Controller (Accounting/Auditing) (Remote) - 62523189352

Location: Remote (South Africa and LATAM)
Contract: Independent Contractor
Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday, EST

We are seeking an ambitious, highly technical Accounting Manager / Audit & Financial Controller to take immediate ownership of our financial reporting, lead our firm through this year's external financial audit, and build out our long-term accounting function over the next three years.

This is a strategic and hands-on "Team of 1" leadership position. We need a sharp, high-agency accounting leader who possesses the technical mastery to manage the grunt work (reconciliations, schedules, workpapers, GL hygiene) while maintaining the strategic vision of a future Controller or VP of Finance.

Your immediate, highest-priority objective will be to organize our financial records, audit trails, and US GAAP workpapers to ensure we pass this year’s external audit flawlessly.

• Lead External Audit Engagement: Act as the primary technical point of contact for external US auditors. Prepare all Audit Workpapers, PBC (Provided by Client) schedules, balance sheet reconciliations, and technical accounting memos.
• Audit Defense & Compliance: Defend revenue recognition, expense cutoffs, accruals, and technical accounting treatments under US GAAP, resolving audit queries efficiently to ensure a clean audit opinion.
• Remediation & Controls: Identify internal control deficiencies or accounting process gaps and implement robust, audit-ready operational procedures.

• US GAAP Financial Statements: Oversee and execute month-end close processes, producing accurate, audit-backed Balance Sheets, Income Statements, and Cash Flow Statements under US GAAP.
• General Ledger Cleanliness: Maintain immaculate GL hygiene, fixed asset schedules, deferred revenue schedules, and intercompany reconciliations.

• Department Architecture: Act as an owner-minded accounting leader—building, scaling, and structuring our accounting function over the next 3+ years as the company grows.
• Strategic & Operational Balance: Roll up your sleeves to handle execution and detail-level accounting as a team of 1 today, while designing the systems, SOPs, and team structure needed for tomorrow.

• US GAAP Mastery (Non-Negotiable): Expert-level fluency in US GAAP principles and financial statement preparation.
• Audit Experience: 3–5+ years of direct experience either as an external auditor (e.g., Big Four / mid-tier accounting firms auditing US-based companies, audit acceleration centers) OR as a corporate accounting manager who has successfully led a company through an external US GAAP audit.
• Professional Credentials (CPA Equivalent): Holds a recognized professional accounting license or credential equivalent to a US CPA—such as Chartered Accountant (CA/SAICA in South Africa), ACCA, CPA, or Licensed Public Accountant.
• Near-Native Spoken & Written English: Exceptional English fluency and professional communication skills. You must be able to articulate complex accounting treatments clearly and confidently to US executives and external auditors.
• Owner Mindset: Willing to handle both high-level financial strategy and hands-on transactional work, taking full ownership of outcomes without requiring hand-holding.

We are interested in candidates coming from either of these career trajectories:

1. The External Auditor Route: 3–5+ years as an external auditor auditing US-based companies (Big Four or top mid-tier firm) ready to step into their first corporate leadership role.
2. The Corporate Controller / Accounting Lead Route: 5–7+ years of total accounting experience, including hands-on experience running month-end closes and managing external US audits.

• First 30 Days: Complete a full audit of the current general ledger, reconstruct required workpapers, identify accounting gaps, and align with executive leadership on the audit readiness roadmap.
• Days 31–60: Lead the external audit process end-to-end—managing auditor requests, producing PBC schedules, and guiding the firm to a successful audit completion.
• Days 61–90: Formalize internal financial controls, establish streamlined month-end close SOPs, and lay the foundation for scaling the accounting department.