Controller

Socket.dev; Illinois; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses

Benefits

401(k) plan

Hybrid/Flexible

Collaborative culture

Job summary

Bishop Street Underwriters (BSU) is a specialty insurance holding company with 400+ employees and 10+ operating businesses across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Controller will own the accuracy and timeliness of day-to-day accounting and financial reporting, managing close cycles and consolidated reporting for the holding company and subsidiaries.

You will drive the development of controls and processes to scale the reporting function as BSU grows, including integrating

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, finance or related field.
• 8-10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 5+ years in a management role.
• CPA license strongly preferred.
• Experience overseeing accounts payable, treasury, general ledger and financial reporting functions.
• Experience implementing and maintaining internal controls and processes to support accurate and compliant financial reporting.
• Experience with NetSuite or a similar ERP/accounting system.
• Experience with acquisitions, purchase accounting and/or integration of acquired companies highly desirable.
• Experience with MGAs or insurance-related businesses highly desirable.
• Experience with insurance policy management systems highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage monthly, quarterly and annual close processes including consolidation and preparation of internal and external financial reporting packages.
• Serve as the primary liaison with auditors and lead external audits.
• Review financial statements and reporting submitted by OpCos for accuracy, consistency and adherence to GAAP, lender requirements and other established policies and procedures.
• Oversee the preparation of consolidated financial statements and other management and external financial reporting.
• Partner with the Company’s tax advisors to ensure timely and accurate federal, state and local tax compliance.
• Supervise treasury, accounts payable and general ledger functions.
• Own the opening balance sheet and purchase accounting process for newly acquired companies, and lead the integration of each into BSU’s accounting and financial reporting systems — building a repeatable process that gets faster and cleaner with each new OpCo.
• Develop, implement and maintain internal controls relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements and designed to mitigate the risk of material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
• Establish and maintain accounting policies, procedures and processes to support accurate, consistent and scalable financial reporting across the platform.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, systems and controls as the Company continues to scale.
• Partner with the CFO and senior leadership on accounting matters, financial reporting, M&A activities and other strategic initiatives as needed.

Skills

Strong accounting knowledge

GAAP adherence

Attention to detail

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, finance or related field

8-10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 5+ years in a management role

CPA license strongly preferred

Tools

NetSuite or similar ERP

Job description

Controller

Bishop Street Underwriters

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: Chicago, South Florida or Hybrid Office/Remote

Employment Type: Full-Time, Regular

About Bishop Street Underwriters

Bishop Street Underwriters (BSU) is a specialty insurance holding company with a portfolio of 10+ operating businesses (OpCos) operating across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom with 400+ employees. Since launching in 2023, BSU has grown through acquisition and de novo build-out into an $800M+ gross written premium platform. The Accounting and Financial Reporting function is central to that scale: it gives every OpCo a shared, scalable financial backbone so each business can focus on underwriting excellence.

Position Summary

The Controller reports to the CFO and works closely with the entire Bishop Street C-Suite and Operating Companies to support the Accounting and Financial Reporting functions at Bishop Street. You will own the accuracy, integrity and timeliness of the company’s day-to-day accounting and financial reporting — running the monthly, quarterly and annual close, and delivering consolidated financial reporting and tax compliance for the holding company and its subsidiaries.

Alongside that core rhythm, you will develop and implement the controls and processes that let this reporting function scale as the company grows. Because BSU adds new OpCos on a rolling basis, that includes owning the playbook for bringing each newly acquired company’s books onto BSU’s reporting and controls framework quickly and cleanly — evaluating the accounting and financial reporting implications of acquisition targets and leading the financial integration of acquired companies as one part of a broader mandate to keep the platform’s books accurate, consistent, and audit-ready.

Key requirements of the position include strong technical accounting and financial reporting expertise, exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, organization, and a strong sense of urgency — along with the ability to stay grounded and methodical while working with incomplete information, since deal timelines and newly acquired entities don’t always arrive fully documented. The ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment while managing multiple priorities and deadlines is essential. You will communicate financial results and accounting matters effectively to senior management and play a key role in M&A activities, including financial diligence, purchase accounting, integration and the establishment and maintenance of appropriate financial reporting and internal controls.

This is a unique opportunity for a highly motivated, entrepreneurial-minded individual to play a pivotal role in a fast-growing, private equity-backed company. With strong organic growth, multiple inorganic opportunities and integration at any given time, and new strategic initiatives on the horizon, the company is scaling rapidly — which means this role is shaping the accounting infrastructure while the platform is still being built, not maintaining a finished one. This role offers direct exposure to the C-suite and the chance to grow alongside a dynamic, collaborative, and high-performing team.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage monthly, quarterly and annual close processes including consolidation and preparation of internal and external financial reporting packages
• Serve as the primary liaison with auditors and lead external audits
• Review financial statements and reporting submitted by Operating Companies (OpCos) for accuracy, consistency and adherence to GAAP, lender requirements and other established policies and procedures
• Oversee the preparation of consolidated financial statements and other management and external financial reporting
• Partner with the Company’s tax advisors to ensure timely and accurate federal, state and local tax compliance
• Supervise treasury, accounts payable and general ledger functions
• Own the opening balance sheet and purchase accounting process for newly acquired companies, and lead the integration of each into BSU’s accounting and financial reporting systems — building a repeatable process that gets faster and cleaner with each new OpCo
• Develop, implement and maintain internal controls relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements and designed to mitigate the risk of material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error
• Establish and maintain accounting policies, procedures and processes to support accurate, consistent and scalable financial reporting across the platform
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, systems and controls as the Company continues to scale
• Partner with the CFO and senior leadership on accounting matters, financial reporting, M&A activities and other strategic initiatives as needed

Qualifications

The ideal candidate is technically strong, intellectually curious, operationally astute, and highly collaborative — someone who is just as comfortable building a control from scratch as running one that already exists, and who stays composed when a newly acquired entity’s books don’t look like anyone else’s yet. We seek an engaging team player who takes ownership of responsibilities with minimal supervision and consistently demonstrates integrity, enthusiasm, and resilience.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, finance or related field
• 8-10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including minimum 5 years’ experience in a management role
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license strongly preferred
• Experience overseeing accounts payable, treasury, general ledger and financial reporting functions
• Experience implementing and maintaining internal controls and processes to support accurate and compliant financial reporting
• Experience with NetSuite or a similar ERP/accounting system
• Experience with acquisitions, purchase accounting and/or integration of acquired companies highly desirable
• Experience with MGAs or insurance-related businesses highly desirable
• Experience with insurance policy management systems highly desirable

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses
• Excellent benefits
• 401(k) program with company match
• Flexible/Hybrid work environment
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment

Equal Opportunity, Accommodation & Work Authorization

Bishop Street Underwriters is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic under applicable law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities throughout the recruitment and employment process; candidates who require accommodation should contact HR to make a request.