Vice President & Controller

American Arbitration Association•Roseville, MN

33d•$174,000 - $242,800

About The Position

The Vice President & Controller is a senior enterprise leader responsible for the integrity, accuracy, timeliness, and reliability of the organization’s financial reporting, accounting operations, controls, and regulatory compliance. The role provides strategic leadership to the accounting function, builds organizational capability, and establishes the processes, controls, and standards required to support a complex and evolving organization. The Controller demonstrates strong business acumen and communicates financial performance clearly and effectively to audiences at all levels, including executive leadership. Reporting to the CFO, the Controller is a core member of the executive Finance leadership team and works closely with the CFO, the Vice President of Financial Planning & Strategy, and the Vice President of Finance Operations. The Controller has primary accountability for accounting, financial reporting, controls, audit, and related compliance matters while sharing responsibility for the overall quality and effectiveness of Finance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
Significant progressive accounting and finance experience, typically 15+ years, including at least 5–7 years leading enterprise accounting functions.
Experience as a Controller, Assistant Controller, or equivalent senior leader in a mid-sized to large organization, ideally with multi-entity, multi-fund, or complex reporting structures.
Demonstrated success leading complex accounting organizations and developing senior accounting talent.
Proven track record leading month-, quarter-, and year-end close and financial statement preparation in environments requiring high accuracy, strong controls, and tight timelines.
Extensive experience designing, implementing, and operating internal control frameworks, financial policies, and audit processes.
Experience directing external audit relationships, including planning, execution, issue resolution, and remediation, and preparing materials for the Board, Audit Committee, or similar governance bodies.
Experience leading accounting transformation initiatives, including process redesign, system implementations or upgrades, automation, and standardization.
Experience partnering with FP&A, IT, and business leaders to ensure accounting structures support analytics, forecasting, and strategic decision-making.

Nice To Haves

CPA designation is strongly preferred.
Advanced coursework or certifications in accounting, audit, or finance transformation are a plus.

Responsibilities

Build and lead a high-performing accounting organization, including talent development, succession planning, and organizational design for 15 direct and indirect reports.
Act as a trusted advisor to the CFO and executive leaders on accounting implications of strategic and operational decisions.
Own the integrity and effectiveness of the monthly, quarterly, and annual close, ensuring timely, accurate, and decision-useful financial reporting.
Own the preparation and integrity of internal and external financial statements and related disclosures.
Provide accurate financial results and accounting insights, partnering with FP&A to explain performance drivers and material variances to management.
Establish and enforce accounting policies aligned with GAAP and regulatory standards.
Serve as the primary owner and executive lead for external audits, including planning, execution, issue resolution, and remediation.
Ensure year-round audit readiness and maintain strong relationships with external auditors, regulators, and advisors.
Own federal, state, and local tax filings and compliance requirements, coordinating with external specialists as needed.
Support the CFO in presenting financial reporting, audit results, accounting matters, and internal control topics to the Board of Directors and/or Audit Committee.
Lead implementation of new accounting standards, ensuring timely adoption, proper documentation, and clear communication of impacts.
Identify emerging accounting, reporting, control, compliance, and financial process risks and ensure appropriate controls, mitigation, escalation, and oversight.
Oversee transactional accounting functions, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, cash management, fixed assets, investments, insurance, and technology-related accounting.
Establish a continuous-improvement agenda for accounting operations, leveraging automation, standardization, and technology to improve speed, scalability, accuracy, and control.
Ensure accounting operations scale effectively with organizational growth, complexity, and change.
Lead the accounting workstream for acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, strategic investments, and other complex transactions, including due diligence, transaction structuring considerations, purchase accounting, opening balance sheet preparation, and post-close integration.
Ensure acquired entities’ accounting processes, controls, and reporting are integrated effectively into AAA’s framework.
Partner with executive and functional leaders on strategic initiatives, ensuring accounting, control, reporting, and financial governance implications are appropriately considered.
Support ad hoc projects, special initiatives, and emerging responsibilities necessary for effective finance leadership.