Corporate Controller

Korn Ferry; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Korn Ferry seeks a Corporate Controller to lead a scalable restaurant accounting function spanning multiple locations and a large employee base. You will drive close processes, controls, and reporting while partnering with executives to enable growth and efficiency.

Ideal candidates bring 8+ years of corporate accounting, PE-backed exposure, and deep GAAP knowledge, plus a track record of automating finance workflows and leading high-performing teams.

Qualifications

• Direct accounting leadership experience in a multi-location restaurant environment (20+ locations, 800+ employees).
• 8+ years progressive corporate accounting experience; private equity-backed environment preferred.
• Strong GAAP knowledge and controllership expertise; audits and tax experience.
• Ability to lead, develop, and manage high-performing teams with emotional intelligence.
• Strategic thinker with executional capability amid rapid growth.

Responsibilities

• Lead the accounting function including close processes and reporting.
• Own monthly, quarterly, and annual close with efficiency improvements.
• Maintain integrity of financial statements and internal controls.
• Drive automation and AI-enabled financial workflows to improve accuracy.
• Oversee corporate tax, sales/use tax, and external audits.
• Partner with President & CFO and operations across locations.

Skills

Accounting leadership

GAAP expertise

Financial systems

Automation & AI in finance

Strategic partnering

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Workflow tools

AI in finance

Job description

The Corporate Controller will lead a scalable, high-performing accounting function. The role combines corporate accounting leadership, finance transformation, team development, and technology enablement, with responsibility for strong financial operations, controls, reporting, automation, audit and tax oversight, and business partnership.

Required industry experience: Candidates must have hands-on accounting leadership experience in a multi-location restaurant organization. Experience supporting 20+ locations or 800+ employees is strongly desired.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounting & Financial Operations

• Lead the accounting function, including corporate accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial reporting, corporate tax, and sales and use tax.
• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close, ensuring timely and accurate reporting while improving efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
• Maintain the integrity of financial statements and accounting records and ensure compliance with applicable standards, policies, and reporting requirements.
• Establish and strengthen accounting policies, procedures, reconciliations, and internal controls appropriate for a rapidly growing organization.
• Improve financial visibility, accountability, responsiveness, and scalability throughout the internalization process.

Automation, AI & Process Improvement

• Drive the modernization and automation of accounting to reduce manual work, strengthen controls, and improve efficiency.
• Use Excel, financial systems, workflow tools, automation, and AI to streamline reconciliations, reporting, transaction processing, and recurring finance activities.
• Identify practical AI and automation use cases that accelerate the close, improve accuracy and visibility, and free the team for higher-value work.
• Develop scalable processes that support an expanding portfolio of restaurants, concepts, entities, and markets.

Audit, Tax & Corporate Matters

• Oversee corporate tax, sales and use tax, and related compliance requirements, partnering with external advisors as appropriate.
• Manage external auditors and advisors, lead audits, and ensure timely resolution of findings.
• Maintain appropriate accounting oversight of legal agreements, governance matters, financing arrangements, and other corporate matters with financial implications.

Leadership & Business Partnership

• Lead and develop the accounting team, fostering accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and high performance.
• Build trust, influence stakeholders, and lead effectively through change with a high degree of emotional intelligence.
• Serve as a trusted partner to the President & CFO, executive leadership, restaurant operations, and functional leaders.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Preferred profile includes 3+ years of experience with a global accounting firm and 8+ years of progressive corporate accounting experience.
• Experience in a private equity-backed company is highly preferred, including an understanding of the pace, rigor, reporting expectations, and accountability of a sponsor-backed environment.
• Strong technical accounting foundation with deep controllership expertise, working knowledge of GAAP, and strong analytical and quantitative skills.
• REQUIRED: Direct accounting leadership experience in a multi-location restaurant environment, ideally supporting 20+ locations or 800+ employees.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and manage high-performing accounting teams with strong emotional intelligence and accountability.
• Strong understanding of finance systems, process automation, and digital transformation, with experience using technology to improve efficiency, accuracy, controls, and scalability.
• Experience applying AI and agentic AI tools within finance or accounting workflows and identifying practical opportunities to automate manual processes.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and executional levels, with a strong point of view on how the accounting function should evolve while maintaining command of the details.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complexity and rapid growth in a high-performance environment.
• High level of ownership, accountability, self-management, and organizational discipline.
• Strong problem-solving, prioritization, and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build credibility and effective relationships across finance, operations, and executive leadership.