Controller

Wwshemi; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Meow, a fintech startup, is seeking a Controller to own finance and financial operations across the company. You will oversee the accuracy of the books, the control environment, audits including SOC 1, payroll and benefits, tax, and board-facing reporting.

You’ll direct outsourced bookkeepers and CPA partners, build in-house processes, and own the finance function as the company scales, with equity consideration and a fast-moving, autonomous team.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of accounting experience, including public accounting and startup/controller roles.
• Strong command of US GAAP, including ASC 606 revenue recognition and ASC 718 stock compensation.
• Experience leading financial statement audits and SOC 1 or SOX controls.
• Hands-on payroll and benefits administration with platforms such as Gusto, Rippling, or Justworks.
• Experience managing outsourced bookkeepers or accounting firms.
• Advanced proficiency with QuickBooks Online.
• Comfort working autonomously on a fast-moving team.

Responsibilities

• Manage outsourced bookkeepers: set close calendar, review monthly close, sign off on statements.
• Review revenue recognition and GAAP judgments for accuracy.
• Ensure balance sheet accounts are reconciled and supported monthly.
• Evaluate what accounting work should move in-house.
• Serve as primary contact for external auditors; prepare PBC lists and schedules.
• Own SOC 1 readiness and annual examination; document controls and remediation.
• Design and maintain internal controls and finance policies.
• Administer payroll and benefits, including open enrollment.
• Coordinate tax filings with CPAs; manage 1099s and registrations.
• Produce monthly management reports and board/investor financials.
• Own budgeting/forecasting; track profitability, margins, cash flow.
• Lead finance diligence for fundraising and partnerships.
• Oversee accounts payable, vendor payments, corporate cards, and expenses.
• Manage 409A valuations and cap table integrity.
• Oversee insurance renewals (D&O, E&O, cyber) and finance tech stack.

Tools

QuickBooks Online

Gusto

Rippling

Justworks

Job description

About Meow

Meow is a business banking platform that brings checking, corporate cards, global payments, treasury, invoicing, and accounting integrations into a single dashboard. Startups, small and mid-sized businesses, investment funds, and international companies use Meow to run their finances in one place. Banking services are provided by FDIC-insured partner banks; Meow Technologies is a financial technology company, not a bank.

About the role

Meow is hiring a Controller to own finance and financial operations across the company. You'll be accountable for the accuracy of our books, our control environment, our financial audit and SOC 1, payroll and benefits, tax, and the reporting our board and leadership use to run the business.

Today we run lean: outsourced bookkeepers handle day-to-day accounting and the monthly close, and outside CPAs handle tax. You'll direct these partners, decide what to bring in-house, and build the processes, policies, and systems our finance function needs as we grow. This is a hands-on role for someone who wants full ownership of finance at a fast-moving fintech.

What you'll do

Accounting and close

• Manage our outsourced bookkeepers: set the close calendar, review each monthly close, and sign off on the financial statements
• Review revenue recognition and other key accounting judgments for accuracy and GAAP compliance
• Make sure every balance sheet account is reconciled and supported each month
• Evaluate over time which accounting work should move in-house

Audit and SOC 1

• Serve as the primary contact for our external financial auditors, preparing PBC lists and schedules and supporting fieldwork
• Own SOC 1 readiness and the annual examination: document controls, coordinate testing, and remediate findings
• Design and maintain internal controls, including approval limits, segregation of duties, and finance policies

Payroll and benefits

• Administer payroll, including approvals, employee records, and accurate tax withholdings and filings
• Administer health insurance and benefits, including open enrollment, broker and carrier relationships, and employee questions
• Ensure payroll and benefits are recorded correctly in the books

Tax and corporate compliance

• Manage outside CPAs on federal and state income tax, R&D credits, Delaware franchise tax, and state registrations
• Own 1099 filings and keep entities in good standing, including annual reports and registered agents

Reporting and planning

• Produce monthly management reports and the financials for board meetings and investor updates
• Own budgeting and forecasting, and track profitability, margins, and cash flow
• Lead finance diligence for fundraising and strategic partnerships

Finance operations

• Oversee accounts payable, vendor payments, corporate cards, and expense management
• Maintain stock compensation accounting, coordinate 409A valuations, and keep the cap table tied to the books
• Manage corporate insurance renewals, including D&O, E&O, and cyber
• Own the finance tool stack and automate manual processes

What you'll bring

• 6+ years of accounting experience, including public accounting and time as a controller or assistant controller at a startup or growth-stage company
• Strong command of US GAAP, including revenue recognition (ASC 606) and stock compensation (ASC 718)
• Experience leading a financial statement audit and SOC 1 or SOX controls work
• Hands-on experience administering payroll and benefits platforms such as Gusto, Rippling, or Justworks
• Experience managing outsourced bookkeepers or accounting firms
• Advanced proficiency with QuickBooks Online
• Comfort working autonomously on a fast-moving team

Nice to have

• CPA license
• Experience in fintech, banking, or payments
• Experience with treasury or cash management
• A track record of building finance processes from scratch
• Curiosity about AI systems and hands-on interest in using them to automate and improve Meow's financial processes

Compensation

$180K to $220K base depending on experience plus equity and benefits.