What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Finance Controller (Controller / FINOP / Strategic Finance) position at Cicada?
Cicada Technologies is seeking a highly hands-on Senior Finance Controller to lead financial reporting, regulatory capital oversight, and strategic finance initiatives across both the parent company and its U.S. broker-dealer subsidiary. This role blends Financial Controller rigor, FINOP responsibility, FP&A ownership, strategic finance insight, and direct execution of day-to-day finance operations within a lean startup environment.
The ideal candidate is comfortable operating both strategically and operationally, including direct involvement in reconciliations, reporting preparation, cash management, accounting coordination, and finance infrastructure development.
Location: Austin, TX
Work Arrangement: Hybrid
Key Responsibilities
Financial Reporting & Controller Function
- Own monthly accounting close process
- Prepare quarterly consolidated financial statements
- Manage audits and ensure GAAP compliance
- Oversee revenue recognition and intercompany accounting
- Maintain internal controls and finance documentation
- Prepare or review reconciliations, journal entries, and supporting schedules
- Coordinate directly with external accountants and auditors
Broker-Dealer Regulatory Oversight & FINOP Track (prior broker-dealer experience not
required; Series 27 licensing support provided)
- Oversee broker-dealer regulatory capital and liquidity compliance requirements under applicable SEC and FINRA regulations
- Prepare and file FOCUS Reports, SIPC filings, and annual reports
- Liaise with regulators, auditors, and external service providers
- Support regulatory examinations and documentation requests
FP&A and Strategic Finance
- Manage budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow planning
- Perform finance KPI tracking and financial analysis
- Support finance-related board and investor materials
- Support capital allocation and strategic initiatives
- Provide financial and operational insights to management
Finance Operations & Treasury
- Oversee AP/AR, payroll, treasury, and banking relationships
- Coordinate capital contributions and intercompany cash movements
- Assist with payment operations and treasury management
- Improve finance systems, reporting workflows, and operational processes
Qualifications
- 5 years of experience in finance, accounting, fintech, broker-dealers, or financial services
- Experience with audits, financial reporting, and accounting operations
- Strong understanding of financial controls and operational finance processes
- Advanced Excel skills
- Ability to operate independently in fast-moving, ambiguous environments
- Experience managing finance operations across multiple legal entities preferred
Nice to Have
- Series 27 license or willingness to obtain within the first 4 months
- Spanish language proficiency strongly preferred (written and verbal)
- Strong knowledge of SEC and FINRA regulations and reporting
- Startup or high-growth fintech experience
- Experience with QuickBooks
- Experience improving finance automation and reporting infrastructure
What We Are Looking For
The ideal candidate is pragmatic, detail-oriented, resourceful, and willing to operate across both strategic and operational finance responsibilities. This is a high-ownership opportunity within a lean and entrepreneurial environment, with the potential to grow into a broader finance leadership role as the company scales.
About Cicada
Cicada is the first-ever all-to-all electronic trading venue for emerging-market local-currency bonds. Through a modern execution stack including a central limit order book (CLOB), RFQ workflows, and advanced proprietary trading protocols such as Spread Trading and Double Downs, Cicada delivers direct electronic access to local-currency bond markets.
Cicada Securities is a U.S. broker-dealer registered with the SEC, member of FINRA and operates an alternative trading system built to meet the standards of global institutional participants. Cicada's mission is to create a level playing field and become the reference all-to-all venue for local EM securities.