What are the responsibilities and job description for the Controller position at Meet Life Sciences?
Job Title: Controller
Summary
The Controller is a key finance leader responsible for driving financial excellence, overseeing all accounting operations, and ensuring compliance with U.S. GAAP and IFRS. This role partners closely with leadership to support strategic decision-making, enhance financial processes, and guide the organization through continued growth. The ideal candidate brings strong technical accounting expertise, pharmaceutical industry experience, and a proven ability to lead high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment.
Primary Responsibilities
Accounting Operations & Compliance
- Lead all aspects of the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close.
- Oversee general ledger, accounts payable, payroll, revenue recognition, cost accounting, inventory, tax, treasury, and internal controls.
- Prepare and review all financial statements in compliance with US GAAP and IFRS.
- Serve as the primary contact for external auditors and oversee annual audit activities.
- Ensure compliance with tax regulations, including corporate income tax, sales tax, and transfer pricing.
- Develop and enforce accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Support R&D, manufacturing, and commercial teams with financial insights and analysis.
- Manage intercompany transactions, cost allocations, physical inventory processes, and cycle counts.
- Oversee treasury operations, cash flow forecasting, liquidity management, and banking relationships.
- Drive process automation, system enhancements, and monthly close optimization.
- Establish and manage accounting KPIs and performance benchmarks.
- Perform technical accounting research and prepare memos for non-standard transactions.
- Coordinate tax planning and compliance with external advisors.
- Support integration activities for acquisitions.
Strategic Financial Management
- Advise leadership with insights based on financial analysis and business performance.
- Support budgeting, forecasting, and long-term planning.
- Evaluate and implement systems and tools that improve financial reporting and efficiency.
- Assess financial risks and opportunities to support operational and strategic initiatives.
Enterprise & People Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing accounting team.
- Foster a culture of accuracy, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Partner cross-functionally to enhance financial literacy and ensure compliance organization-wide.
- Represent Finance on enterprise initiatives and strategic projects.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) required.
- 10 years of progressive accounting/finance experience, including leadership roles.
- Prior experience in pharmaceuticals, biotech, or life sciences required.
- Strong knowledge of US GAAP, IFRS, compliance, and internal controls.
- Experience with ERP systems such as SAP or NetSuite; ERP implementation a plus.
- Knowledge of manufacturing cost accounting, inventory management, and government pricing/rebates in pharmaceuticals.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and analytical skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment while managing multiple priorities.