Controller

Patagon Search; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary up to $250k

Annual bonus

Relocation bonus

Moving-expense assistance

Job summary

Patagon Search seeks an experienced Controller to lead the financial operations of a midsize, multi-office law firm in Wisconsin. You will supervise a 12-person team and drive monthly statements, forecasting, budgeting, cash flow, and internal controls.

The role requires senior accounting leadership in a law firm setting, with responsibility for payroll, A/P, billing, tax coordination, and external collections, while partnering with partners on strategic financial guidance.

Qualifications

• Prior financial leadership experience within a multi-office law firm is required.
• Experience with law firm financial-management systems is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of financial statements, forecasting, cash-flow management, and management reporting.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and oversee monthly financial statements, management reports, and variance analyses.
• Lead financial forecasting, budgeting, and cash-flow management across multiple offices.
• Provide leadership to the firm’s accounting team and develop emerging managers.
• Oversee payroll, accounts payable, billing, and general accounting functions.
• Monitor collections activity and manage the relationship with an outsourced collections team.
• Coordinate tax filings, deadlines, and planning matters with the firm’s outside accounting firm.
• Support shareholder accounting, agreements, distributions, and related compliance requirements.
• Maintain the firm’s banking relationships and ensure compliance with credit agreements.
• Implement and monitor internal controls and financial compliance procedures.
• Improve reporting and analytics through the firm’s Elite financial-management system.
• Oversee the integration and maintenance of firmwide financial systems.
• Work closely with firm leadership to provide clear financial analysis and guidance.

Skills

Financial leadership

Advanced Excel

Data analysis

Forecasting

Reporting

Multi-office management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA or MBA (advantage)

Tools

Elite Financial System

Job description

• Base salary up to $250,000, depending on experience
• Annual bonus opportunity
• Relocation bonus and moving-expense assistance available

A well-established, midsize law firm is seeking an experienced Controller to lead the financial operations of its multi-office platform. This is a high-impact position for someone with strong law firm accounting experience, advanced financial reporting skills, and the ability to manage a sophisticated accounting function.

The Controller will oversee a department of approximately 12 professionals, including an Accounting Manager and teams responsible for payroll, accounts payable, billing, general accounting, and related functions. The position will also oversee the firm’s relationship with an outsourced collections team.

A senior financial executive who has been handling many of these responsibilities is planning to retire at the end of the year and will remain available during the transition.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and oversee monthly financial statements, management reports, and variance analyses
• Lead financial forecasting, budgeting, and cash-flow management across multiple offices
• Provide leadership to the firm’s accounting team and develop emerging managers
• Oversee payroll, accounts payable, billing, and general accounting functions
• Monitor collections activity and manage the relationship with an outsourced collections team
• Coordinate tax filings, deadlines, and planning matters with the firm’s outside accounting firm
• Support shareholder accounting, agreements, distributions, and related compliance requirements
• Maintain the firm’s banking relationships and ensure compliance with credit agreements
• Implement and monitor internal controls and financial compliance procedures
• Improve reporting and analytics through the firm’s Elite financial-management system
• Oversee the integration and maintenance of firmwide financial systems
• Work closely with firm leadership to provide clear financial analysis and guidance

Qualifications

• Prior financial leadership experience within a multi-office law firm is required
• Experience working for a law firm of comparable size and complexity is strongly preferred
• Strong knowledge of financial statements, forecasting, cash-flow management, and management reporting
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
• CPA or MBA is a plus
• Tax coordination or tax-planning experience is strongly preferred
• Payroll oversight experience is a plus
• Experience with Elite or a comparable law firm financial-management system is preferred
• Advanced Excel, reporting, and data-analysis skills
• Experience managing and developing accounting professionals

The ideal candidate can work independently, exercise sound judgment, and take ownership of the department while knowing when to seek guidance or approval. This person should be collaborative, approachable, technically capable, and comfortable working with attorneys, executives, outside accountants, banks, vendors, and accounting staff.