Principal AI Deployment Manager, Controller

Eliza•Remote, US,

19d

About The Position

The Principal AI Deployment Manager, Controller brings controller-level accounting expertise to AI implementation work across finance teams. The role partners with finance leaders and subject-matter experts to understand existing processes and systems, identify opportunities for AI, and guide work from discovery to an evaluated workflow. The work focuses on order-to-cash, month-end accounting close, and procure-to-pay. The role translates accounting policies, controls, system behavior, data needs, and exceptions into requirements, then partners with Forward Deployed Engineers to design and deliver finance workflows for testing and review. This is a client-facing role for a controller who has implemented AI workflows and can connect finance judgment to technical delivery. Eliza works AI-first and expects employees to use AI tools thoughtfully. The company moves quickly, works through ambiguity, and holds employees accountable for outcomes. The role includes ownership of client problems rather than a fixed script.

Requirements

CPA background and substantial controller or controllership experience.
Deep experience with ERP, accounting systems, or finance systems implementations and process change.
Strong working knowledge of core accounting and finance processes and underlying systems, such as order-to-cash, month-end close, or procure-to-pay.
Evidence of implementing AI-supported workflows in finance or accounting, with a practical understanding of AI capabilities and limitations.
Ability to translate accounting policy, controls, exceptions, and system behavior into requirements that engineering teams can implement and test.
Client-facing communication skills and the judgment to ask precise questions, challenge assumptions, and explain tradeoffs clearly.
Ability to own outcomes through discovery, delivery, evaluation, and client review.

Nice To Haves

Controller experience in a PE-backed company.
Experience with AI-native ERP or finance automation platforms, accounting agents, or ERP integrations.
Finance transformation consulting experience or work across multiple priority finance processes.
Experience defining evaluation methods and controls for AI systems used in finance.

Responsibilities

Lead working sessions with controllers, accounting teams, and client subject-matter experts to map order-to-cash, close, or procure-to-pay workflows, including systems, controls, handoffs, and exceptions.
Establish the current-state baseline and clarify what a successful outcome means to the finance team.
Assess process fit, data readiness, risk, and where human review or approval must remain.
Translate accounting workflows and policy requirements into structured product requirements, decision rules, acceptance criteria, roadmaps, and test cases.
Prioritize opportunities based on feasibility, finance impact, data quality, and implementation effort.
Recommend where AI is useful, where standard automation is sufficient, and where a process is not ready.
Partner with Forward Deployed Engineers to shape MVP plans, clarify dependencies, and make tradeoffs across scope, quality, and timing.
Review workflow behavior against representative finance cases, including edge conditions, exceptions, reconciliations, and audit evidence.
Keep model limitations, data quality, access controls, and production-readiness risks visible from prototype through deployment.
Define evaluation criteria and business outcomes with client subject-matter experts before implementation, and track results against agreed baselines.
Present findings clearly, distinguish measured results from hypotheses, and recommend improvements or next tests.
Build client confidence through accurate communication, practical training, and clear handoffs.
Turn client-work lessons into reusable process maps, requirements patterns, evaluation methods, and implementation guidance.
Contribute controller expertise to finance-focused discovery, solution design, and pursuit planning.
Raise delivery or client risks early and help establish a high standard for finance AI work.

Benefits

Competitive compensation consisting of base salary and performance incentives tied to client outcomes.
Equity options in a growing AI services company.
Exposure to a wide range of industries and high-impact AI problems.
Travel opportunities for on-site client engagements, if desired.
Direct work with finance leaders on practical AI deployments affecting core accounting workflows.
Close partnership with experienced engineers and client subject-matter experts.
Opportunity to shape how controller and accounting expertise informs AI delivery.
Meaningful ownership from discovery through measured client outcomes.
Opportunity to shape reusable methods for finance AI delivery.
Variety across finance processes, systems, and client environments.
Leadership role within a high-growth OCFO practice.