience
Experience with government grant compliance and cost accounting for federal/state contracts
Experience in power generation, energy technology, aerospace, or advanced manufacturing sectors
Prior exposure to ASC 842 lease accounting in capital-intensive environments
Experience building accounting capabilities for companies transitioning from R&D to commercial manufacturing
Familiarity with project finance or infrastructure development accounting

Responsibilities

Manage outsourced accounting team (payroll, AP, month-end close) and serve as single point of accountability for accounting quality, timeliness, and deliverables
Determine timing and approach for bringing accounting in-house as the company scales
Eventually hire and build in-house accounting team (first hire likely Senior Accountant to manage day-to-day outsourced operations)
Conduct quarterly performance reviews of outsourced accounting team
Own month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close process and calendar, ensuring timely, accurate financial statements in accordance with US GAAP
Manage general ledger and chart of accounts structure and integrity
Oversee consolidated financial reporting across entities (if applicable)
Produce board-ready historical financial packages (income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement)
Provide accurate, timely historical actuals to support the Director of Finance's forecasting and planning
Lead selection and implementation of true ERP system within the year to replace QuickBooks Online
Define requirements based on Arbor's unique needs: heavy AP volume and vendor management, multi-year contract tracking ("contracts that will deliver in YEARS from now"), future AR capability (growing in 2027), manufacturing cost accounting, and grant compliance and reporting
Ensure ERP integrates with planning tools for seamless data flow to support the Director of Finance's FP&A work
Build scalable processes and documentation
Establish internal controls and approval workflows in new system
Develop processes for managing state and federal grants as Arbor scales government funding
Ensure grant reporting meets appropriate standards and compliance requirements
Understand cost accounting requirements for government contracts
Build systems to track allowable vs. non-allowable costs
Coordinate with external auditors on grant audits
Stay current on evolving grant compliance requirements
Design and implement cost accounting system for manufacturing (job costing, process costing, or hybrid approach)
Establish inventory accounting for raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods tracking and valuation
Establish and maintain standard costs for manufactured components
Track manufacturing variances (material, labor, overhead) and produce variance reports for operations review
Ensure accurate cost of goods sold calculation as production scales
Implement internal controls over production costs, inventory, and waste
Negotiate, execute, and manage equipment leases for factory buildout
Ensure proper ASC 842 lease accounting treatment
Maintain fixed asset register, depreciation schedules, and asset tagging/inventory
Track actual CapEx spend against approved budgets
Manage vendor contract administration: process POs, track delivery milestones, manage payment terms for equipment suppliers
Define and maintain capitalization policies (what gets capitalized vs. expensed for factory buildout)
Build systems and processes to track multi-year vendor commitments for long-lead-time equipment and materials
Ensure proper accrual accounting for contracts that deliver years from now
Manage contract lifecycle from accounting perspective: commitment tracking, milestone-based accruals, payment schedules
Process heavy volume AP through outsourced team
Optimize vendor payment terms to support cash management
Manage day-to-day cash positioning and banking relationships
Execute payments and ensure cash is positioned appropriately across accounts
Manage bank account structures and reconciliations
Monitor daily/weekly cash balances and report to leadership (the Director of Finance forecasts cash; the Controller manages it operationally)
Lead external audit process, serving as primary point of contact and ensuring smooth, efficient audit cycles
Oversee tax preparation and filings (likely outsourced, but Controller owns the relationship and ensures compliance)
Ensure compliance with US GAAP and relevant accounting standards
Build internal controls framework in preparation for future SOX readiness
Coordinate risk management and insurance
Design and own the budgeting PROCESS: timeline, input templates, consolidation methodology, approval workflows
Ensure budget is loaded into systems properly
Produce actual vs. budget variance reports on schedule
Hold budget owners accountable to timeline and input quality
Track commitments and spend against budget in real-time
Partner with Director of Finance who builds the budget models and provides strategic variance analysis
Establish revenue recognition policies and ensure compliance as commercial contracts scale
Manage proper accounting treatment of customer contracts
Build systems for contract tracking: terms, milestones, payment schedules
Ensure proper invoicing and AR management as revenue scales (2027+)