Jr. Controller

Venture First; Louisville (KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

Flexible PTO

Professional development budget

Job summary

Venture First in Louisville seeks a Sr. Accountant/Jr. Controller to join a lean financial leadership team. You will own the operational finance function for 2-3 companies, including fractional CFO clients and VC portfolio firms, with a path from Jr. Controller to Full Controller.

You will work with the fractional CFO team and company leadership, handling close, reporting, tax, and compliance while shaping financial operations across entities.

Qualifications

• CPA or pursuing CPA credential required.
• 6-10 years of accounting experience with closing books.
• Experience with multi-entity or complex GL structures.
• Proficiency with accounting systems (QB, Sage, Ramp).
• Strong technical accounting skills and audit-ready documentation.
• Excellent communication to explain accounting to non-accountants.

Responsibilities

• Own monthly close for 2-3 companies (2-3 clients and VC portfolio).
• Lead consolidations, intercompany accounting and complex GL structures.
• Contribute to financial strategy discussions and client decisions.
• Own tax planning, payroll compliance, auditor relationships.

Skills

CPA or pursuing CPA

6-10 years accounting experience

Multi-entity accounting

Strong technical accounting

Communication skills

Hands-on/close books personally

Education

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Tools

QuickBooks

Sage

Ramp

Job description

Jr. Controller

THE ROLE

We’re looking for a Sr.Accountant/Jr.Controller to join Venture First in Louisville. This isn’t a typical accounting role—you’ll be part of the financial leadership team for multiple companies (both fractional CFO clients and VC portfolio companies), with real autonomy to shape financial operations and strategy.

You’ll work directly with our fractional CFO team and portfolio company leadership. You’ll own the operational finance function for 2-3 companies simultaneously.

The person we’re looking for: Someone who wants to be a financial leader (not just an accountant), who’s ready to wear both the “get-it-done” and “think-strategically” hats, and who wants to grow from Jr.Controller to Full Controller in a firm where you’ll actually make it happen.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

You’ll be the de facto accounting leader for 2-3 companies (mix of fractional CFO clients and VC portfolio companies), with P&L accountability and a seat at the leadership table.

Fractional CFO Clients (40-50% of time)

For 1-2 fractional CFO clients, you’re the operational financial leader:

• Monthly close ownership — Lead full financial statement preparation, reconciliations, GL management; no oversight needed before delivery to clients

• Multi-entity accounting — Handle consolidations, intercompany accounting, complex GL structures independently

• Financial strategy — Participate in client strategy discussions; provide financial analysis on major decisions

• Tax and compliance — Own tax planning, payroll compliance, auditor relationships

• Liquidity management — Monitor cash position, advise on working capital optimization, flag issues early

• Vendor/customer relationships — Negotiate terms, resolve disputes, manage credit risk

VC Portfolio Companies (40-50% of time)

For 1-2 VC-backed portfolio companies where Venture First has an equity stake, you’re the internal financial leader:

• Controller responsibilities — You’re the de facto controller; you own monthly close, financial reporting, and compliance

• Financial strategy — Participate in leadership discussions, advise on cash management, burn rate analysis, runway forecasting

• Growth accounting — Revenue recognition strategy, unit economics tracking, customer/product profitability analysis

• Financial controls — Build and strengthen accounting infrastructure; establish policies and procedures

• Board reporting — Prepare financial dashboards and KPI reports for board meetings and investor updates

• Capital deployment — Advise on hiring/spend decisions; understand financial implications of strategic moves

The difference: For fractional clients, you’re the financial backbone supporting our CFO’s advisory work. For portfolio companies, you’re the financial leader in the room—advising the CEO on financial strategy, not just processing transactions.

Internal Operations & Finance for Venture First (10-20% of time)

• Financial standards — Develop accounting procedures and financial controls frameworks that work across multiple companies

• Venture First analytics — Track our own CFO Services profitability, portfolio company performance, and firm-level financial health

• System administration — Manage accounting platforms, user access, data security across multiple companies

• Process improvement — Identify inefficiencies and implement solutions that scale across the firm

Why this matters: You’re not an accountant who supports clients. You’re a financial leader who runs accounting operations for multiple companies. The faster and better you lead these operations, the more strategic insights you can provide. Your work directly impacts companies’ ability to scale and VF’s investment returns.

WHO YOU ARE

Must-Haves

• CPA or pursuing CPA — You have (or are close to having) your certification and you care about the credential

• 6-10 years of accounting experience — You’ve closed books independently, managed GL accounts, handled tax compliance, and trained other accountants

• Multi-entity or complex accounting — You’ve handled consolidations, intercompany accounting, or non-standard GL structures

• Comfortable with accounting systems — QuickBooks, Sage, Ramp, or similar platforms are tools you use confidently

• Strong technical accounting skills — Your reconciliations are clean, your journal entries support the numbers , your , and your documentation is audit-ready

• Communication skills — You can explain accounting to non-accountants and present financial information clearly

• Willing to get hands‑on — You’ll close books yourself, answer vendor calls, and own client relationships

Nice-to-Haves

• Startup or scale‑up financial leadership — You’ve served as a CFO, Controller, or Finance Lead at a growth‑stage company

• Fractional CFO or accounting firm experience — You’ve worked with multiple clients simultaneously

• Investor relations or fundraising support — You’ve helped companies prepare financial materials for investors

• Familiarity with different industries — You’ve worked with SaaS, construction, manufacturing, nonprofits, or other verticals

• Financial analysis and modeling — You can build scenario models and analyze unit economics

• Board or investor experience — You’ve reported to boards or investors

• Early‑stage company experience — You’ve worn multiple hats and been comfortable with ambiguity

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary: TBD (based on experience, certifications, specific skills)

• Bonus potential: Up to 15% annually (tied to client satisfaction, close quality, revenue targets)

• Health, dental, vision insurance

• 401(k) with employer match

• Flexible PTO

• Professional development budget

LOCATION & LOGISTICS

Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky (greater Louisville area, including suburbs)

Work Model: Hybrid (3-4 days in office, flexible remote)

• Office days: Client collaboration, internal projects, team meetings

• Remote days: Focused close work, reconciliation, system administration

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to [e-mail]

Venture First provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

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