Corporate Controller

VSA’s purpose is to design for a better human experience. As a strategy and design agency, we blend consumer insights and data with human-centered design to activate meaningful, motivating and measurable experiences in an increasingly noisy world. With offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, VSA offers a full range of fully integrated capabilities—branding, advertising, data science and technology—all under one roof. VSA is also a proud member of Meet The People, an international family of unified and independent agencies. For more than 40 years, we have delivered solutions for business and creative leaders at some of the world’s most respected brands and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike and IBM. 

Open role in MTP Office locations, including New York, and Chicago

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position, now or in the future. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis without requiring employer sponsorship.

 

Role Overview

The Corporate Controller owns accounting, consolidation, and financial reporting for Meet The People's 13 legal entities across the United States and Canada. This role produces one accurate, timely set of consolidated financials from a multi-entity, multi-currency group, and owns the close, internal controls, and the external audit. As the group's corporate accounting lead, the Controller sets the accounting policies, close standards, and controls that every pillar and entity finance team follows.

The Controller will also serve as interim head of finance for one of MTP's agencies, spending roughly 30–40% of their time running that agency's finance function and developing its Director of Finance to take on the full role.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (Other duties may be assigned)

Consolidation and Multi-entity Accounting

• Consolidate all 13 US and Canadian entities into accurate, timely consolidated financial statements under US GAAP.
• Run intercompany accounting, including transactions, cross-charges, reconciliations, and elimination entries across all entities.
• Maintain a consistent chart of accounts, accounting policies, and close procedures across every entity.
• Set group-wide close calendars, reporting packages, and review standards for pillar and entity finance teams, and review their submissions before consolidation.
• Build scalable consolidation processes and tools that can absorb new entities as MTP grows.

Close and Financial Reporting

• Run the monthly, quarterly, and annual close for all entities on a defined, predictable calendar.
• Prepare consolidated and entity-level financial statements, including P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow.
• Oversee transactional accounting across entities; own balance sheet integrity, including intercompany transaction reconciliations.
• Partner with operations, HR, and IT so transactional data flows cleanly and accurately into the accounting records.
• Provide the CFO and leadership with accurate actuals, account analysis, and variance explanations for management reporting.

Internal Controls and Accounting Policy

• Establish, document, and maintain accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Own the internal control environment and risk assessment over financial reporting.
• Oversee technical accounting, including revenue recognition (ASC 606), leases (ASC 842), and business combinations (ASC 805).

Audit and Tax

• Coordinate the annual external audit and act as the auditors' primary day-to-day contact; resolve audit findings and implement corrective actions promptly.
• Coordinate US and Canadian tax compliance with external tax advisors, including income tax, sales tax, GST/HST, and 1099 information reporting.
• Support the CFO on tax planning and in relationships with tax advisors, banks, and other financial partners.

Acquisitions and Integration

• Support financial due diligence for acquisitions if needed, focusing on the quality of the target's accounting, controls, and close.
• Run accounting integration of acquired companies, including purchase accounting and opening balance sheets.
• Account for earnouts and contingent consideration, including periodic remeasurement.
• Bring new entities into the consolidation, close calendar, and control environment quickly.

Interim Agency Head of Finance

• Serve as interim head of finance for one of MTP's pillars, overseeing the pillar's accounting, close, and financial reporting until the existing director of finance is ready for the role.
• Deliver accurate, on-time monthly financial statements and reporting packages for the agency leadership.
• Partner with agency leadership on financial performance, margins, and client profitability, and oversee billing, collections, and payables.
• Mentor and develop existing Director of Finance, coaching on close discipline, reconciliations, technical accounting, and reporting quality.

Team Leadership and Systems

• Own the general ledger, consolidation, and close tools for HoldCo, including system access and controls, and drive ERP optimization, automation, and process standardization across entities.
• Support the CFO in building finance succession and development plans, and drive a culture of accountability, accuracy, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with the CFO and IT on financial systems strategy and data integrity

Qualifications - To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

Experience

• 12+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience.
• 5+ years in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or equivalent senior accounting leadership role.
• Proven experience consolidating 5+ legal entities, including at least one entity outside the US.
• Hands-on experience with intercompany accounting, eliminations, and foreign currency translation.
• Experience in a corporate or group controller role overseeing the accounting of multiple business units or pillars.
• Experience leading external audits and partnering closely with a CFO.
• Track record of mentoring and developing finance leaders, not only staff accountants.
• Experience leading the finance function of an operating business or agency, partnering directly with its leadership.

Technical Expertise

• Deep knowledge of US GAAP, consolidations, and financial reporting.
• Strong working knowledge of revenue recognition (ASC 606), including principal-versus-agent considerations common in media and agency businesses.
• Strong knowledge of internal controls, compliance, and financial governance.
• Understanding of US and Canadian tax compliance for a cross-border group.
• Advanced ERP and consolidation systems skills, with advanced Excel.

Skills and Leadership Competencies

• Builds, develops, and retains high-performing accounting teams.
• Hands-on and detail-oriented; comfortable doing the work as well as reviewing it.
• Delivers under tight deadlines while managing multiple priorities.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, change, and a growing, acquisitive organization.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Builds working relationships across all levels of the organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in marketing, advertising, media, or professional services agencies.
• Public accounting experience with a national or regional firm.
• Experience in private equity-backed organizations.
• Experience with post-acquisition accounting integration, including purchase accounting and earnouts.
• Experience with cross-border US/Canada operations.
• Systems: MediaOcean, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Education and Licensure

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• Active CPA (or Canadian CPA) required.
• MBA or master's degree in Accounting or Finance preferred.

VSA Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit and business need.

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