Controller — Greater Los Angeles, California | Pacific Executive Search

Controller

(Job ID: 1904)

Greater Los Angeles, California

Hybrid

Direct Hire

Entertainment

$160,000 – $210,000 base

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Overview

Join a dynamic and innovative entertainment company as a Controller, where you will play a crucial role in shaping the financial landscape of a diverse portfolio of creative projects. This position offers the opportunity to lead accounting operations, ensuring accurate financial reporting and compliance across multiple entities. You will thrive in a collaborative environment that values diverse perspectives and encourages ownership, accountability, and professional growth. With a focus on agility and creativity, this role is ideal for a high-energy individual ready to make a significant impact.

Responsibilities

Oversee all accounting operations, including general ledger management, financial close processes, and consolidations.
Ensure timely and accurate internal and external financial statement reporting.
Lead audits and manage technical accounting matters, ensuring compliance with US GAAP.
Implement and maintain strong internal controls to safeguard financial integrity.
Manage revenue recognition processes and royalty/participation reporting.
Coordinate payroll accounting and accounts payable/receivable functions.
Conduct subledger reconciliations to ensure accuracy across financial records.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance.
7+ years of progressive accounting experience, including roles in controllership or senior accounting.
Strong knowledge of US GAAP, financial reporting, and consolidations.
Experience managing audits and collaborating with external auditors.
Proficiency in accounting systems (e.g., Intacct, NetSuite) and advanced Excel skills.
CPA or CMA certification.
Experience with revenue recognition and royalty/participation accounting.
Multi-entity and multi-currency accounting experience.
Nice-to-Have:
Background in entertainment, media, gaming, or production accounting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Accounting Manager hires fail?
Because companies hire for close execution when the real need is issue ownership and team leadership. Many candidates can manage a checklist. Far fewer can stabilize the function under pressure, improve weak processes, coach staff, and hold the line during audit, turnover, or reporting stress.
What are strong Accounting Manager candidates evaluating during the interview process?
They are usually trying to understand whether they are walking into a stable environment, a cleanup situation, or an under-resourced function. Strong candidates do not just evaluate title and compensation. They assess whether success is realistically achievable and whether leadership understands what the accounting team actually needs.
Is the CPA really required for roles like this?
Sometimes yes, and often functionally yes even when the posting says "preferred." At leadership levels especially, the CPA frequently acts as a credibility signal for hiring managers, auditors, lenders, investors, or boards. There are exceptions, but in many accounting searches it remains one of the clearest markers of technical foundation.
How do strong candidates typically evaluate opportunities like this?
Strong candidates rarely evaluate a role based on title alone. They look at what the position actually owns, how the function is viewed internally, whether the environment is stable or in transition, and what success will realistically look like in the first 6 to 12 months. Many first discover a role through a posting, but the strongest career decisions usually come from understanding the context behind the opportunity, not just the job description. In accounting and finance hiring, that level of context is often what separates a lateral move from a meaningful one. Learn more about how strategic accounting and finance searches differ from transactional recruiting.
Is direct NetSuite experience actually necessary?
Not always. What matters more is whether the candidate has handled a similar level of system complexity and can adapt quickly. That said, in lean environments, cleanups, or fragile closes, direct NetSuite familiarity can materially reduce ramp risk.