Controller

Benesch Law•Cleveland, OH

6d•$260,000 - $330,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Controller is a senior accounting and financial operations leader responsible for the integrity, accuracy, timeliness, and scalability of Benesch’s financial reporting and processes. The role leads core accounting, financial reporting, partner and tax support, treasury, payroll accounting, accounts payable, cash application, internal controls, and related finance operations across a complex, multi-office law firm environment. Working closely with the Director of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, firm leadership, office and practice leaders, and business services executives, the Controller turns financial information into clear insights, strengthens financial discipline, advances process improvement, and develops a high-performing accounting organization. The position calls for sophisticated controllership expertise, law-firm business acumen, sound judgment, and the ability to lead through growth and complexity while ensuring rigorous execution and accurate financial information. The position is based in Benesch’s Cleveland office and follows a hybrid schedule with work-from-home flexibility. The Controller leads accounting and finance operations, supports planning and enterprise decisions, manages treasury and liquidity, coordinates tax and audit work, strengthens controls and governance, advances finance transformation, and develops the accounting team. The Controller reports within the broader Finance function and works closely with the Financial Systems team but does not manage that function. The role primarily takes place in a standard office environment. It involves extended periods at a workstation, frequent typing and use of standard office equipment, close visual review of documents, and work in a fast-paced setting with interruptions and shifting deadline-driven priorities. The position has access to confidential and sensitive Firm information, which must be handled with discretion and in accordance with Firm policy and applicable law. Salary range: $260,000 to $330,000. Full-time positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field required.
Typically 12+ years of progressively responsible accounting and finance experience, including significant leadership responsibility in a complex professional services, partnership, or similarly sophisticated multi-entity environment.
Demonstrated success leading controllership, financial reporting, financial close, audit, tax coordination, cash and treasury management, financial operations, internal controls, and finance transformation.
Candidates from partnership-based or complex professional services organizations must demonstrate fluency in law-firm economics and stakeholder dynamics.
History of building and developing high-performing teams and leading through growth, complexity, systems change, or organizational transformation.
Advanced financial modeling, analytical, and presentation capabilities.
Expert-level Microsoft Office skills, primarily Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Strong fluency in modern financial systems, reporting platforms, and data tools.
Experience presenting to and advising senior executives, owners, partners, boards, or equivalent governance groups.
Ability to sit at a workstation for extended periods.
Frequent use of hands for typing and operating standard office equipment.
Close visual acuity for reviewing documents.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions and shifting priorities based on deadlines.
Handle confidential and sensitive Firm information with discretion and in accordance with Firm policy and applicable law.

Nice To Haves

CPA certification strongly preferred.
Advanced degree or other relevant professional credential is a plus.
Experience in a large law firm strongly preferred.
Aderant experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Own the Firm’s accounting framework, books and records, general ledger and chart of accounts, close calendars, and modified-cash-basis financial reporting.
Lead monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes, including disciplined review, documented reconciliations, and escalation of issues.
Ensure the integrity of accounting across the general ledger, payroll and benefits, timekeeper and matter data, accounts payable, cash application, fixed assets, leases, debt, partnership, tax records, and related systems.
Establish accounting positions for complex or non-routine transactions and ensure consistent application of Firm policies and partnership accounting practices.
Review management reporting and explain material variances, trends, risks, and corrective actions to the CFO and senior leaders.
Partner with the Director of Finance, CFO, and FP&A team to provide accounting data and analysis for planning, reforecasting, scenario analysis, and long-range financial planning.
Develop reporting and analysis on revenue, collections, profitability, expenses, headcount, leverage, utilization, pricing realization, working capital, and other law-firm performance drivers.
Translate accounting results, balance-sheet activity, cash trends, and material variances into clear stakeholder insights; coordinate with FP&A on forward-looking analysis and monthly budget-to-actual analysis.
Ensure actual results, accruals, reconciliations, and accounting implications are timely, reliable, and understood as part of the financial-management cadence.
Provide controllership, accounting, cash-flow, control, and implementation perspectives for strategic investments, office growth, laterals, combinations, technology initiatives, vendor arrangements, and other enterprise decisions.
Lead daily liquidity management, cash forecasting, banking administration, operating-cash investment, movement of funds, and compliance with debt and banking requirements.
Optimize working capital through coordination of billing, collections, cash application, disbursements, partner distributions, capital contributions, and tax-related cash requirements.
Maintain relationships with banks, auditors, tax advisors, insurance partners, and other financial service providers; provide leadership with visibility into liquidity, covenants, funding needs, financial risks, and recommended actions.
Serve as the principal finance liaison to external auditors and tax advisors; lead the year-end financial statement review and coordinate required tax and other filings.
Oversee financial data, workpapers, controls, and review processes supporting partnership tax returns, partner K-1s, partner capital accounts, estimated payments, and related partner reporting.
Coordinate with legal, payroll, benefits, HR, and operational stakeholders on matters affecting tax, compensation, deductions, and financial reporting.
Anticipate accounting, tax, regulatory, and business issues and develop practical responses with the Director of Finance, CFO, and external advisors.
Design, document, implement, and continuously improve internal controls over financial reporting, cash, disbursements, vendors, system access, segregation of duties, and data integrity.
Establish accounting policies, approval authorities, procedures, and financial governance standards appropriate to a growing law firm.
Identify control gaps, process risks, fraud exposure, and data-quality issues; develop remediation plans and verify their effectiveness.
Partner with IT, Information Security, Risk Management, and other functions to strengthen financial-system resilience, access controls, business continuity, and recovery readiness.
Create and execute a multi-year roadmap to modernize finance processes, reporting, systems, data governance, and service delivery.
Simplify and standardize workflows, reduce manual work, strengthen controls, accelerate cycle times, and improve internal client experience through technology and automation.
Serve as senior accounting stakeholder for financial systems and integrations, defining controllership requirements and supporting controls, testing, implementation, adoption, and optimization in partnership with the Financial Systems team.
Ensure the integrity, governance, and reconciliation of accounting data used in management reporting and dashboards, working with FP&A and Financial Systems.
Lead finance initiatives with disciplined project governance, stakeholder communication, change management, and measurable outcomes.
Lead, coach, and develop the accounting and finance operations team, setting standards for accuracy, responsiveness, ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Design a scalable organization with clear roles, effective spans of control, continuity coverage, and cross-training for critical processes.
Develop future finance leaders through feedback, development plans, delegation, and exposure to enterprise priorities.
Create a culture combining professionalism and service orientation with financial discipline and accountability; assess talent and capacity needs and recommend structure, sourcing, technology, and investment.
Advise the Director of Finance and CFO, represent controllership in leadership discussions and cross-functional initiatives, and develop a strong understanding of partnership economics and law-firm performance drivers.
Prepare and present concise, executive-ready financial materials with clear implications and recommendations for Firm leadership and governance bodies.
Build trusted relationships across the partnership and business services leadership team, demonstrating discretion, judgment, and influence.
Take on broader controllership and enterprise finance responsibilities as performance, organizational needs, and Firm priorities evolve.
Perform other duties and lead special projects as assigned by the Senior Director of Finance, CFO, or Firm leadership.
Maintain flexibility to address time-sensitive needs, including month-end and year-end close, tax, audit, partner reporting, transactions, and major Firm initiatives.