Direct Reports:
• Staff Accountant
• Part-Time Offshore Accounting Resource
Position Summary
PeopleGrove is seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Corporate Controller to lead the company's accounting operations, financial reporting, internal controls, and compliance functions. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, this role will be a key member of the finance team and serve as the accounting leader for a growing SaaS business.
The Controller will own the monthly close process, financial statement preparation, revenue recognition, audit management, cash management support, and accounting policy development, while also partnering with the CFO on budgeting, forecasting, board reporting, legal, and operational analysis. This position is ideal for a proactive finance professional who enjoys building scalable processes, improving reporting capabilities, and serving as a trusted business partner in a growth-oriented software company.
As a senior member of a lean finance organization, the Controller must be comfortable operating both strategically and tactically, with the ability to move seamlessly between technical accounting, financial planning support, systems optimization, and day-to-day transaction review.
- Accounting & Financial Reporting
• Lead all aspects of the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process.
• Prepare timely and accurate monthly financial statements and supporting schedules.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP accounting standards.
• Maintain general ledger integrity and oversee all accounting operations.
• Review journal entries, account reconciliations, accruals, and balance sheet analyses.
• Manage accounting for prepaid expenses, fixed assets, accrued liabilities, and equity transactions.
• Develop, document, and maintain accounting policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with debt covenant and investor reporting requirements, as applicable.
• Serve as primary contact for external audits, tax providers, and other financial advisors.
• Own ASC 606 revenue recognition processes and policies.
• Oversee contract accounting and revenue reporting utilizing Maxio and NetSuite.
• Review customer contract structures and evaluate accounting implications.
• Ensure accurate accounting for:
o Deferred revenue
o Contract assets and liabilities
o Sales commissions and capitalized contract costs
• Partner with Sales Operations and Customer Success teams to ensure data accuracy and completeness.
Financial Planning & Analysis Support
• Partner with the CFO to prepare annual budgets and periodic forecasts.
• Assist in developing departmental budgets and spending analyses.
• Support monthly forecast updates and variance analysis.
• Prepare management reporting packages and KPI dashboards.
• Analyze trends in revenue, margins, operating expenses, customer retention, and cash flow.
• Contribute to board reporting and investor presentation materials.
• Develop and maintain recurring reporting of key SaaS metrics, including:
o ARR
o MRR
o Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
o Gross Revenue Retention (GRR)
o Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
o CAC Payback
o Lifetime Value (LTV)
o Gross Margin
o Rule of 40
• Partner with department leaders to evaluate business performance and support decision-making.
• Improve visibility into operational and financial drivers of company performance.
• Direct and mentor an offshore accounting resources.
• Establish accountability and continuous improvement within the accounting function.
• Develop cross-training and process documentation to support scalability.
• Foster a culture of accuracy, collaboration, and operational excellence.
Systems & Process Improvement
• Serve as accounting owner for NetSuite and Maxio financial processes.
• Identify opportunities to automate workflows and improve reporting efficiency.
• Implement best practices around close management, reconciliations, controls, and reporting.
• Lead future finance-related system enhancements and integrations.
• Support due diligence and integration efforts related to strategic initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to use AI, automate workflows and improve reporting efficiency.
Internal Controls & Compliance
• Maintain an effective internal control environment appropriate for a growing SaaS organization.
• Develop scalable policies and procedures to support growth.
• Ensure compliance with tax, regulatory, and statutory filing requirements.
• Monitor financial risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
Required Qualifications
• CPA required.
• 7+ years of accounting experience.
• Prior Controller, Assistant Controller, or Accounting Manager experience.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and financial reporting.
• Experience with ASC 606 revenue recognition.
• Experience working in a recurring revenue or SaaS environment.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Experience with NetSuite ERP.
Preferred
• Experience with Maxio (formerly SaaSOptics/Chargify).
• Experience supporting venture-backed, private equity-backed, or growth-stage technology companies.
• Experience supporting annual audits and lender reporting.
• Familiarity with SaaS operating metrics and subscription business models.
• FP&A, budgeting, and forecasting experience.
Critical Success Factors
- Operate comfortably in a lean, high-accountability environment.
- Balance strong technical accounting skills with business acumen.
- Demonstrate ownership and a bias toward action.
- Communicate effectively with executives and functional leaders.
- Build scalable processes that support continued company growth.
- Possess strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Thrive in an environment where adaptability and continuous improvement are highly valued.
Perks & Benefits
• Flexible PTO and hybrid/remote work options
• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401K with generous company match + financial planning
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• Collaborative and purpose-driven culture
PeopleGrove empowers colleges and universities to deliver meaningful engagement and hands-on learning that drives measurable outcomes for students, alumni, programs, and institutions. From mentorship and career readiness to clinical placements and competency management, PeopleGrove helps institutions improve student preparedness, meet accreditation standards, and prove program effectiveness. The platform supports over 500 institutions and 750+ academic programs, including 98% of key clinical programs in the United States.
Learn how PeopleGrove is shaping the future through a comprehensive suite of solutions across the entire learner lifecycle– from student and alumni engagement to clinical experiential education, mentorship, and career readiness. Visit us at www.peoplegrove.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance
- CPA certification
- 7+ years of accounting experience
- Prior Controller, Assistant Controller, or Accounting Manager experience
- Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and financial reporting
- Experience with ASC 606 revenue recognition
- Experience in a recurring revenue or SaaS environment
- Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills
- Experience with NetSuite ERP
- Public accounting background, such as Big 4 or regional firm experience
- Experience with Maxio, formerly SaaSOptics or Chargify
- Experience supporting venture-backed, private equity-backed, or growth-stage technology companies
- Experience supporting annual audits and lender reporting
- Familiarity with SaaS operating metrics and subscription business models
- FP&A, budgeting, and forecasting experience
What We Do
As higher education’s first Career Access Platform™, PeopleGrove is a smart career network that recommends Mentorship, Networking, Career Exploration, and the Job Connections that together effectively build the social capital learners need to succeed. Unlike other student success tools and alumni engagement software, PeopleGrove is lifelong career support that’s smart, personal, and helpful even to those without a network, experience, or clear starting point. Established in 2015, PeopleGrove set out to build the most helpful network ever created because we believe career fulfillment is a right every single person should have. To date, we've helped millions of learners on their career journeys: - 1+ million connections - 96% retention rate - 20+ million users - 60% of US News Top 100 Universities - 5/5 average rating from user interactions - 450+ customers served PeopleGrove is proudly part of The Riverside Company portfolio of companies. With their partnership, we are a transformational organization that prides itself on building an environment where curiosity is rewarded and the unknown is embraced. Places to go. People to be.
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