Division Controller for Schools Division (Full-Time, Remote)

Ensemble Performing Arts•Denver, CO

8d•$125,000 - $145,000•Remote

About The Position

Ensemble Performing Arts is seeking an experienced, systems and data savvy Division Controller for our Schools Business Unit. This role reports directly to the Corporate Controller with a heavy dotted line reporting responsibility to the Business Unit President and will own the full accounting operations for a portfolio of music and dance schools, leading system and process transformation, and enterprise/school standardization work. This role must understand the operating rhythm of a school including seasonality, tuition billing and recital/event revenue, and operate with the judgment and independence of a controller who can represent the accounting function in front of and partnering with school leadership. This is the right fit for a controller who wants to build scalable infrastructure for a portfolio of schools, mentor other accounting leaders, and take ownership of rapidly growing business unit — while still staying close to the transaction-level detail of school operations.

Requirements

A builder — you don't just maintain systems, you re-architect them for scale across a growing network of schools
A technical resource — you can research and apply US GAAP independently, including tuition revenue recognition, and explain it clearly to non-accountants
A leader of leaders — you develop other accounting managers and controllers, not just individual contributors
A project owner — you can run a system implementation, student billing platform migration, or M&A integration from start to finish
A trusted operator — you can represent the accounting function in front of senior leadership and School Leaders with confidence
Comfortable with the seasonality of a school business — enrollment surges, session-based billing, and recital/event revenue
Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA strongly preferred
7+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 3+ years in a controller or senior leadership role
Demonstrated experience managing accounting across multi-entity, multi-state environments; experience with schools, education, membership, or subscription-based businesses is a strong plus
Strong US GAAP knowledge, including technical research and application to non-standard transactions
Solid understanding of revenue recognition, particularly as applied to tuition, program fees, and deferred revenue
Advanced NetSuite experience (or similar ERP), including system implementation or migration leadership; experience with student billing or enrollment management systems is a plus
Prior M&A integration and purchase accounting experience
Track record of mentoring and developing accounting staff and junior leaders
Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy in a fully remote, fast-scaling environment

Responsibilities

Own accurate and timely monthly and year-end closes across a portfolio of schools, with full P&L and balance sheet accountability at each location
Oversee tuition and enrollment-based revenue recognition, including deferred revenue for prepaid tuition, seasonal enrollment surges, and mid-session refunds or withdrawals
Supervise and develop a remote accounting team, including the responsibility of an outsource relationship, across general ledger and close functions
Review and approve school-level financial statements and reconciliations to consolidation, acting as a first line of quality control for the Corporate Controller
Identify and resolve complex technical accounting issues (e.g., revenue recognition for tuition and program fees, leases for studio and school locations, purchase accounting) and document conclusions
Design, implement, and monitor internal controls across assigned schools, including cash handling, tuition billing, and refund controls, closing gaps proactively rather than reactively
Manage and lead audit preparation activities for the School Division, serving as the primary point of contact for external auditors
Partner with the Corporate Controller to standardize policies, procedures, and documentation across the Schools Division and the broader organization
Ensure complete capture and reconciliation of revenue processed through third-party platforms, including ticketing, events, and merchandise, so that no revenue stream is missed at month-end close
Lead onboarding of newly acquired schools into NetSuite, student billing/enrollment systems, and related systems, including opening balance sheet validation and purchase accounting support
Drive system migrations and process re-engineering projects — including student billing and enrollment platforms — from scoping through go-live, acting as project lead rather than participant
Build and maintain scalable reporting templates and chart-of-accounts standards that can be rolled out across multiple schools
Create and own Ensemble’s F&A integration playbook, documenting the standard onboarding process end to end
Mentor and develop accounting team members across all business units
Collaborate cross-functionally with FP&A, HR, and Operations to ensure accounting alignment, clean enrollment and tuition data, and consistent reporting
Represent the accounting function directly with School Leadership providing financial clarity on enrollment trends, tuition collections, and school-level profitability, and pushing back on issues independently
Act as a proactive thought partner to the Corporate Controller, surfacing risks and improvement opportunities before being asked