Controller

Sparrow

11d•$160,000 - $225,000•Remote

About The Position

Sparrow is hiring its first Controller, reporting directly to the CFO. This foundational, highly hands-on role will oversee the outsourced accounting function, address existing process gaps, and build the accounting infrastructure, controls, and team needed to support an eventual audit and future growth. Over time, the Controller will build and lead an in-house accounting team as functions transition from the outsourced provider. The Controller will own the monthly close, establish accounting policies and internal controls, apply US GAAP and ASC 606 judgment to Sparrow’s varied contract models, and lead the order-to-cash cycle. The role will also prepare the company for its first audit, select and implement ERP and other finance systems, identify appropriate AI finance tools, and build the accounting team.

Requirements

8 to 10+ years of relevant experience.
Big 4 or national firm experience.
Deep US GAAP expertise and practical ASC 606 revenue recognition experience, including the ability to write policies and defend them to an auditor.
Experience with ERP systems and billing systems.
Meaningful experience integrating AI into work and developing AI-first workflows, with sound judgment about when to trust AI outputs.
Clear communication skills, including the ability to explain accounting concepts without jargon and push back when something does not make financial sense.
Integrity and discretion.

Nice To Haves

CPA.
Experience at a high-growth startup.
Experience with ERP or other systems selection or implementation.

Responsibilities

Run the monthly close end-to-end, including journal entries, reconciliations, and financial statements, while improving accuracy and speed.
Establish a close calendar and repeatable monthly close processes.
Design and document accounting policies, internal controls, and workflows.
Own revenue recognition for prepay, usage-based, and pay-as-you-go contracts, applying GAAP judgment.
Lead the order-to-cash cycle from invoicing through collections.
Reconcile usage-based billing against contracted commitments and work cross-functionally to ensure accuracy, reduce time-to-payment, and flag issues early.
Own audit readiness, prepare audit-ready workpapers, manage external auditor relationships, and support the company’s first audit.
Evaluate existing tools and lead selection and implementation of an ERP and other systems.
Identify and adopt appropriate AI finance tools, including Sparrow’s own tools.
Hire and manage an in-house accounting team over time as functions transition from the outsourced provider.