SUMMARY
The Corporate Controller leads the day-to-day accounting operations within Finance, reporting to the Chief Accounting Officer. Responsibilities include financial close, general ledger integrity, consolidation, accounting controls within assigned processes, and vendor payment activities. The role manages the accounting team, prepares technical accounting analyses and recommendations, and partners with SEC and Regulatory Reporting to provide accurate, consistent, and timely accounting information. The position operates within approved policies and delegated authority and escalates significant accounting judgments, policy changes, and control matters through established processes.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Complies with applicable laws, Company policies and procedures, and U.S. GAAP.
- Leads month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close to deliver timely, accurate, and well-controlled financial results.
- Oversees the general ledger, chart of accounts, and supporting records, reviews and approves journal entries, accruals, and estimates within delegated authority and escalates significant accounting matters.
- Supports accounts reconciliation and certification process
- Manages accounting for loans, deposits, investments, derivatives, fixed and prepaid assets, leases, and other core accounts; oversees subledger interfaces, subsidiary accounting, and consolidation.
- Maintains controls within assigned accounting processes, including SOX documentation, risk assessment, remediation, and escalation of significant deficiencies.
- Supports internal financial reporting and develops analytics to explain results, identify issues, and track accounting and process-improvement initiatives.
- Partners with SEC and Regulatory Reporting to provide reconciled schedules, technical analyses, and disclosure support for Forms 10-K and 10-Q and banking regulatory reports.
- Research complex accounting matters, prepares technical memoranda, and implements approved accounting treatment. Monitors new standards and coordinates related implementation and training.
- Maintains accounting procedures and recommends policy updates, including business continuity, process ownership, and backup coverage.
- Coordinates accounting support for audits and regulatory examinations, including documentation, responses, and remediation within the role’s scope.
- Partners with IT on accounting systems, integrations, data integrity, and process improvements. Implements approved automation, analytics, and AI tools with appropriate access controls, change management, data protection, human review, and documented validation.
- Supports assigned accounting workstreams for acquisitions, business combinations, new products, and finance modernization initiatives.
- Oversee vendor payments and related controls
- Supports income tax provisions, disclosures, and other tax activities with tax specialists.
- Develops accounting managers and staff through clear goals, training, and manages competing priorities and collaborates across functions to resolve accounting issues.
- Provides, presents, and promotes the Citizens Experience to all external and internal customers.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This position has supervisory responsibilities. Manages accounting managers, staff, and consultants. Establishes clear responsibilities, review standards, development plans, and backup coverage across assigned accounting functions in accordance with the organizations policies and applicable laws.
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance is required with a minimum of ten (10) years of progressive accounting experience, including significant responsibility for financial close, general ledger oversight, technical accounting, and internal controls, and management responsibility for accounting operations and staff. Banking or financial services experience required and public company and public accounting experience highly preferred.
An advanced degree in accounting, finance, or a related field is a plus. Formal education, continuing education, and relevant financial industry training should support an in-depth accounting background.
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to communicate accounting results, technical analyses, and operational issues clearly to Finance leadership, auditors, and cross-functional partners; supports committee presentations as assigned. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex accounting issues clearly and deliver technical training.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations and interpret and draw bar graphs.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Analytical mindset and proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement. Ability to design and maintain reporting that advances key initiatives, prioritize competing deadlines, and manage multiple concurrent projects and time-sensitive technical matters.
COMPUTER & SOFTWARE SKILLS
Advanced Excel skills and experience with general ledger, reconciliation, and financial reporting platforms required. Proven record of driving technology and process improvements that increase efficiency and streamline operations. Experience with AI tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, or similar platforms, including their practical use within approved accounting workflows, is preferred. Knowledge of analytical tools such as Power BI or equivalent platforms is preferred.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
- A Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.) license is required.
OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES
- Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across functions and organizational levels and develop an accountable accounting team.
- Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, applicable financial regulations, and banking regulatory reporting rules and requirements. Experience researching and applying accounting standards, documenting complex accounting conclusions, and supporting preparation or review of SEC Forms 10-K and 10-Q, particularly technical accounting disclosures.
- Strong understanding of internal controls and SOX requirements, with demonstrated ability to assess risk, design effective controls, maintain supporting documentation, and resolve control deficiencies.
- Strong understanding of banking operations and their accounting implications.
- High attention to detail
- Tax accounting expertise, including income tax provisions, deferred taxes, and investment tax credits, is preferred.
- Experience with mergers and acquisitions and business combinations is preferred.
- Sound judgment in applying accounting policies, managing operational priorities, and escalating significant matters.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to talk or hear. The associate is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and use hands and fingers to handle or feel. The associate is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The associate is regularly required to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, calculator and telephone and reach with hands and arms. The associate must occasionally lift and/or move up to ten (10) pounds.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position requires on-site attendance at the Bank’s Headquarters or designated location as applicable, subject to reasonable accommodation in accordance with applicable law.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The work environment is usually moderate.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive accounting experience
- Significant responsibility for financial close, general ledger oversight, technical accounting, internal controls, and accounting operations management
- Banking or financial services experience
- Management experience overseeing accounting staff
- Certified Public Accountant license
- Advanced Excel skills
- Experience with general ledger, reconciliation, and financial reporting platforms
- Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, financial regulations, and banking regulatory reporting
- Strong knowledge of internal controls and SOX requirements
- Public company and public accounting experience
- Advanced degree in accounting, finance, or a related field
- Experience with AI tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude in accounting workflows
- Knowledge of Power BI or equivalent analytical platforms
- Tax accounting expertise, including income tax provisions and deferred taxes
- Experience with mergers and acquisitions and business combinations
Citizens Business Bank Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Citizens Business Bank and has not been reviewed or approved by Citizens Business Bank.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) plus profit-sharing, with a qualified non-elective employer contribution described as a meaningful baseline and additional profit-sharing that can add upside. Employer retirement funding is portrayed as a stronger pillar of total rewards even when cash pay feels lean.
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Affordable Benefits — Employer cost-sharing for medical coverage is described as substantial, with materials citing coverage of roughly three-quarters of premiums for the lowest-cost plan. This premium subsidy is characterized as competitive for a mid-size bank and supports the overall value of the benefits package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave are explicitly part of the package, and the time-off offering is frequently characterized as "good PTO" and "generous holidays." Predictable scheduling and workable balance are framed as non-cash rewards that can partially offset lower base pay for some roles.
Citizens Business Bank Insights
What We Do
Citizens Business Bank is consistently recognized as one of the top-performing banks in the nation and offers a wide array of banking, lending, and investing¹ services through over 60 banking centers and 3 trust office locations serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, and Central California. CVBF trades on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol CVBF. Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender | Equal Opportunity Employer ¹Not Insured by FDIC or Any Other Government Agency • Not Bank Guaranteed • Not Bank Deposits or Obligations • May Lose Value
