Controller - Management Company — El Segundo, California | Pacific Executive Search

Controller - Management Company

(Job ID: 1943)

El Segundo, California

Hybrid

Direct Hire

Fin Serv - Venture Ca

$150,000 – $175,000 base

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Overview

Join a dynamic and rapidly growing private equity investment firm as an Controller, where you will play a pivotal role in managing the accounting functions of the management company. This position offers a unique opportunity to collaborate across various finance disciplines, including fund accounting and compliance, in an entrepreneurial environment that values innovation and teamwork. As you contribute to the firm's growth—from $1.7 billion to an anticipated $2.7 billion in assets—you will have the chance to enhance your skills and advance your career in a supportive and flexible workplace.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage daily accounting activities for the management company, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
Oversee accounts payable processes, including coding, approvals, and payment processing.
Maintain vendor records and documentation, ensuring all contracts and W-9s are up to date.
Prepare journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations, supporting monthly and year-end close processes.
Collaborate with fund administrators and portfolio finance teams to assist with financial reporting and analysis.
Identify and implement process improvements to enhance accounting workflows and operational efficiencies.
Support compliance and audit initiatives, partnering with internal and external stakeholders on various projects.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
BS/BA in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
8+ years of relevant accounting experience, preferably in private equity or alternative asset management.
Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP and experience with management company accounting functions.
Advanced Excel skills (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs) and familiarity with QuickBooks or similar accounting systems.
CPA or CPA-track designation strongly preferred.
Nice-to-Have:
Experience with ERP systems such as SAP or NetSuite.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive, resourceful approach to challenges.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a team-oriented mindset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Accounting Manager hires fail?
Because companies hire for close execution when the real need is issue ownership and team leadership. Many candidates can manage a checklist. Far fewer can stabilize the function under pressure, improve weak processes, coach staff, and hold the line during audit, turnover, or reporting stress.
What are strong Accounting Manager candidates evaluating during the interview process?
They are usually trying to understand whether they are walking into a stable environment, a cleanup situation, or an under-resourced function. Strong candidates do not just evaluate title and compensation. They assess whether success is realistically achievable and whether leadership understands what the accounting team actually needs.
Why are finance and accounting roles in private equity-backed companies different?
Because the expectations are usually sharper. These environments often involve more pace, more visibility, more accountability, and more change than slower-moving businesses. Candidates are often expected to produce cleaner reporting, better discipline, and faster adaptation while operating under leadership that is highly focused on results. Pacific Executive Search's private equity insights explain why these environments require more specialized hiring.
Why does ERP experience matter so much in roles like this?
Because many accounting and finance roles are really process-and-systems roles disguised as job titles. A candidate may know the accounting, but if they cannot operate effectively inside the company's environment, ramp time becomes risk. Exact system match is not always mandatory, but comparable complexity often is.
How do strong candidates typically evaluate opportunities like this?
Strong candidates rarely evaluate a role based on title alone. They look at what the position actually owns, how the function is viewed internally, whether the environment is stable or in transition, and what success will realistically look like in the first 6 to 12 months. Many first discover a role through a posting, but the strongest career decisions usually come from understanding the context behind the opportunity, not just the job description. In accounting and finance hiring, that level of context is often what separates a lateral move from a meaningful one. Learn more about how strategic accounting and finance searches differ from transactional recruiting.
Is the CPA really required for roles like this?
Sometimes yes, and often functionally yes even when the posting says "preferred." At leadership levels especially, the CPA frequently acts as a credibility signal for hiring managers, auditors, lenders, investors, or boards. There are exceptions, but in many accounting searches it remains one of the clearest markers of technical foundation.