Assistant Controller

Company Description

At Freshworks, we are creating a global workplace that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or ethnicity. We are committed to providing equal opportunity for all and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer work environment that advances the goals of our employees, communities and business.

Freshworks makes it fast and easy for businesses to delight their customers and employees. More than 50,000 companies use Freshworks SaaS to enable a better customer experience (CX, CRM) and employee experience (ITSM, HRSM). Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freshworks has a dedicated global team operating from 13 locations to serve our customers throughout the world.

Freshworks has received numerous accolades ranking #16 on the prestigious Forbes Cloud 100 and #22 on the Battery Ventures/Glassdoor Best Places to Work lists.

Job Description

We are seeking to hire an experienced Assistant Controller (Global), who will be responsible for overseeing various accounting and operations functions globally, related SOX control activities, related external audit interactions, system improvements and more. This role requires critical thinking skills, effective organizational and execution skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and a strong ability to build effective relationships across the company. This individual interacts with all levels of management and third parties across financial and operational projects and initiatives. The ideal candidate is a licensed CPA with a mix of Big4 and industry experience and a focus on operations. The role will be key in moving processes from current state to best-in-class, as seen in more mature companies.

This position will be based in our San Mateo headquarters and report to the VP, Corporate Controller. You will be working in a hybrid model (3 days a week at the San Mateo office)

Qualifications

• Lead teams in US and India, and develop and mentor a rapidly evolving accounting team, including individuals responsible for GL accounting, international accounting,  accounts payable, payroll administration, and others
• Oversee teams leading transaction accounting, payroll processing, the close process, and other financial controls; assure accuracy, timeliness, and conformity with professional accounting standards and best practices in accordance with GAAP requirements
• Maintain and develop internal control structure, including development and revision of accounting policies and procedures, in collaboration with the SEC Team
• Manage SOX compliance for areas of responsibility by establishing, overseeing, and maintaining financial controls and operational processes that balance controls and risk management with flexibility inherent to staying nimble and fostering our entrepreneurial culture
• Drive process improvement activities to accelerate and enhance the company close cycle and transactional processes
• Drive improvement activities to enhance the company procure to pay process
• Participate in expansion/improvement program of our Coupa procure to Pay/ NetSuite ERP system and other systems being implemented in the finance department
• Develop excellent cross functional relationships to support effective operational efficiencies
• Special projects and assignments as needed

Background & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with major coursework in business administration, finance, or accounting
• Minimum 12-15 years of Finance/Accounting experience including a combination of public accounting, Big 4, as well as industry accounting experience
• Recent experience working at an SEC SOX compliant registrant required
• Minimum 7 years experience leading managers and providing mentoring, coaching, and development to create high-performing teams
• Proven track record of excellence and high performance
• Extensive experience in the general ledger, monthly close process and financial reporting, procurement and payroll systems, and in-depth knowledge of US GAAP and SOX compliance.
• Experience managing teams in India or managing a remote team  internationally, a plus
• Ability to proactively identify issues and initiative to solve challenges
• Proficiency in Excel
• NetSuite or other large or mid-size ERP experience preferred
• Technically savvy with systems and ability to improve processes and utilize technology to enhance productivity, reduce errors, and mitigate risks
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, proactively manage tasks and workloads while being flexible, able to adapt with short notice
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively across