Controller

MBE CPAs • Baraboo, WI

5d

About The Position

The Controller is the organization’s senior financial leader and performs responsibilities typically associated with a Chief Financial Officer. The role provides strategic and operational leadership across accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and analysis, cash management, risk management, internal controls, compliance, and financial reporting. MBE is a rapidly growing CPA firm operating alongside multiple affiliated companies, creating a dynamic, complex financial environment with multiple entities, competing priorities, deadlines, and strategic initiatives.

As a member of the leadership team, the Controller partners with firm and affiliate leaders to develop and execute financial strategies that support organizational objectives, operational excellence, and long-term financial sustainability. The position requires translating complex financial and operational data into actionable insights to guide decisions. The role may be based at any MBE office, and fully remote work may be considered. Travel to the Baraboo, Wisconsin headquarters is required five to eight times per year. This is a salaried role with unlimited PTO and an expectation to work 2,110 hours per year.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible accounting and finance experience.
• Three to five years of leadership or management experience.
• Significant experience overseeing budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, audits, and internal controls.
• Thorough understanding of GAAP and financial management best practices.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to communicate financial information effectively to financial and non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong technology aptitude and ability to leverage financial systems and reporting tools.
• Ability to manage confidential financial information with professionalism and discretion.
• Ability to build relationships and work effectively with team members and leaders across the firm.

Nice To Haves

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.
• MBA or other advanced business degree.
• Experience within a CPA firm, professional services organization, or similarly complex multi-entity environment.
• Experience with ERP systems, financial reporting software, and business intelligence platforms.
• Experience using Power BI, Tableau, or similar analytics tools.
• Experience overseeing multiple entities, locations, or affiliated organizations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with executive leadership on strategic planning, organizational growth initiatives, and major business decisions.
• Evaluate the financial implications of operational initiatives, investments, acquisitions, expansion opportunities, and strategic projects; provide recommendations based on financial analysis and business intelligence.
• Lead long-term financial planning and develop financial strategies aligned with organizational goals and objectives.
• Present financial performance, forecasts, key metrics, and strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Lead annual budget development and ongoing forecasting; develop and maintain financial models, forecasts, and business-planning tools.
• Analyze profitability, revenue trends, labor costs, utilization, productivity, and operational performance; conduct variance, scenario, and sensitivity analyses and recommend improvements.
• Design, monitor, and report on KPIs, dashboards, and scorecards; use reporting and business intelligence tools to improve decision-making.
• Identify opportunities for revenue growth, cost optimization, and process improvement through data-driven analysis, and translate financial and operational data into useful insights for stakeholders.
• Direct accounting operations for MBE CPAs and affiliated entities, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and fixed asset management.
• Ensure timely, accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and maintain compliance with GAAP.
• Lead month-end and year-end close processes; coordinate annual audits and preparation of required financial reports and tax filings.
• Oversee financial reporting accuracy, integrity, and transparency across entities.
• Lead cash-flow forecasting and liquidity management; manage banking relationships and financing arrangements.
• Oversee debt obligations, capital expenditures, and organizational investments; develop strategies to optimize working capital and cash utilization.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate financial and operational risks.
• Establish and maintain internal controls, financial policies, and procedures; ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations and monitor governance and compliance practices.
• Protect organizational assets through financial controls and oversight, and implement corrective actions resulting from audits, reviews, or compliance assessments.
• Lead, develop, coach, and mentor finance and accounting team members; set departmental goals, objectives, and performance expectations.
• Foster accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and service; support succession planning and professional development.
• Lead financial, operational, and cross-functional projects from planning through implementation.

Benefits

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• FSA/HSA account options.
• 401(k) employer matching program.
• Tuition reimbursement, CPA assistance, and professional growth opportunities through continuing education.
• Supplemental insurance options for life, AD&D, short-term disability, long-term disability, and critical illness.
• Bonuses for bringing new clients and team members to the CPA firm and affiliated companies.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Long-term job stability, flexibility, career-growth opportunities, and potential for upward mobility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior