Controller

Arete Associates•Los Angeles, CA

5d•$200,000 - $240,000•Onsite

About The Position

Areté is seeking an experienced, compliance-driven Controller to lead its accounting organization. The Controller oversees accounting, financial reporting, payroll and timekeeping, and billing, ensuring compliance with ASC 606, FAR, DFARS, and DCAA requirements. This financial leadership role is in a mid-size, partially ESOP-owned business and includes managing an established accounting team, maintaining DCAA-compliant timekeeping, and addressing accounting, tax, and reporting requirements related to shared ESOP and corporate equity ownership. The position is exempt, full-time, and based at Areté’s Northridge, California office. The Controller leads consolidated monthly and year-end close and prepares GAAP-compliant financial packages, ESOP footnote disclosures, and variance analyses for executive leadership. The role directs audit readiness, tax and payroll administration, project and cost accounting, labor allocation, revenue recognition for government contracts, cash-flow forecasting, and improvements to accounting and timekeeping systems. The Controller also supports the Finance organization’s development and monitoring of indirect rates.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration.
At least 8 years of progressive accounting leadership experience, including at least 4 years explicitly managing accounting functions in a mid-size corporate environment within the GovCon/A&D sector.
Proven expertise applying ASC 606 in a project-based or percentage-of-completion contract environment.
Thorough, practical understanding of FAR compliance requirements and DCAA timekeeping rules.
Advanced proficiency with integrated GovCon ERP and timekeeping platforms.
Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
U.S. citizenship is required for position eligibility.
Successful passage of a criminal background screen is required for position eligibility.
Eligibility for access to classified information, including a government security investigation, is required.
Successful passage of a Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test is required for position eligibility.

Nice To Haves

CPA, CMA, or MBA.
Knowledge of ESOP accounting.
Experience with Deltek Costpoint.

Responsibilities

Oversee consolidated month-end and year-end close processes and deliver timely, GAAP-compliant financial packages, partial-ESOP footnote disclosures, and variance analyses to executive leadership.
Supervise, mentor, and develop the accounting team, including Accounting Managers, Accountants, Billing Specialists, Payroll Administrators, and AP Specialists.
Maintain and enhance corporate internal financial control frameworks to mitigate risk and safeguard corporate assets.
Direct DCAA/DCMA audit readiness, including labor floor checks; manage annual incurred cost submissions; and ensure compliance with FAR.
Apply ASC 606 to complex, multi-year government contracts, evaluating performance obligations, variable consideration, and over-time revenue recognition using input or output methods.
Oversee filing of state and federal income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, and business licenses.
Oversee accounting for the partial Employee Stock Ownership Plan and partner with Stock Administration on accurate accounting for stock transactions.
Oversee payroll administration and ensure the timekeeping system meets DCAA requirements, including daily time entry, employee and supervisor approvals, and audit trails for labor allocations.
Manage the distribution of direct and indirect labor hours to project cost codes and indirect rate pools for accurate billing and incurred-cost tracking.
Drive process improvements, automate accounting workflows, and optimize financial and timekeeping systems for growing transaction volumes and complex contract structures.
Maintain project and cost accounting frameworks to track labor utilization and margins across FFP, CPFF, and T&M funding structures.
Manage preparation of short-term and annual cash-flow forecasts.
Support development and monitoring of indirect rates by providing accurate cost data, actuals analysis, accounting insights, and compliance oversight.