Interim CAO / Controller (Remote | Healthcare)

Vaco; Atlanta (GA); Remote; USD 228,000 - 319,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring is partnering with a large Southeast US healthcare organization to identify an experienced Interim Controller for a high-impact leadership engagement. This role stabilizes the accounting function, accelerates the close, and strengthens controls during a major transformation.

The ideal candidate leads with strategic vision, establishes priorities, and collaborates with finance, operations, IT, and executives to drive flawless financial reporting while remaining hands-on during

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Active CPA required.
• Experience leading accounting teams in large organizations.
• Healthcare industry experience preferred.
• Experience with ERP conversions or integrations.
• Experience with major ERPs: SAP/Workday/Oracle/NetSuite.
• Strong communication with senior leadership.
• Willingness to travel ~40% to Southeast US.

Responsibilities

• Provide immediate leadership and oversight of the accounting function in a large, multi-site healthcare organization.
• Lead and develop a sizeable accounting team with clear ownership and accountability.
• Drive a fast month-end close and remove reporting bottlenecks.
• Oversee general accounting activities including GL, reconciliations, and journal entries.
• Manage accounting during organizational integration and systems transitions.
• Support ERP and financial systems transitions while ensuring continuity.
• Strengthen internal controls, policies, and documentation during change.
• Evaluate structure and workflows; implement improvements for productivity.
• Delegate responsibilities and develop accounting leadership for delivery.
• Collaborate with CFO and cross-functional leaders to resolve issues.
• Identify risks and communicate them to executive leadership.
• Establish sustainable practices for permanent leadership transition.
• Support expanded reporting for a large corporate environment with tight deadlines.
• Provide hands-on leadership during close, integration, and transformation activities.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Executive communication

Financial analysis

Team development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

CPA (Active)

Tools

SAP

Workday

Oracle

NetSuite

Job description

* updated 10-21-26 for compensation increase Interim Controller/CAO (Remote | Healthcare)

Location: Remote with travel to the Southeast US approximately 2x per month
Engagement Type: Contract, approximately 6 months (with permanent potential)
Compensation: $5000 - $7000/week
Schedule: Approximately 40-45 hours per week, with additional hours potentially required during close and critical integration periods
Other: No 3rd parties or C2C candidates. US Candidates only.

About the Opportunity

Vaco Atlanta is partnering with a large, multi-location, multi-entity healthcare organization to identify an experienced Interim Controller for a high-impact leadership engagement. We're looking for a Strategic Accounting Leader for this role.

This individual will step into a critical accounting leadership role during a period of significant organizational change, integration, and systems transformation. The Interim Controller will be responsible for stabilizing the accounting function, strengthening team accountability, accelerating the financial close, improving controls and reporting processes, and ensuring day-to-day accounting deliverables remain on track throughout the transition.

The ideal candidate is a strategic accounting leader who has successfully operated within a large, matrixed organization undergoing significant transformation. This position requires someone who can quickly assess an accounting organization, establish priorities and accountability, delegate effectively, and drive execution while maintaining a strong relationship with finance, operations, IT, and executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide immediate leadership and oversight of the accounting function within a large, complex, multi-site healthcare organization.
• Lead and develop a sizable accounting team, establishing clear ownership, deadlines, accountability, and escalation procedures.
• Drive an accurate and accelerated month-end close process, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks that delay financial reporting or business operations.
• Oversee general accounting activities, including general ledger, account reconciliations, journal entries, financial reporting, and corporate reporting requirements.
• Lead accounting activities associated with a significant organizational integration, including the alignment of processes, reporting requirements, controls, and financial systems.
• Support an ERP and financial systems transition while ensuring continuity of accounting operations and the integrity of financial information.
• Implement and strengthen internal controls, accounting policies, procedures, and supporting documentation in an environment experiencing significant change.
• Evaluate the accounting team's organizational structure, capabilities, workflows, and responsibilities and implement practical improvements to productivity and execution.
• Delegate responsibilities effectively while developing accounting leaders and ensuring critical deliverables are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Partner closely with the CFO and cross-functional leaders across finance, operations, IT, and other areas to resolve issues and maintain business continuity during the transition.
• Identify accounting and reporting risks, dependencies, and resource constraints and communicate them clearly to executive leadership.
• Improve processes and establish sustainable accounting practices that can be successfully transitioned to permanent leadership.
• Support expanded reporting requirements associated with a large corporate environment and ensure accounting processes can meet increasingly compressed reporting deadlines.
• Provide hands-on leadership during critical close, integration, and transformation activities rather than functioning solely in an advisory capacity.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• Active CPA required.
• Significant experience serving as a Controller, Corporate Controller, Division Controller, or equivalent senior accounting leader within a large and complex organization.
• Healthcare industry experience required, ideally within a multi-site healthcare, physician services, healthcare services, or similarly complex operating environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading accounting organizations through major transformation, acquisition integration, restructuring, or systems change.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, financial reporting, general ledger accounting, account reconciliations, internal controls, and close management.
• Proven ability to improve and accelerate the month-end close process while maintaining accuracy, controls, and accountability.
• Experience managing and developing accounting teams with multiple layers of leadership and responsibility.
• Strong track record of establishing deadlines, delegating responsibilities, holding teams accountable, and driving critical initiatives through completion.
• Experience working within a complex organization with multiple stakeholders, business units, or operating locations.
• Experience supporting ERP conversions or financial systems integrations strongly preferred.
• Large ERP Experience required (e.g., SAP, Workday, Oracle, NetSuite).
• Strong executive communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate risks, priorities, dependencies, and progress to senior leadership.
• Ability to work effectively in an interim environment, quickly assess problems, establish credibility, and make practical improvements without disrupting day-to-day operations.
• Willingness and ability to travel to client's corporate offices within the Southeast US approximately twice per month (40% travel). Due to these travel requirements, there is a preference for candidates living near a major airport in the Eastern or Central time-zone.

Desired Skills and Experience

Controller, Accounting Leadership, Healthcare Accounting, Financial Reporting, Month-End Close, Financial Close, U.S. GAAP, Internal Controls, CPA, Financial Systems, ERP Implementation, Oracle, Workday Financials, SAP, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Transformation

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about