Controller

Position: Controller

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Department: Accounting

Purpose: The Controller is a strategic business partner responsible for the integrity, scalability, and effectiveness of the company’s accounting, payroll, and financial reporting operations. Reporting directly to the CFO, this role leads the Accounting and Accounts Payable functions, oversee payroll administration in partnership with HR, and plays a central role in M&A integration, process improvement, and cross-functional support.

As the company grows from over 160 clubs today to over 300 clubs, the Controller will be instrumental in building and optimizing the accounting infrastructure, ensuring financial controls are strong and scalable, and supporting strategic initiatives including acquisitions and new service and product offerings. This position requires a leader who can operate at both a strategic and tactical level, with a strong process mindset and a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across departments.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial Reporting & Accounting Operations

• Accountable for the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting that aligns with US GAAP for audit and tax purposes, while maintaining consistency with the organization’s historical and internal basis of accounting used for management reporting and investor communications.
• Support efforts to deliver pertinent real-time financial information to stakeholders.

Compliance, Audit & Tax

• Maintain and strengthen accounting policies, internal controls, and technical accounting standards.
• Responsible for facilitating the timely completion of the annual external financial audit.
• Oversee compliance with all federal, state, and local tax reporting requirements in partnership with external tax advisors.

M&A Integration & Support

• Collaborate with external advisors to manage purchase accounting, valuation and post-close financial integration of acquisitions.
• Lead onboarding of acquisitions into accounting systems and processes and support post-close financial requirements.
• Partner with the CFO and senior leadership on transaction readiness and integration planning.

AP & Payroll Oversight

• Accountable for supporting the Accounts Payable function, focusing on timely processing, system optimization, and vendor relationship management.
• Oversee payroll administration in partnership with HR, ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely execution.
• Identify and implement improvements in payroll and AP processes to enhance accuracy and scalability.

Systems, Process, and Infrastructure Development

• Serve as the process owner for Accounting’s use of NetSuite and other systems; lead efforts to evaluate and optimize functionality to support scalability and automation.
• Lead initiatives to automate, streamline, and document key workflows across accounting, as well as other key areas that have a material financial impact.
• Collaborate cross-functionally across the organization to improve end-to-end accounting support for internal stakeholders.

Leadership & Team Development

• Manage, coach, and develop a growing team of accounting and AP professionals.
• Build a culture of accountability, service, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with the CFO and other senior leaders to ensure the function evolves in step with company growth.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Proactive and process-oriented with a high bias for action.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally and leading change in a dynamic setting.
• High attention to detail, combined with the ability to see the big picture.
• Strong judgment, integrity, and a collaborative leadership style.
• Passionate about building great teams and systems that scale.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 5+ years in a leadership role.
• Multi-unit, franchise, or retail accounting experience strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP, internal controls, and audit processes.
• Experience with NetSuite or similar mid-market ERP systems.
• Proven success in scaling accounting infrastructure to support rapid growth.
• Experience in M&A integration, including purchase accounting and system/process onboarding.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across all levels of the organization