Assistant Controller

Location: Los Angeles (South Bay), CA

Department: Corporate Accounting

Position Type: Full-time (On-Site)

Reports to: Corporate Controller

Pay: 180-200K Base + Equity + Bonus Potential

Industry: Aerospace & Defense

Work Authorization: Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. on a permanent basis without current or future employer sponsorship.

Position Overview

Our client is seeking a highly technical, hands-on accounting leader to serve as a key partner to the Corporate Controller during a critical stage of growth and integration. This is a unique opportunity to play a central role in transforming multiple acquired entities into a unified, scalable, and audit-ready accounting organization. The ideal candidate brings a strong blend of technical accounting depth and operational discipline, with the ability to build infrastructure, strengthen controls, and help establish the foundation for a best-in-class finance function.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Lead purchase accounting for recent acquisitions, including Purchase Price Allocation (PPA), Fair Value (FV) adjustments, scoping analyses, and ongoing updates to the Opening Balance Sheet (OBS)
• Draft technical accounting memos and help establish the company's initial accounting policy framework, including development of the company-wide accounting policy manual
• Prepare financial statement footnotes from the ground up as the organization continues to formalize its reporting processes
• Oversee the implementation and ongoing administration of share-based compensation (ASC 718)
• Lead the retrospective adoption and ongoing management of ASC 842 (Leases)

Accounting Infrastructure & Process Buildout

• Perform process walkthroughs across key accounting cycles to identify gaps, strengthen controls, and build more scalable operating procedures
• Design and implement standardized month-end close, reconciliation, and reporting templates across the parent company and acquired subsidiaries
• Drive consistency in chart of accounts and general ledger coding to improve data integrity across multiple entities
• Partner with the Corporate Controller to build foundational accounting processes that enhance visibility, accountability, and overall audit readiness

Close, Consolidation & Accounting Operations

• Support and oversee the monthly close and consolidation process across multiple entities, ensuring timely, accurate, and reliable reporting
• Perform high-level flux and balance sheet analysis, identifying key drivers, unusual trends, and areas requiring follow-up
• Review and provide quality oversight of accounting work prepared by offshore or shared service teams across key balance sheet and P&L areas, including AP, PPE/fixed assets, and prepaid accounts
• Assist with post-acquisition working capital tracking and Net Working Capital (NWC) adjustments, and other integration-related accounting needs

Compliance & Audit Readiness

• Serve as a key point of contact for external auditors and help drive overall audit readiness across the organization
• Help establish the accounting foundation needed to support future growth, additional acquisitions, and a more scalable finance organization
• Partner cross-functionally with finance, operations, and leadership to improve reporting quality, close discipline, and financial visibility

Knowledge / Skills Requirements

• Strong command of U.S. GAAP, with the ability to interpret and apply accounting guidance in a practical, business-oriented manner
• Solid understanding of technical accounting areas such as purchase accounting, lease accounting, and share-based compensation
• Experience with multi-entity accounting environments, including consolidations, intercompany considerations, and close process discipline
• Ability to build structure in evolving environments, including creating processes, templates, and documentation where limited infrastructure exists
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to identify issues, interpret trends, and translate accounting data into actionable insights
• High attention to detail and a strong sense of ownership, with the ability to balance accuracy, urgency, and sound judgment
• Comfortable operating in a hands-on, fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and a high degree of accountability
• Effective communicator who can work cross-functionally and partner well with leadership, auditors, and both internal and offshore accounting teams
• Advanced Excel skills and experience working within ERP systems in a growing or multi-entity environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 9+ years of progressive accounting experience, ideally beginning in Big 4 public accounting (Audit or Advisory), followed by experience in a high-growth, startup, PE-backed, or other fast-evolving environment
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, with meaningful exposure to complex accounting areas such as ASC 805, ASC 842, and ASC 718
• Experience working in environments where processes, controls, and accounting infrastructure are still being built or refined
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous or evolving environments, with a hands-on approach and a willingness to build structure where needed
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to move beyond transactional execution and identify issues, trends, and potential areas of risk
• Experience supporting or leading multi-entity accounting, consolidations, audit readiness, and close process improvement is strongly preferred
• CPA highly preferred
• Experience supporting process improvement, automation, or new system implementation initiatives is a plus, including familiarity with leveraging AI tools to improve efficiency, reporting, or workflow design