What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Controller position at Electra.aero?
About Electra
At Electra, we're building the EL9 - a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology unlocks thousands of new operating locations and enables what we call Direct Aviation: quiet, point-to-point regional travel that gets people from where they are to where they want to go, without the congestion of major airports or the noise of conventional aviation.
A global company, headquartered in Manassas, VA, Electra is backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran, has filed for FAA Part 23 type certification, and carries 2,000 intent to purchase from operators worldwide. We're a team of ~100 people moving fast toward first EL9 test flights in 2027 and certification by late 2029 or 2030. Every hire matters at this stage - and this role is no exception.
The Role
The Assistant Controller is the connective tissue of Electra's finance function. Reporting to the Controller, this role owns general ledger integrity and financial close, ensures all sub-ledgers roll up accurately into financial statements leadership can rely on, and keeps our internal controls sharp as the company scales. You'll be the person who can explain the numbers to anyone - from our Director of Engineering to the CEO - and you'll do it with technical accuracy and without hesitation.
This is also a role with a significant near-term project built into it. Within the next two years, Electra will select and implement a new ERP capable of handling FAA-compliant, bill-of-material-based manufacturing operations. The Assistant Controller will be a core member of that effort - not just a user of the outcome, but an active participant in designing how financial transactions flow through the new system.
What You'll Do
At Electra, we're building the EL9 - a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology unlocks thousands of new operating locations and enables what we call Direct Aviation: quiet, point-to-point regional travel that gets people from where they are to where they want to go, without the congestion of major airports or the noise of conventional aviation.
A global company, headquartered in Manassas, VA, Electra is backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran, has filed for FAA Part 23 type certification, and carries 2,000 intent to purchase from operators worldwide. We're a team of ~100 people moving fast toward first EL9 test flights in 2027 and certification by late 2029 or 2030. Every hire matters at this stage - and this role is no exception.
The Role
The Assistant Controller is the connective tissue of Electra's finance function. Reporting to the Controller, this role owns general ledger integrity and financial close, ensures all sub-ledgers roll up accurately into financial statements leadership can rely on, and keeps our internal controls sharp as the company scales. You'll be the person who can explain the numbers to anyone - from our Director of Engineering to the CEO - and you'll do it with technical accuracy and without hesitation.
This is also a role with a significant near-term project built into it. Within the next two years, Electra will select and implement a new ERP capable of handling FAA-compliant, bill-of-material-based manufacturing operations. The Assistant Controller will be a core member of that effort - not just a user of the outcome, but an active participant in designing how financial transactions flow through the new system.
What You'll Do
- Own the general ledger and ensure all sub-ledgers - AP, AR, projects, and purchase orders - roll up accurately to the trial balance and financial statements.
- Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, financial reporting, and variance analysis.
- Manage accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash forecasting, treasury activities, and support processes for foreign subsidiaries and intercompany transactions.
- Maintain the integrity of Unanet and related financial tools, including consolidated reporting, data validation, issue resolution, and process improvements.
- Serve as a core participant in Electra's upcoming ERP transition - helping design transaction flows, validate data integrity, and ensure accounting operations are fully operational in the new system from day one.
- Maintain accounting policies and procedures and support compliance with contract requirements and internal controls, including dual-authorization and check-and-balance structures.
- Evaluate existing accounting processes, recommend improvements, and help implement scalable, repeatable workflows as the company grows toward manufacturing.
- Coordinate annual audits and support external audit requests, payroll compliance reviews, and tax-related audits - including DCAA compliance across T&M, FFP, and Cost Plus contracts.
- Provide accounting data and closed-book support to FP&A to inform budgets, forecasts, and management reporting.
- Partner with project teams to support financial planning and ad hoc analysis for sales, engineering, and program management.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Active CPA license; public accounting firm background preferred.
- 12 years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including at least 5 years in a cost accounting environment; aerospace or manufacturing experience preferred.
- Working knowledge of cost accounting and product margin tracking in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience scaling accounting operations and supporting growth in a fast-moving environment.
- Experience with capitalization policies related to R&D, tooling, and internal-use software.
- Experience with foreign subsidiaries, intercompany accounting, and elimination entries.
- Experience with DCAA accounting and reporting requirements for T&M, FFP, and Cost Plus contracts.
- Strong internal controls instincts - you think about check-and-balance structures as a matter of course.
- Hands-on leader who builds trust, collaborates effectively, and supports team development.
- Advanced Excel skills and proficiency in Word and PowerPoint.
- Strong work ethic and ability to work independently while meeting deadlines and business priorities.
- US Person (Citizen or Permanent Resident) required.
- Master's Degree or MBA.
- Experience participating in a full-cycle ERP implementation - from selection through go-live.
- Hands-on familiarity with SAP Hana, NetSuite, Oracle, IFS, and/or Unanet.
- Experience in a FAA Part 23 or Part 25 certification program environment.
- Competitive salary and equity
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
- Generous PTO, sick leave, and company holidays
- Paid winter break
- 401(k) with immediate vesting
- Free catered lunches, coffee, snacks, and drinks at our Manassas headquarters
- Free on-site parking