Controller

Birnam Wood Golf Club; Montecito (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Birnam Wood Golf Club seeks a seasoned Controller to manage the day-to-day accounting and financial operations for both the private club and its HOA. You will ensure GAAP compliance, rigorous internal controls, and accurate monthly closings, supporting the Director of Finance and General Manager in strategic planning.

The role requires 5–7 years of progressive accounting experience, 2+ years in a senior role, and a CPA/CHAE is preferred but not required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
• 5–7 years of progressive accounting experience.
• 2+ years in a senior accounting or controller role preferred.
• Experience with private clubs, resorts, or luxury hospitality is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Direct day-to-day accounting and financial operations for the Club and HOA.
• Prepare and deliver monthly trial balance and financial statements.
• Oversee reconciliations of bank accounts, ledgers, receivables, payables, and depreciation.
• Manage fund accounting separation between Club and HOA to comply with Davis‑Stirling Act.
• Coordinate annual budgets and reserve studies; support audits with external firms.
• Lead payroll through Paycom and supervise accounting staff; ensure internal controls.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Leadership

Communication

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance/Business Administration

Tools

ClubEssentials

Paycom

Job description

ControllerReports to: Director of FinanceSupervises: Payroll and Accounting SpecialistClassification: Exempt / Full-TimeSalary range: $110,000 - $130,000Education and/or ExperienceDegree: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration.Experience: 5 to 7 years of progressive professional accounting experience, with at least 2 years in a senior accounting role or Controller capacity within a private club, resort, or luxury hospitality operation.Dual-Entity Knowledge: Proven experience managing fund accounting and financial operations for a Homeowners Association (HOA) governed under the California Davis-Stirling Act is highly preferred.Leadership: Demonstrated success supervising, mentoring, and developing a lean accounting team.Licensure: Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or Certified Hospitality Accounting Executive (CHAE) designation is preferred but not required.Job Knowledge, Core Competencies and ExpectationsTechnical Stack: Advanced proficiency in club-specific accounting systems (ClubEssentials) and automated payroll/HR platforms (Paycom) is highly desirable.Regulatory Compliance: Deep understanding of US GAAP, internal control frameworks (ICFR), payroll taxation, and statutory HOA reserve funding requirements.Analytical Skills: Advanced capability in Microsoft Excel; strong aptitude for budget variance analysis, operational metrics, and preparing precise transactional data projections.Departmental Culture: Must possess strong communication skills and an approachable, service-oriented mindset, matching the department's standard as a collaborative partner to club members and department heads.Job Summary (Essential Functions)Direct the day-to-day accounting and financial operations of both the Private Golf Club and the Homeowners Association (HOA). Ensure absolute data precision, maintain rigorous GAAP-compliant internal controls, and execute seamless monthly closing cycles. Serve as the primary driver of accurate financial reporting, payroll administration, and transactional tracking to support the Director of Finance and General Manager in long-term strategic and capital planning.Job Tasks/DutiesFinancial Reporting & General Ledger ManagementPrepares and delivers the monthly trial balance and comprehensive financial statements for both distinct entities, including income statements, balance sheets, and fund balance schedules.Conducts thorough monthly reconciliations of all bank accounts, subsidiary ledgers, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and fixed asset depreciation schedules.Oversees the member billing, statements, and aging collection procedures in accordance with established club policies.Dual-Entity & HOA ComplianceManages strict fund accounting separation between the Club’s operations and the HOA’s restricted capital reserve funds to ensure full compliance with the Davis-Stirling Act.Coordinates and verifies the transactional inputs required for annual pro forma budget disclosures and statutory multi-year Reserve Studies.Serves as the primary operational liaison for external accounting firms during the annual corporate and HOA audits to maintain a track record of 100% clean audits.Operational Control & StandardizationAdheres to, maintains, and continuously improves established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure operational continuity, workflow consistency, and data security.Collaborates with the Director of Finance, General Manager, and department heads to monitor budgeted-versus-actual expenditures, flagging variances and recommending corrective actions.Directs, may participate in and verifies the taking of inventories for beverages, food, supplies, equipment, furnishings and other club assets.Verifies that all insurance records for club property are properly maintained.Payroll & Team LeadershipProcesses and supervises the bi-monthly payroll framework via Paycom, ensuring strict compliance with federal and state labor laws.Selects, trains, schedules, and conducts performance evaluations for the accounting staff, fostering a high-performing and collaborative team environment.Safeguards all organizational funds, verifying that allocations and disbursements are fully documented and approved.Physical Demands and Work EnvironmentMust be able to reach, bend, stoop, stand and lift up to 40 pounds.Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time.Moderate noise level in the work environment.Equal Employment OpportunityBirnam Wood Golf Club is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities upon request.