Head of Accounting / Corporate Controller

Crux AI; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 260,000 - 380,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision

401(k) match

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

Crux AI, a Palo Alto-based AI infrastructure company, is seeking a senior controllership leader to architect and scale the financial backbone of a capital-intensive business. You will oversee ERP construction, asset tracking, and financial tooling to support multi-entity, international operations.

Reporting to the CFO, you will drive formal financial reporting cadences, automated close cycles, and board-ready packages, while building a lean, high-performing accounting team for growth toward a

Qualifications

• 10+ years accounting experience required, with senior leadership exposure.
• Experience taking a company public (S‑1 prep) or operating in a public tech firm is highly preferred.
• Deep knowledge of US GAAP and control environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead ERP system build and scale across core business systems.
• Develop AI-forward operational accounting function and internal controls.
• Drive capex planning, revenue recognition models, and SOC/financial reporting.
• Lead external audits and PCAOB transition for public listing.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR, IT, and Legal to scale operations.

Skills

10+ yrs exp

Public company exp

US GAAP

ERP systems

Tools

S/4HANA ERP

Job description

Built to set the gold standard for integrated AI infrastructure

Crux AI is a newly formed, U.S.-based integrated AI infrastructure company created to remove the physical and operational constraints on consequential AI ambitions. Crux brings together power, high-density data centers, TPU silicon, networking, orchestration software, and ongoing operations as one integrated system.

Crux is being capitalized to plan every layer together, develop each one to demanding standards, and operate the whole system with efficiency and reliability. That gives hyperscalers, frontier AI labs, sovereign customers, enterprises, and AI-native companies greater freedom to pursue the AI they are here to create.

What You'll Do

This is a ground-up opportunity to architect the financial backbone of a capital-intensive physical and virtual infrastructure business, grounded in an AI-first model.

In This Role, You Will

• Reporting to the CFO, lead ERP system construction and scaling with key connections to core business systems.
• Develop an AI-forward operational accounting function.
• Implement public-company-grade internal controls.
• Assist the organization in navigating and planning for complex capex and revenue recognition models.
• Drive our inaugural PCAOB audits in preparation for public listing.
• Contribute broadly and have full controllership responsibilities.
• Partner across Finance, HR, IT, and Legal.

SIGNALS OF SUCCESS

After 60 Days In This Role

• Completed a full assessment and gap analysis of our current state.
• Prioritized key projects based on collaboration with the CFO and other business leaders.
• Adapted to a fast paced environment.

After 6 Months

• Demonstrated an AI-forward and automated approach to this role.
• Stood up our enterprise ERP, chart of accounts, fixed asset tracking, and financial tooling to support multi-entity, international operations with automated close cycles.
• Established formal financial reporting cadences, flux analysis, and board-ready reporting packages.

After 1 Year

• Recruit, mentor, and lead a lean, high-performing accounting team spanning ERP, corporate accounting, technical accounting, accounts payable/receivable, and payroll.
• Rapidly accelerate close cycle toward the goal of a public company standard.
• Establish and defend accounting policies under US GAAP, specifically addressing. capitalization, complex revenue recognition, and debt & structured financing
• Architect an internal control environment that smoothly transitions from private growth into Sarbanes-Oxley compliance post-listing.
• Direct external audit partnerships, with a path to convert inaugural private audits directly into PCAOB-compliant audits.
• Demonstrate consistent operational excellence and impeccable attention to detail.
• Implement innovative approaches to accounting programs and team.

Experiences

EXPERIENCES, ATTRIBUTES AND MINDSET THAT INDICATE A GOOD MATCH

• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 3+ years in a senior leadership role (VP, Controller, or Director) within a high-growth tech or capital-intensive hardware/infrastructure business.
• Deep domain familiarity with asset accounting (depreciation models, lease accounting, supply-chain commitments, or high-volume hardware procurement).
• Direct experience taking a company public (S-1 preparation, PCAOB audits) or operating within a publicly traded technology firm.

Attributes

• You are outcome driven and hands on. Comfortable rolling up your sleeves to write initial journal entries and vendor policies on day one, while maintaining the strategic vision to lead a scaled machine by year two. This is a builder's seat, not a supervisory one.

Mindset

• You have a high tolerance for ambiguity. You absorb ambiguity and navigate complexity rather than passing it along

Nice To Have (preferred, Not Required)

• Hardware, infrastructure or data center industry experience
• Experience in both start up and scaled enterprises

Salary Range Information

The annual salary range for this position has been estimated based on market data and other factors. However, a salary higher or lower than this range may be appropriate for a candidate whose qualifications differ meaningfully from those listed in the job description.

About Crux

• We offer generous base, bonus and additional incentive based compensation
• Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• Company-paid life insurance and disability
• Full suite of other optional benefits
• 401(k) Plan with 4% company match
• Hybrid schedule offering four days in-office collaboration paired with one remote workday for focused, individual work