Assistant Controller

Athena; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Athena seeks an Assistant Controller to lead day‑to‑day accounting operations, including the close, general ledger, and reconciliations. This role reports to the Finance Director and drives accurate, timely financial reporting while strengthening internal controls and supporting audits.

With 10+ years in accounting and CPA preferred, you will mentor the team, manage intercompany activities, and partner with FP&A on variances.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field.
• CPA certification preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience.
• 3+ years of accounting leadership or supervisory experience.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, internal controls, and financial reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly, quarterly and annual close, including journal entries, reconciliations and accruals.
• Oversee general ledger, intercompany transactions and balance sheet/accounts reconciliation.
• Provide day‑to‑day leadership and develop accounting staff.
• Maintain internal controls and accounting policies to safeguard assets.
• Coordinate external audits and tax compliance activities.
• Oversee intercompany accounting across multiple entities and ensure proper eliminations.
• Identify process improvements to streamline and automate accounting workflows.
• Collaborate with FP&A and other departments on variances and financial reporting.
• Support Finance Director/Controller on technical accounting matters and system initiatives.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Integrity

Organizational skills

Time management

Independent worker

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

CPA certification (preferred)

Tools

QuickBooks

Excel (advanced)

Tipalti

Procurify

Job description

About Athena

At Athena, we empower possibility through transformative delegation. True leaders reflect on what they want and map the path to get there. We clear the way by pairing exceptional Executive Assistants with our driven clients and ensuring both receive ongoing support throughout the journey. The result is 10x more leverage, more time, and a greater impact on our clients' work and lives.

About Athena

At Athena, we empower possibility through transformative delegation. True leaders reflect on what they want and map the path to get there. We clear the way by pairing exceptional Executive Assistants with our driven clients and ensuring both receive ongoing support throughout the journey. The result is 10x more leverage, more time, and a greater impact on our clients' work and lives.
We are on a mission to build the best delegation platform in the world. We believe that the Human+AI combination will provide a superior experience to delegate complex tasks by combining the strengths of highly trained assistants leveraging highly trained AI.

Role Overview

Athena is seeking an Assistant Controller who will be a key member of the Finance and Accounting team responsible for supporting the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the Company’s financial reporting. Reporting to the Finance Director, Controller, this role provides hands‑on leadership of day‑to‑day accounting operations, including the monthly close, general ledger, account reconciliations, and related financial reporting activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Close: Lead the monthly, quarterly and annual close processes, ensuring timely and accurate completion of journal entries, reconciliations and accruals. Review financial results for completeness and accuracy and investigate unusual or unexpected activity.
• General Ledger & Accounting Operations: Oversee day‑to‑day general ledger activities, including account reconciliations, accruals, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, intercompany transactions, and other balance sheet and income statement accounts.
• Team Leadership: Provide day‑to‑day leadership, coaching, and oversight to accounting team members, including assignment and review of work, development of staff, and ensuring established deadlines and accounting standards are consistently met.
• Internal Controls & Accounting Policies: Maintain and strengthen accounting policies, procedures, documentation, and internal controls to safeguard company assets and ensure accurate and consistent financial reporting.
• Audit & Tax: Coordinate and support external financial statement audits and tax compliance activities, including preparation and review of schedules, supporting documentation and responses to requests from external auditors and tax advisors.
• Intercompany & Multi-Entity Accounting: Oversee intercompany accounting and reconciliations across multiple legal entities and ensure transactions are appropriately recorded, reconciled and eliminated as applicable.
• Systems & Process Improvement: Identify and implement opportunities to streamline, standardize and automate accounting processes, strengthen controls, and improve efficiency and scalability of the accounting function.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Partner with FP&A and other departments to investigate financial variances, resolve accounting issues and ensure appropriate accounting treatment of business transactions.
• Controller Support: Support the Finance Director/Controller with technical accounting matters, special projects, accounting system initiatives and other financial reporting and operational priorities, as needed.
  

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field required.
• Certification: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification is strongly preferred.
• Professional Experience: 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including significant experience in general ledger accounting, financial reporting, month‑end close and account reconciliations.
• Supervisory Experience: 3+ years of accounting leadership or supervisory experience required.
• Technical Accounting: Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, financial reporting principles, internal controls, and accounting policies and best practices.
• Audit & Tax Experience: Experience supporting external financial statement audits and tax compliance activities, including preparation of audit schedules, supporting documentation, and coordination with external auditors and tax advisors.
• Systems & Technical Skills: Experience with QuickBooks or similar accounting/ERP systems. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, pivot tables, data analysis and complex reconciliations. Experience with Tipalti, Procurify or similar systems preferred.
• Core Competencies: Exceptional attention to detail, strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, high integrity and confidentiality, excellent organizational and time management skills, and the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across functions and levels of the organization.

Equal Opportunity Employer: At Athena, we are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace environment. We believe that diversity enriches our organization, enhances creativity, and drives innovation. We are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. We actively promote diversity and inclusion through our hiring practices, employee development initiatives, and company culture, recognizing that it is essential for our success as a company and as a community.