Financial Controller - ON SITE - Newport Beach, California

Job Description

Sweet James is a recognized Personal Injury law firm, dedicated to providing outstanding legal services and support to clients. This is for a full time, in-office position in Newport Beach, California.

We are seeking a highly skilled Financial Controller to join our accounting team at our Newport Beach headquarters. The Financial Controller will play a pivotal role in overseeing the day to day accounting operations under the direction of the CFO, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency across all accounting functions.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Reporting

Oversee the preparation and distribution of financial statements in compliance with regulatory requirements and GAAP standards

Provide timely and accurate financial reports to senior management and stakeholders

Ensure transparency and integrity in financial reporting practices.

Own the month-end closing processes to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting.

Responsible / Oversee account reconciliations [including bank reconciliations, audit schedules, tax filing back up, etc.]

Be the point of contact for preparing audit & tax schedules and promptly addressing auditor inquiries, in discussion with the CFO

Prepare and post journal entries to accurately reflect financial transactions

Manage accounts payable (AP), account receivable (AR) cycles, including invoice processing, vendor management, collections, and revenue recognition.

Cash Flow Management

Manage cash flow and liquidity to support operational needs and strategic initiatives

Optimize cash management processes to maximize efficiency and minimize risk

Implement strategies to mitigate financial risks and maintain financial stability

Financial Operations

Oversee day-to-day financial operations, including AP, AR, payroll, and billing

Streamline financial processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy

Identify opportunities for process improvement and automation

Internal Controls and Compliance

Establish and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard assets and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory standards.

Conduct regular audits to assess compliance with financial policies and procedures.

Stay abreast of changes in financial regulations and ensure adherence to industry best practices.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance accounting processes and controls.

Financial Planning and Analysis

Conduct regular financial analysis to assess performance, identify trends, and forecast future financial outcomes.

Provide insights and recommendations to senior management based on financial analysis, KPI reporting and Executive summary, Dashboards

Lead the budgeting process, collaborating with department heads to establish financial targets.

Monitor budget performance and variance analysis.

Prepare accurate financial forecasts to support decision-making processes.

Team Leadership and Development

Lead and mentor the accounting team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

Provide guidance and support to team members, promoting professional growth and development.

Other:

Provide leadership and guidance to accounting staff as needed.

Assist in ad hoc projects and tasks assigned by management.

Conduct regular reviews of general ledger accounts and assist in journal entries and reconciliations.

Keep up-to-date on the financial market to understand how to maximize profits and find new -expansion areas.

Understand the financial status of the company to meet legal requirements and keep the financial state in good standing.

Ability to interact with 3rd party partners (banks, auditors, tax, lenders, vendors, etc.)

Must Have Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in accounting from a 4 year accredited university

CPA license preferred.

Strong understanding of GAAP accounting principles (including cash accounting)

Experience working at a Law Firm (ideally a contingency based legal firm)

Experience managing and developing team.

Ability to work efficiently and meet deadlines under pressure.

Ability to handle multi-site, multi entity, high volume transactions.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Experience with QuickBooks and/ or NetSuite is a must.

Must be able to work 5 days on site in office

Benefits:

Competitive salary based on experience plus bonus

Comprehensive health benefits package

401 (k) retirement plan

Located in beautiful Newport Beach, Orange County

Professional development opportunities in a collaborative environmentCompany Description

Sweet James is a renowned law firm dedicated to providing exceptional legal services. Our team is driven by a commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and continuous improvement. Joining Sweet James means becoming part of a supportive and collaborative work environment where your skills and contributions are valued.