Summary:

Ascidian is recruiting a Controller to play a lead role in building a dynamic, high integrity Finance organization, ensuring Ascidian achieves our scientific and clinical objectives. The Controller will be a visible, motivating leader, ensuring trustworthy and compliant financial statements. They will be responsible for all accounting and financial reporting activities including optimizing close, strengthening internal controls, driving procure-to-pay processes, and managing key relationships with external accounting, tax, audit, and other service providers.

We are looking for a leader with unimpeachable technical expertise and good judgment, sound analysis and decision making, discretion with sensitive information, and the ability to effectively communicate. Success in the role means maturing the finance function from start-up to stand-out: preparing the company for being a publicly traded clinical stage company, while embodying integrity and serving as trusted partner to the CFO/CBO and executive team.

Responsibilities:

• Own the P&L:
  • Drive forecasting, budgeting, and planning processes; compare actuals to plans and be able to say why
  • Responsible for close process and management reporting of results & operating metrics to key stakeholders
• Own the Balance Sheet:
  • Manage cap table including employee equity processes
  • Oversee treasury and cash management functions
  • Partner with the business on capital expenditures and management
• High Integrity Reporting:
  • Be the single point of accountability for ensuring complete and accurate GAAP compliant financial statements
  • Oversee & sign off on accounting technical memos & policies
  • Coordinate all external audit, tax and financial reporting activity and manage relationships with external service providers
  • Identify areas with potentially complex accounting treatment in agreements, partnerships, and contracts. Propose solutions which balance business interests with accounting and tax considerations
• Functional Leadership
  • Plan, direct and coordinate all operational accounting functions including procure to pay and payroll.
  • Develop / update policies and procedures across all Finance functions to ensure robust and effective internal controls.
  • Identify opportunities for process improvements which both ensure a strong internal control environment and drive efficiency and practical solutions.  
  • Manage and plan for finance team growth to scale with Company growth efficiently
  • Manage external resources, vendors, systems, and service providers
• Business Partnership
  • Support CFO/CBO and CEO in engaging the Board, including audit and compensation committees as appropriate, with trust and discretion
  • Partner to manage business risk in areas such as insurance, cybersecurity, and so on
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Skills, Qualifications and Experience:

• Formal Skills:
  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related; Master's degree preferred.
  • CPA or other relevant professional certification.
  • A minimum of 7-10 years of experience in financial management and accounting
  • Experience in some combination of:
    • Biotechnology / life sciences
    • Startup environments
    • Publicly traded companies (with responsibility for SEC reporting)
    • Public accounting
• Technical Skills
  • Deep domain expertise in GAAP, accounting policy, tax, audit, and financial regulations
  • Advanced proficiency with financial software and systems, including Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, and other relevant applications.
  • Demonstrated understanding of financial statements (as reported under GAAP and IFRS), month-end close processes, internal control structures, audit cycle, and account reconciliations.
• Leadership
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to drive business results.
  • Works with the highest level of integrity and honesty and can be trusted with confidential and sensitive information.
  • Impeccable attention to detail
  • Growth mindset, with a focus on continual process improvement
  • Highly organized, with strong time management and planning skills
  • In summary, a driven and conscientious Finance professional, with strong business acumen