Controller

About the Company

We are a renewable energy and ocean technology company committed to rapidly developing and deploying technologies that will ensure a sustainable future for Earth by unlocking the vast energy potential of its oceans. Our focus is on capturing civilizational levels of ultra-low-cost renewable energy for applications including computing and affordable renewable fuels delivered to shore.

The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon and backed by leading venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, university endowments, and private investment offices. We operate as an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis.

About the Job

As Controller, you will be responsible for leading financial operations during a critical growth phase as we transition into mass production and commercial deployments. Your primary focus will be perfecting the perfectable, including cashflow forecasting and runway management, budgeting systems, and financial reporting. You will ensure the integrity of our financial statements, maintain compliance with accounting standards, and implement controls appropriate for our stage.

Responsibilities:

• Lead accounting operations with an emphasis on developing precise cash flow forecasting that provides leadership with a crystal clear view into performance to plan.
• Build straightforward budgeting systems for departments and projects. Create simple, repeatable processes that give owners clear visibility into their budgets.
• Collaborate closely with leadership and FP&A to align actual financial results with forward-looking projections, ensuring consistency and providing reliable data to drive decision-making.
• Create tools and reports that provide leadership with accurate rollups and variances at a glance. Establish lightweight reforecasting mechanisms that work efficiently between formal budget cycles to keep financial projections current.
• Partner with engineering and manufacturing teams to create accounting processes that accurately capture production costs at each stage of manufacturing. 
• Partner with leadership to create clear financial reporting packages for board meetings, fundraising activities, and investor updates.
• Own vendor onboarding and accounts payable processes processes, ensuring low-friction payments that enable our team to quickly move from purchase decision to payment.
• Ensure the integrity of financial statements and maintain compliance with GAAP and tax regulations. Deliver timely, accurate month-end and year-end close processes while optimizing for efficiency as we scale. Partner with external auditors to facilitate audits and maintain audit-ready financial records throughout the year.
• Design and maintain internal controls and accounting policies specifically calibrated for our stage and scale.
• Optimize and oversee the implementation of accounting systems and ERP solutions to improve efficiency and accuracy. 
• Map operational workflows to financial processes as product development scales into high-volume production. Ensure accurate cost accounting, BOM traceability, and production data alignment across systems

Qualifications:

• 6+ years of progressive experience in accounting and financial reporting, with demonstrated success managing financial operations for organizations with annual budgets exceeding $50M, preferably in manufacturing, hardware development, clean technology, or other capital-intensive industries.
• Extraordinary attention to detail. You understand the importance of accuracy and tightness in accounting and reporting.
• Exceptional modeling skills. Your spreadsheets are well structured, highly maintainable, and impeccably designed.
• CPA or CMA certification preferred. Candidates with demonstrated success managing accounting operations in capital-intensive industries may be considered regardless of certification.
• Expertise in GAAP, financial statement preparation, internal controls, and tax compliance.
• Strong background in accounting, inventory accounting, and financial audits.
• Experience implementing and managing ERP and accounting systems. Experience with NetSuite preferred.
• Deep understanding of the interplay between PLM, MES, and ERP systems.
• You’re a builder and are excited to do excellent hands-on work. Proven ability to design and implement accounting systems and processes that effectively scale with company growth.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate financial data into actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills to collaborate with technical teams, partners, and executive leadership.

Additional Requirements:

• Work onsite from our Portland, OR headquarters.
• Flexibility to work longer hours or weekends when required during critical periods. Occasional periods of intensity are balanced by policies designed to make startup pace sustainable, including unlimited PTO, flexible working hours, and ability to work remotely as needed.

Compensation and Benefits:

If hired for this full-time role, you will receive:

• Cash compensation of $150,000 - $190,000, depending on experience
• Equity in the company. We’re all owners and if we’re successful, this equity should be far and away the most valuable component of your compensation.
• A benefits package that helps you take care of yourself and your family, including:
  • Flexible paid time off
  • Health insurance (the company pays 100% of gold level PPO plan for full time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Dental insurance (the company pays 33% for full time employees and 100% for their partners and dependents)
  • Vision insurance (the company pays 100% for full time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Disability insurance (the company pays 100% for a policy to provide long term financial support if you become disabled)
  • Ability to contribute to tax-advantaged accounts, including 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA
• Relocation assistance to facilitate your move to Portland (if needed).

Location:

This is an on-site position. Our offices are located in Portland, Oregon.