Controller

Posted 3 Days Ago
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Torrance, CA, USA
In-Office
Expert/Leader
Aerospace • Hardware • Software • Database • Defense • Industrial
Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company focused on the ground segment.
The Role
Lead accounting and finance operations, including close, AP/AR, payroll, revenue recognition, cost accounting, forecasting, reporting, controls, audits, tax filings, and investor reporting. Build financial infrastructure, implement systems, guide capital and business planning, support cash flow management, and develop the finance team. The role combines executive-level financial leadership with hands-on transactional accounting responsibilities in a growing technology company.
Summary Generated by Built In

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it.

Role:

We are seeking a Controller to serve as the financial backbone of our organization, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on execution. This individual will design and implement financial systems, drive forecasting and planning, and provide executive-level insights, while also ensuring that core accounting operations such as invoice entry and accounts receivable are executed with accuracy and timeliness.

Beyond managing the numbers, this role will play a key role in building the finance team and shaping a company-wide culture around thoughtful spending, accountability, and resource stewardship. This is a unique opportunity to help define the financial DNA of a growing technology company.

 

Responsibilities:

Strategy & Leadership:

  • Lead the in-house transition of accounting functions (monthly close, AP/AR, payroll management, revenue recognition & cost accounting systems design)

  • Build and oversee the company’s financial infrastructure, implement functional accounting strategies, reporting frameworks, and internal controls

  • Partner with leadership on business planning, capital strategy, and operational decision-making

  • Provide timely and insightful financial reporting to executives, board members, and investors

  • Establish and champion company-wide financial controls that promote financial discipline and responsible spending

  • Play a leadership role in shaping the company’s culture around cost-awareness and ROI-driven decision-making

  • Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing finance team as the company scales

  • Evaluate and implement financial systems and tools that enable growth and efficiency

  • Support external audits, tax filings, and investor reporting

Accounts Payable (AP):

  • Process vendor invoices, match POs to receipts, ensure proper coding of expenses and ensure timely payments

  • Reconcile vendor statements and resolve discrepancies

  • Manage expense reimbursements and corporate credit card reconciliations

  • Maintain accurate AP records and ensure compliance with internal controls

  • Assist in maintaining the vendor master file, ensuring data accuracy and compliance with tax requirements (e.g., W-9s, 1099s)

  • Prepare AP aging reports and other financial reports for review by management

Accounts Receivable (AR):

  • Generate, track and send customer invoices in alignment with contracts

  • Monitor collections, follow up on outstanding balances, and support cash flow forecasting

  • Reconcile AR accounts and resolve billing disputes

  • Partner with sales and operations to ensure accurate billing information

  • Prepare AR aging reports and other financial reports to estimate cash inflows

  • Support liquidity and cash flow planning, analyze variances between forecasted and actual receipts

 

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business (CPA or CMA a plus)

  • 10+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, including prior controller or senior accounting role

  • Experience in a start-up or manufacturing environment strongly preferred

  • Proficiency with accounting software (e.g., NetSuite or similar)

  • Strong understanding of GAAP, financial reporting, ASC 606 and internal controls

  • Hands-on and detail-oriented, with willingness to handle transactional tasks as well as strategic projects

 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Prior experience in the aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, or defense industries

  • Proficient in SQL or other data tools for supplier and quality analytics

  • Startup or fast-paced environment experience a plus

 

Additional Information:

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business
  • 10+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience, including prior controller or senior accounting experience
  • Proficiency with accounting software such as NetSuite or similar
  • Strong understanding of GAAP, financial reporting, ASC 606, and internal controls
  • Hands-on, detail-oriented approach with willingness to handle transactional tasks and strategic projects
  • U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, protected-individual status, or eligibility to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations under ITAR
  • CPA or CMA certification
  • Experience in a startup or manufacturing environment
  • Experience in aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, or defense industries
  • Proficiency in SQL or other data tools for supplier and quality analytics
  • Startup or fast-paced environment experience

Northwood Space Corp Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northwood Space Corp and has not been reviewed or approved by Northwood Space Corp.

  • Healthcare Strength Job postings consistently cite “comprehensive” or “platinum” medical, dental, and vision coverage, with some roles indicating employer-covered premiums at little to no cost. Several listings explicitly reference fully covered plans.
  • Equity Value & Accessibility Multiple listings consistently mention equity or stock options alongside base pay, with some noting potential performance bonuses. Equity is presented as a standard component across many roles.
  • Leave & Time Off Breadth Listings cite flexible or unlimited PTO, and some specify a defined paid holiday calendar (e.g., about 10 holidays). Time-off provisions are repeatedly referenced across postings.

Northwood Space Corp Insights

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The Company
HQ: Torrance, CA
40 Employees

What We Do

The space segment has become critical infrastructure. It powers everything from GPS and climate monitoring to missile warning and global broadband. But the ground segment hasn’t kept up. Most ground networks today were designed for science missions, not for the scale, urgency, or diversity of today’s space economy. At Northwood, we’re building a global, software-defined ground network from the ground up — designed to scale as fast as the missions it supports.

Why Work With Us

Just like cloud infrastructure transformed software development, we believe shared ground infrastructure will transform space operations. We’re making it possible for any operator to move space-based data quickly, securely, and reliably back to Earth.

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