Financial Controller

About the role

Pylon has built an agentic support platform for B2B companies, and the first Controller will own accounting and oversee third-party relationships while reporting to the VP of Finance. This is a high-impact, foundational role set up to scale from Series B and beyond. You will be responsible for establishing the financial backbone of the business, ensuring that all accounting activities are accurate, compliant, and aligned with strategic goals. The role requires a proactive mindset and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. You will work closely with cross-functional partners to provide clarity on financial performance and support data-driven decisions. This position is critical for building the financial infrastructure that will support future growth and scalability. Expect to handle complex accounting tasks while maintaining a focus on process improvement and internal controls.

Key facts

What you'll do

Month-end close, consolidations, and GAAP-compliant financial statement preparation are handled by you so leadership receives timely, accurate insight for decisions.

Systems and infrastructure from ERP to reporting tools are implemented and owned by you, enabling the business to scale with reliable data and workflows.

Internal controls and audit-ready processes are designed and implemented by you, creating robust documentation for regulators and stakeholders.

You will lead the development of financial models and forecasts to support budgeting, planning, and scenario analysis.

Ownership of third-party relationships, including banks, auditors, and technology vendors, will be managed by you to ensure seamless operations.

You will drive process improvements across the accounting function, identifying opportunities for automation and efficiency gains.

Financial risk management is overseen by you, ensuring that policies and procedures are aligned with best practices and regulatory requirements.

You will collaborate with tax advisors to ensure compliance and optimize tax strategies in line with business objectives.

Analysis of financial performance against budgets and forecasts will be conducted by you to highlight trends and actionable insights.

You will support fundraising activities by preparing financial materials and ensuring data integrity for investor communications.

Requirements

The posting states a bachelor's degree requirement. Professional experience as a Controller or Senior Accounting Manager in a high-growth venture-backed start-up is required, showing comfort with ambiguity and fast execution.

Full-cycle close process and audit process experience is required so monthly reporting and external audits are handled reliably and on schedule.

Experience building or improving systems and processes from the ground up is required, since the role does not inherit a mature function.

Deep technical accounting knowledge including ASC 606 and multi-entity consolidations is required to ensure accurate reporting across entities and complex transactions.

CPA certification is required to meet regulatory and professional standards for financial leadership in a growth-stage company.

Experience with SaaS revenue recognition models and subscription-based billing is essential for accurate financial reporting.

Strong proficiency in Excel and financial modeling is required to support analysis and decision-making.

Practical notes

You will build the team as you scale, since the role explicitly states there is no team on day one.

This role focuses on building and improving processes rather than steady-state maintenance.

Success demands comfort with detail and a proactive approach to systems, controls, and automation.

Typical interview steps

Finance interviews usually include technical questions on accounting or modeling, a case study, and behavioral rounds. Candidates may be asked to build a forecast or explain a variance. Spreadsheet skills are tested in most loops. Accuracy and clear explanations matter. Interviewers may give a real dataset and ask for a quick analysis. Showing your work and explaining assumptions matters as much as the final number.

Good to know

Controllers drive financial accuracy and compliance in B2B SaaS environments using structured reporting and close management.

Automation platforms and AI agents increasingly handle routine categorization and reconciliations, reducing manual work.

ERP and reporting infrastructure form the backbone of scalable finance operations and reliable data consolidation.

Questions to ask

Worth asking in any interview: how the team measures success, who the role works with daily, what the onboarding looks like, and what the company is trying to achieve this year. Asking what past hires did well is a strong final question. Keep the list short and pick the questions that matter most to you.

Career growth

Finance careers move from analyst to senior analyst, manager, and controller or FP&A director levels. Some people earn certifications such as CPA or CFA. Cross-functional work with operations and leadership grows with seniority. Finance careers reward precision early and business partnership later. Learning the operations of the company beyond the numbers accelerates growth.