Chief Accounting Officer

Ascension Search Partners; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascension Search Partners has been retained by a rapidly growing, PE-backed industrial platform with approximately $1 billion in revenue. The organization seeks a Chief Accounting Officer to partner directly with the CFO and lead the transformation and scaling of the accounting organization across a multi-business platform.

This executive will build and develop a high-performing team, drive SOX readiness, ERP enhancements, and integrations from acquisitions while improving processes and controls

Qualifications

• Active CPA required.
• 15+ years progressive accounting and finance leadership experience.
• Experience as CAO/Corporate Controller or senior finance leader.
• Strong background in manufacturing/industrial environments.
• Deep understanding of cost accounting and manufacturing operations.
• Experience leading SOX implementations/public-company readiness.
• Proven record integrating acquisitions and scaling finance teams.
• ERP and finance transformation experience.
• Prior PE portfolio company experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead accounting, treasury, financial reporting, internal controls, and transformation initiatives across the enterprise.
• Integrate businesses to create a world-class accounting and treasury organization.
• Lead accounting across multiple operating companies and legal entities.
• Drive process improvement, standardization, and scalability across the platform.
• Implement a best-in-class internal controls environment and lead SOX readiness efforts.
• Partner with executive leadership to support strategic growth initiatives.
• Lead acquisition integrations from an accounting, controls, systems, and reporting perspective.
• Enhance ERP, reporting, consolidation, and financial systems capabilities.
• Develop future finance leaders and build organizational bench strength.
• Establish performance metrics and accountability throughout the accounting organization.
• Work closely with Operations, Supply Chain, FP&A, Tax, and business leaders to improve financial and operational performance.

Skills

Executive leadership

SOX/compliance

Acquisition integrations

ERP implementation

Cost accounting

Manufacturing operations

Public company readiness

Finance transformation

Education

CPA licensure

Job description

Ascension Search Partners has been retained by a rapidly growing, PE-backed industrial platform with approximately $1 billion in revenue. The organization consists of leading manufacturing, engineering,and industrial technology businesses and continues to expand through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

We are seeking a Chief Accounting Officer to partner directly with the top-performing CFO and lead the transformation and scaling of the company's accounting organization across a multi-business platform.

This is an ideal opportunity for a leader who enjoys building teams, improving processes, driving accountability, and partnering closely with operations. The successful candidate will bring deep technical accounting expertise alongside the ability to roll up their sleeves, lead change, and develop a high-performing organization in a complex manufacturing environment.

What You'll Do

As Chief Accounting Officer, you will lead Accounting, Treasury, Financial Reporting, Internal Controls, and key finance transformation initiatives across the enterprise.

Key areas of focus include:

• Integrating businesses to create a world-class accounting and treasury organization
• Leading accounting across multiple operating companies and legal entities
• Driving process improvement, standardization, and scalability across the platform
• Implementing a best-in-class internal controls environment and leading SOX readiness efforts
• Partnering with executive leadership to support strategic growth initiatives
• Leading acquisition integrations from an accounting, controls, systems, and reporting perspective
• Enhancing ERP, reporting, consolidation, and financial systems capabilities
• Developing future finance leaders and building organizational bench strength
• Establishing performance metrics and accountability throughout the accounting organization
• Working closely with Operations, Supply Chain, FP&A, Tax, and business leaders to improve financial and operational performance

We are looking for an executive who combines strong technical expertise with exceptional leadership and business partnership skills.

Qualifications include:

• Active CPA required
• 15+ years of progressive accounting and finance leadership experience
• Experience serving as a CAO, Corporate Controller, VP of Accounting, or similar senior finance leader
• Strong background in manufacturing, industrial, engineered products, aftermarket services, or other operationally complex environments
• Deep understanding of cost accounting and manufacturing operations
• Experience leading SOX implementation, public-company readiness efforts, or operating within a public company environment
• Demonstrated success integrating acquisitions and scaling finance organizations
• ERP and finance transformation experience
• Prior private equity portfolio company experience strongly preferred

The Leadership Profile

The ideal candidate is:

• A strong people leader who develops talent and builds high-performing teams
• Hands-on and engaged in the business rather than operating from the sidelines
• Process-oriented with a passion for continuous improvement
• Comfortable balancing strategic leadership with day-to-day execution
• Highly accountable with a bias toward action
• Effective at creating structure and discipline without creating bureaucracy
• Able to influence executives, operating leaders, board members, auditors, and private equity stakeholders
• Motivated by building something bigger rather than simply maintaining the status quo

Why This Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to help shape the future of a highly successful industrial platform at a pivotal stage of growth.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Partner directly with the CFO and executive leadership team
• Build and scale the accounting infrastructure of a $1 billion enterprise
• Lead public-company readiness and SOX implementation initiatives
• Play a key role in future acquisitions and integrations
• Develop and mentor an accomplished team of finance leaders
• Drive meaningful systems and process transformation
• Influence strategic decisions at the highest levels of the organization
• Participate in long-term value creation through equity ownership

This is a unique opportunity for a driven accounting executive who enjoys leadership, transformation, operational partnership, and building organizations capable of supporting significant long-term growth.