Controller

MaxCyte, Inc•Rockville, MD

About The Position

The Controller is a key strategic and operational leader responsible for establishing, maintaining, and continuously improving MaxCyte’s accounting and financial control environment. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, this role provides leadership across all areas of accounting operations, financial reporting, technical accounting, and compliance in a complex, publicly traded life sciences company. The Controller leads a team of 7 accounting professionals, including 3 direct reports, and is responsible for building team capacity to support the company's growth trajectory. The Controller ensures the integrity of financial results, oversees internal controls and SOX compliance, and enables efficient and transparent reporting to executive management and the Board. This successful candidate will be both a hands-on operator and strategic partner—capable of leading process transformation, driving systems modernization, and mentoring a high-performing team. Success requires deep technical accounting knowledge, operational excellence in a manufacturing and regulated environment, and the ability to translate financial insights into strategic actions that enhance enterprise value. The Controller plays a critical role in enabling scalable growth, disciplined execution, and confidence among investors, auditors, and business partners.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required; CPA strongly preferred; MBA preferred.
10-15 years of progressive accounting and financial leadership experience, including at least two years in a controller role, ideally combining public accounting and public company industry experience.
Strong technical accounting expertise with demonstrated mastery of U.S. GAAP, SEC reporting requirements, and SOX internal control standards.
Experience within a revenue-generating manufacturing or product-based environment, preferably in the life sciences industry.
Deep understanding of cost accounting, inventory valuation, and manufacturing variance analysis in a multi-product environment.
Proven success leading high-performing teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
Demonstrated ability to design and implement scalable processes, policies, and systems to support company growth.
Hands-on ERP system experience, preferably NetSuite, with strong analytical skills and advanced Excel proficiency.
Experience implementing or leveraging business intelligence and reporting tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) for KPI and performance management.
Exceptional communication and collaboration skills with the ability to partner effectively across functions and influence senior executives.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
High integrity, professional judgment, and commitment to excellence consistent with MaxCyte’s values and public company standards.

Nice To Haves

CPA strongly preferred
MBA preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor to the CFO, providing insight into financial trends, risks, and opportunities while ensuring readiness for audit, investor, and Board scrutiny.
Oversee all daily accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, fixed assets, and accruals.
Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes to ensure timely and accurate financial results with a consistent five-day close target.
Own the company’s internal control framework and ensure compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements across all accounting cycles.
Oversee external audit processes, technical accounting documentation, and preparation of supporting materials for 10-Q, 10-K, and other SEC filings.
Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP and drive excellence in accounting for complex transactions including revenue recognition (ASC 606), leases (ASC 842), and stock compensation (ASC 718).
Oversee revenue recognition across multiple streams including instrument and consumable sales, services, Strategic Platform License (SPL) agreements, milestone payments, and royalties.
Partner with FP&A, Legal, and Business Development to interpret contract structures, assess accounting implications, and forecast financial impacts of strategic arrangements.
Supervise cost accounting and manufacturing finance activities, ensuring accurate standard cost setup, variance analysis, and product-level profitability insights.
Work with operations and supply chain leadership to align financial processes with production workflows, inventory management, and quality system documentation.
Develop, maintain, and continuously refine accounting policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for key processes, including revenue, inventory, cost accounting, and accruals.
Implement automation and process improvements within NetSuite ERP and other systems to enhance efficiency, scalability, and data integrity.
Deliver timely management reports and dashboards with actionable insights, linking financial metrics to operational drivers and strategic objectives.
Monitor working capital metrics such as DSO, DPO, and inventory turns, identifying opportunities to optimize liquidity and efficiency.
Collaborate with FP&A on forecasting, budgeting, and scenario analysis to inform executive decision-making and investor communications.
Drive a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence throughout the Finance organization.
Recruit, develop, and mentor a high-performing accounting team capable of supporting the company’s evolving scale and complexity.
Partner cross-functionally with operations, regulatory affairs, quality, and information technology functions to ensure that financial and operational systems are integrated and compliant with internal and external requirements.
Champion process transformation initiatives to streamline workflows, enhance reporting accuracy, and strengthen the control environment across the organization