Controller – Specialty Finance & Fintech Lending
Location: Monmouth County, NJ (Middletown / Holmdel Area – On-site 4 days/week)
Compensation: $130,000 – $180,000 Base + Bonus
Craft Recruiting has partnered with a fast-growing, highly capitalized commercial finance and fintech platform originating tens of millions monthly in small business financing. Backed by a premier institutional credit facility and led by an experienced executive team, the company is expanding its financial operations. We are seeking a hands-on, high-ownership Controller to lead the day-to-day accounting department, mentor a growing team, and partner directly with the Chief Financial Officer. This is an on-site leadership role based in Northern Monmouth County (Middletown / Holmdel area), requiring an in-office presence 4 days per week.
Two of these requirements must be met to be considered
1. 4+ years of accounting or finance experience within Merchant Cash Advance, Specialty Lending, or Commercial FinTech.
2. Master’s Degree in Accounting / Finance or an MBA (Active CPA license is a strong plus).
3. 5+ years of experience as a Controller or Assistant Controller for a bank, funder, or specialty lender managing portfolio revenue recognition and multi-entity closes.
Position Overview & Core Responsibilities
Reporting directly to the CFO, the Controller will serve as the operational backbone of the accounting organization, taking full ownership of general ledger operations, month-end close cycles, and recurring external audits.
• General Ledger & Month-End Close: Own and formalize the month-end close process, including multi-entity consolidations, bank and high-velocity cash reconciliations, accruals, prepaids, fixed assets, and variance analysis.
• Technical Accounting & Governance: Manage GAAP revenue recognition for specialty commercial financing, portfolio loss reserves / CECL modeling, and the maintenance of internal accounting controls and policy manuals.
• Audit Leadership: Own the annual financial statement audit and credit facility collateral exams, serving as the primary liaison for external audit teams, document requests, and footnote preparation.
• Team Leadership & Development: Directly manage, coach, and mentor a growing team of staff and senior accountants, instilling best-in-class accounting standards, work paper quality, and structured review cadences.
• Treasury & Operational Support: Oversee daily cash movements, wire releases, merchant funding validations, and partner with FP&A on 13-week cash forecasting.
Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting is required; active CPA or Master’s in Accountancy/Finance is strongly preferred.
• 5–10 years of progressive accounting experience, with significant background in commercial lending, alternative finance, specialty finance, or consumer credit.
• Hands-on proficiency with modern cloud ERP platforms—NetSuite experience is strongly preferred.
• Solid grasp of specialty lending mechanics, daily remittance reconciliations, and debt facility compliance.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment with a low-ego, solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving.
• Must be able to commute on-site 4 days per week to the Northern Monmouth County office.
What’s in it for you
In addition to a strong compensation package (total comp to $200K+) you will receive performance bonus and comprehensive employee benefits (health, dental, vision, 401(k), and PTO). As you (partner with a CFO who prioritizes professional development, you will be the primary architect of the accounting department.