Controller

Athennian; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Athennian seeks an experienced Controller to oversee financial operations and ensure compliance in reporting activities. You'll manage accounting, financial reporting, and internal controls while working closely with leadership to drive data-driven decisions in a dynamic SaaS environment.

Benefits

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage

Long-term disability and accidental death & dismemberment coverage

Flexible parental leave benefits

Work-from-home allowance

Minimum of three weeks of vacation

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience, ideally within SaaS or tech environments.
• Strong understanding of ASPE and SaaS revenue recognition.
• Proven ability to partner with leadership and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead month-end close, ensuring consolidation of the Company and its subsidiaries.
• Conduct monthly budget vs. actual variance analyses with actionable insights.
• Manage Canadian and U.S. tax compliance and lead annual financial review.

Skills

Financial Reporting

Budgeting

Compliance Management

Process Optimization

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Finance or Accounting

CPA or equivalent accounting designation

Tools

ERP/accounting systems

Financial modeling tools

Job description

Athennian increases trust in business. Our products help legal, finance, and tax teams be transaction and audit-ready by organizing business entity and corporate structure information. Over 370,000 business entities in almost every country are managed on Athennian to automate workflows for ownership, company secretarial, governance, tax, and compliance.

We are looking for an experienced Controller to lead our financial operations and ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance in all reporting activities. This is a key role responsible for maintaining the financial health of the company. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Finance, you will oversee accounting operations, financial reporting, internal controls, and compliance. You’ll also play a strategic role in supporting senior leadership and external partners in data-driven decision-making.

• Financial Close & Reporting:
• Lead month-end close, ensuring timely consolidation of the Company and its subsidiaries.
• Review and finalize all journal entries and account reconciliations in line with accounting standards.
• Ensure proper SaaS and professional services revenue recognition per internal policies.
• Prepare accurate financial statements under ASPE, including note disclosures.
• Deliver internal and external reporting, including key SaaS metrics (ARR, NDR, etc.) to executives and investors.
• Finance Operations & Process Optimization:
• Oversee day-to-day financial operations: accounts payable, treasury, pay runs, expense reports, and receivables.
• Continuously improve finance processes for scalability and efficiency.
• Manage cap table, stock option register, and related corporate finance documentation.
• Lead SR&ED claims in partnership with external consultants and the engineering team.
• Financial Planning & Analysis:
• Conduct monthly budget vs. actual variance analyses with actionable insights.
• Evaluate business decisions for financial impact and recommend policy or forecast adjustments.
• Prepare complex journal entries (e.g., stock-based comp, transfer pricing).
• Compliance & Tax Management:
• Manage Canadian and U.S. tax compliance: sales tax, income tax, and withholding tax.
• Lead annual financial review and ensure compliance with external audit requirements.
• Funding & Capital Management:
• Drive non-dilutive funding applications, claims, and reporting to support capital strategy.
• Ad-Hoc Projects:
• Provide financial leadership on cross-functional initiatives and evolving business needs.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience, ideally within SaaS or tech environments.
• Strong understanding of ASPE and SaaS revenue recognition.
• Demonstrated success in managing full-cycle accounting and financial reporting.
• Familiarity with Canadian and U.S. tax regulations and compliance.
• Proficiency with ERP/accounting systems and financial modeling tools.
• Proven ability to partner with leadership and external stakeholders.

Nice to Have

• CPA or equivalent accounting designation.
• Experience with non-dilutive funding applications and claims.
• Familiarity with stock-based compensation and transfer pricing.
• Experience in the legal tech or similar regulated industries.

Our Culture

Our company thrives in a fast-paced startup environment where every team member plays a critical role in driving success. We value ambitious, results-driven individuals who are not only proactive in identifying opportunities but are also committed to going the extra mile. In our culture, collaboration and initiative fuel our growth as we embrace new challenges, learn constantly, and move quickly to seize opportunities. If you're a go-getter who thrives on impact and thrives in a dynamic setting, you'll fit right in. Our values are:

- Outcome Driven: We focus on setting ambitious goals and achieving measurable results, valuing success by the outcomes we deliver.

- Wide Responsibility: Our team is empowered to shape success, taking ownership from problem identification to solution implementation.

- Learning Mindset: We embrace curiosity, rejecting the status quo and encouraging continuous learning and agility.

- Strategic Speed: We make fast, effective decisions and embrace a bias for action to seize opportunities quickly.

Benefits at Athennian

We’re a remote-first company built on trust, autonomy, and accountability. With that flexibility comes responsibility — we’re a lean team where everyone is expected to bring their full effort and expertise. We believe in real work-life balance: every employee starts with a minimum of three weeks of vacation, five sick days, and six personal or flex days, plus a company-wide winter holiday shutdown so everyone can rest and recharge together.

Our benefits are designed to support your well-being in meaningful ways. You’ll have access to comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, an Employee Assistance Program, and a Health Spending Account to help cover additional expenses. We also offer flexible parental leave benefits, including options for top-ups or additional paid time off — because family matters. And to help you get set up for success from day one, we provide a work-from-home allowance.