VP, Financial Controller - PE-backed Fiber Network Provider

Position: Vice President, Controller

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Location: Fully remote (United States)

Travel: Minimal; approximately one to two trips per year, no more than quarterly

Duration & Type: Full-Time, Monday - Friday; Fully REMOTE

Company: A Rapidly Growing, Private Equity backed Fiber Network Provider

Compensation: Competitive base salary and year-end performance bonus. Total rewards include healthcare (medical, dental, vision), PTO policy, paid holidays, 401(k), and additional rewards.

Chamberlain Advisors is seeking an assertive, hands-on, and strategic Vice President, Controller to join a rapidly growing, private equity backed fiber-to-the-home internet service provider. This is a high-impact leadership role for an execution-oriented accounting leader who brings strong GAAP fundamentals, operational rigor, and the confidence to take full command of the accounting and treasury functions. As a key partner to the CFO, you will own the close, the balance sheet, Capex and construction-in-process (CIP) reporting, cash management, and lender and covenant reporting, while supporting an active inorganic growth strategy that includes tuck-in acquisitions and an expanded credit facility. We are looking for a results-oriented leader who sets a high standard, holds a team accountable, and thrives in a lean, direct, and fast-moving environment. This role offers the opportunity to shape the financial foundation of a company in a period of exceptional growth and to play a meaningful role in its next stage of scale.

Summary Of Most Suitable Profile

The most suitable candidate is an assertive, process-driven controller-level leader with strong GAAP fundamentals and a track record of owning the full accounting function in fast-growing, Capex-intensive environments such as fiber, telecom, broadband, cable, or telecom-adjacent construction. They are a strategist and team leader, not a bookkeeper: they take control of the close, set clear expectations, deliver direct feedback, and make difficult people decisions when the business requires it. They bring proven ERP ownership (NetSuite preferred), deep command of CIP/Capex accounting, and hands-on experience with treasury and cash management, lender reporting and covenant compliance, audit delivery, and acquisition accounting including purchase price allocation (PPA) and integration. Ultimately, they are a builder and an execution force who is energized by a direct, results-first leadership culture and ready to raise the bar for an accounting team in transition.

Core profile: alignment with one of these two core profiles is required to get you in the conversation

• An Experienced Controller or VP, Controller for a High-Growth, PE-Backed, Capex-Intensive Business: A seasoned accounting leader who has owned the full accounting function, including close, balance sheet integrity, external audit, and lender and covenant reporting, in a private equity backed, asset-heavy environment. Brings strong Capex/CIP accounting expertise, ideally from fiber, broadband, telecom infrastructure, or similarly project-based industries, along with treasury and cash management responsibility. Has supported acquisitions, debt financings, or refinancings and is comfortable operating at the pace those events demand. A decisive, assertive leader who has elevated teams, including remote staff, and is willing to address underperformance directly.
• A Proven Corporate Controller Ready to Step Into a VP-Level Seat: A high-performing corporate controller in a rapidly scaling organization who has owned the month-end close, financial statements, and audit, and is ready to take on expanded scope across treasury, M&A accounting, and debt reporting. Brings a strong command of ISP/broadband, telecom, or capital-intensive accounting, has leveraged an ERP to strengthen reporting and controls, and has had exposure to acquisitions (diligence support, PPA, integration) and credit facility reporting. Combines hands-on execution with strategic thinking, and is motivated by the opportunity to lead a team through a period of transformation while partnering closely with a hands-on CFO.
  
  

Differentiators: these will set you apart in the selection process

• Assertive, Results-Oriented Leadership Presence: The ideal candidate takes control of the function from day one. They are comfortable in a direct, high-accountability culture where feedback is candid and results come first. They speak up, advocate for their ideas, set clear standards, and hold their team to them. They have made difficult personnel decisions, including exiting underperformers, and understand that acting decisively when the business requires it is a core responsibility of leadership. This is not a role for a gentle player-coach; it is a role for a confident leader who raises the bar and expects others to meet it.
• Execution Force Through Complex, Concurrent Events: The strongest candidates have delivered BAU close and reporting while simultaneously supporting events such as acquisitions, purchase price allocations, debt upsizing or refinancing, and an annual audit. They prioritize ruthlessly, triage balance sheet issues quickly, and keep multiple workstreams moving without sacrificing accuracy. They are energized by a lean environment with significant short-term demands and bring the stamina and organization to execute through it.
• GAAP Foundation and Technical Accounting Acumen: The optimal candidate brings CPA-level accounting mastery with a strong command of core accounting fundamentals, including disciplined month-end close processes, thorough balance sheet reconciliations, and unwavering GAAP compliance. They must be able to identify and remediate non-GAAP practices, such as missing accruals or prepaids, incorrect revenue recognition, improper capitalization, or unamortized commissions. Competency with key standards, including ASC 805 (business combinations and PPA), ASC 606, ASC 842, debt modifications or extinguishments, and deferred financing fee amortization, is essential. While this role does not require a deep technical specialist, the controller must confidently flag technical issues, diagnose root causes, and drive the appropriate corrective actions.
• Treasury, Debt, and Covenant Discipline: The company does not have a separate treasury function, so this leader will own cash management, cash forecasting, and liquidity visibility. The ideal candidate has prepared accurate lender reporting and covenant compliance calculations, understands borrowing base and capacity considerations, and has worked alongside a CFO through a credit facility amendment, upsize, or new lead lender process. Precision here is non-negotiable; accurate covenant reporting is a defining expectation of the role.
• Capex, CIP, and Telecom-Adjacent Accounting Experience: The desired candidate brings strong experience in capital-intensive, infrastructure-heavy environments where Capex and CIP accounting is critical. They must be adept at tracking and reporting CIP, managing the full project life cycle from construction through in-service and depreciation, and allocating spend between key drivers such as new passings and new subscribers. Experience within telecom, fiber, wireline, cable, or closely related construction-based industries is strongly preferred.
• Financial Reporting, Data Integrity, and ERP Optimization: The strongest candidates produce accurate, insight-rich financial reporting built on uncompromising data integrity and disciplined system controls. They deliver clear, timely financial statements supported by high-quality close packages and meaningful variance commentary. They bring strong ownership of mid-market ERP systems, NetSuite preferred, with hands-on experience configuring the GL, maintaining the chart of accounts, and maximizing out-of-the-box reporting tools, and they can integrate acquired entities onto the platform efficiently.
• Strategic Thinking and Ability to Go Beyond the Numbers: The model candidate is a strategist, not a bookkeeper. They interpret results, identify trends, risks, and operational drivers, and translate data into clear "what this means" narratives for the CFO, lenders, and the board. They spot issues early, see around corners, and proactively surface opportunities or concerns that impact financial and operational performance.
• People Leadership and Ability to Elevate a Remote Team: The ideal candidate is a strong, hands-on people leader who sets high expectations and builds a team capable of meeting them. They bring the confidence to hold others accountable, address performance gaps promptly, and make talent decisions that strengthen the function. With proven success managing remote or distributed teams, this leader builds structure, clarity, and a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
  
  

What You Will Be Accountable For Accomplishing

• Lead and Strengthen the Accounting Function
• Take full ownership of a disciplined, GAAP-compliant month-end close, driving accuracy, timeliness, and a long-term close target of approximately 5 business days.
• Triage and remediate balance sheet issues, ensuring all accounts are fully reconciled, supported, and audit-ready.
• Build, refine, and enforce best-practice processes across reconciliations, accruals, prepaids, revenue recognition, capitalization rules, and other core accounting activities.
• Identify and remediate any remaining non-GAAP policies, e.g., incorrect revenue recognition, missing accruals, lack of prepaids, improper capitalization, and unamortized commissions.
• Treasury, Cash Management, and Debt Reporting
• Own the treasury function, including daily cash management, cash forecasting, banking relationships, and liquidity visibility.
• Lead lender reporting and covenant compliance calculations with complete accuracy, in partnership with the CFO.
• Support the CFO through the credit facility upsize and new lead lender process, including data requests, compliance certificates, and reporting deliverables.
• Proactively flag liquidity considerations, covenant risks, or borrowing capacity issues.
• M&A Accounting and Integration
• Support due diligence on acquisition targets, including quality of financial information, balance sheet review, and accounting policy alignment.
• Own acquisition accounting, including purchase price allocation (PPA), opening balance sheets, and related ASC 805 considerations, in coordination with outside advisors.
• Integrate acquired businesses into the company's close process, chart of accounts, ERP, and control environment.
• Build a repeatable integration playbook to support an ongoing buy-and-build strategy.
• Audit and External Reporting
• Lead the annual audit and financial statement issuance, serving as the primary point of contact for external auditors.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation, technical accounting memos, and a strong internal control environment.
• Capex / CIP Accounting Ownership
• Lead CIP tracking and reporting across the full project life cycle, from construction to in-service to depreciation.
• Maintain accurate cost accumulation at the project level and translate results into high-level reporting for executives and investors (e.g., allocation between new passings and new subscribers).
• Partner closely with the Director of Cost Accounting to ensure accurate Capex accounting and alignment with grant or regulatory requirements.
• Accounting Operations and ERP Ownership (NetSuite Preferred)
• Assess and modernize accounting operations workflows, including AP, invoice processing, cash application, and vendor management, moving from manual processes to automated, scalable ones.
• Serve as the functional owner of the ERP environment, including GL configuration, chart-of-accounts structure, module setup, and reporting tools.
• Improve system utilization to support a faster close, stronger internal controls, and scalable reporting without requiring IT or external consultants for basic enhancements.
• Financial Reporting and Analysis
• Produce accurate monthly financial statements, close packages, and variance analysis with clear narratives on trends, risks, anomalies, and operational insights.
• Support board, investor, and lender reporting with high-quality analysis that goes beyond simply delivering numbers.
• Partner with the CFO and Director of FP&A on budgeting, forecasting, and operational reporting.
• People Leadership and Team Elevation
• Lead, develop, and hold accountable a team that includes general ledger accountants, AP staff, and a cost accounting function.
• Set clear performance standards, deliver direct feedback, and make timely talent decisions, including addressing underperformance, to build a high-performing team.
• Build trust and strong working relationships with remote team members; ensure performance expectations, policies, and procedures are uniformly adopted.
• Build relationships with leaders across operations, construction, and engineering to ensure alignment on spending, trends, and cost accountability.
  
  

What Qualifications You Will Need

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• Progressive accounting experience including leadership of the full accounting function as a Controller or Corporate Controller.
• CPA strongly preferred; candidates without a CPA must demonstrate CPA-level technical GAAP competency through public accounting experience or complex industry work.
• Experience in a private equity backed or lender-financed environment, ideally one executing a buy-and-build strategy.
• Telecom, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), broadband, wireline, cable, or telecom-adjacent construction experience is strongly preferred. Adjacent consideration may include engineering or utility infrastructure firms with heavy Capex and project-based accounting.
• Experience in harvest-mode environments (low Capex, steady-state subscriber maintenance) is less relevant.
• Strong Capex/CIP accounting experience, including project-level cost tracking and full life-cycle accounting.
• Acquisition accounting experience, including due diligence support, purchase price allocation, and post-close integration.
• Treasury and cash management experience, including cash forecasting and liquidity management.
• Experience preparing lender reporting and covenant compliance calculations; exposure to credit facility amendments, upsizes, or refinancings preferred.
• Experience leading the external audit process and financial statement issuance.
• Hands-on leadership in month-end close, reconciliations, AP/AR operations, and accounting policy development.
• NetSuite experience preferred; mid-market ERP ownership required, including the ability to configure GL, COA, and modules and maximize native reporting capabilities.
• Strong foundation in GAAP with the ability to identify and correct non-GAAP practices; experience with ASC 805, ASC 606, ASC 842, capitalization standards, debt modification/extinguishment, and deferred financing fee amortization.
• Assertive, decisive leadership style with a track record of holding teams accountable, delivering direct feedback, and making difficult personnel decisions, including exiting underperformers.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and elevate accounting staff, including remote employees.
• Strong communication skills, capable of explaining financial results in the context of operations, risk, and business impact, and comfortable advocating for ideas with senior leadership.
• Ability to thrive in a lean, fast-paced, results-oriented PE-backed environment, including periods of concurrent transactions and heavy short-term demands.
• Prior experience in organizations undergoing rapid growth or major process transformation is highly preferred.
• Fully remote role; willingness to travel approximately one to two times per year (no more than quarterly).
  
  

About Our Client

This organization is a locally operated fiber-optic internet provider focused on expanding high-speed connectivity in underserved rural communities. The team is committed to building and maintaining reliable fiber infrastructure in regions that traditionally lack access to dependable broadband service. Its mission is to deliver affordable, high-quality internet solutions supported by exceptional customer care. The company also prioritizes community engagement, educating residents on the value of high-speed connectivity and reinvesting in local areas to support long-term, modern economic growth.

The company is in a period of rapid expansion, pursuing both organic network growth and a disciplined inorganic strategy alongside an expanded credit facility. The incoming VP, Controller will play a central role in building the financial infrastructure that supports this next stage of scale.