Assistant Controller

Overview

Looking to step into a high-impact leadership role at a growing professional services firm? As Assistant Controller, you’ll partner closely with the Controller and firm leadership to oversee firmwide accounting operations, financial reporting, and internal controls across a complex, multi-entity environment. This role blends hands-on technical accounting with strategic leadership—giving you visibility into the full financial picture while helping drive scalability, process improvement, and strong financial discipline as the firm continues to grow.

• Support and manage the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close process
• Prepare and review internal and external financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of firm-wide and practice-level results
• Assist with consolidation of multiple legal entities and offices
• Analyze variances, trends, and key drivers of financial performance
• Oversee day-to-day accounting activities, including:
  • General ledger
  • Revenue recognition and WIP management
  • Partner compensation accounting
  • Payroll accounting and benefits accruals
  • Fixed assets and depreciation
• Ensure consistent application of accounting policies across offices and practices
• Support billing, collections, and time & expense integration with financial reporting
• Maintain and enhance internal control frameworks and documentation
• Support audits, reviews, and regulatory examinations
• Ensure compliance with firm policies, GAAP, and applicable regulatory requirements
• Assist with risk assessments and remediation of control gaps
• Partner with the Controller and FP&A team on budgeting and forecasting processes
• Support practice leaders with financial insights and performance analysis
• Prepare schedules and analysis to support leadership decision-making
• Support accounting system implementations, upgrades, and optimizations
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and scalability
• Leverage technology to improve reporting, automation, and data integrity
• Supervise, coach, and develop accounting staff
• Serve as a trusted business partner to firm leadership and practice leaders
• Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, IT, Tax, Audit, and Advisory Operations

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (required)
• CPA license strongly preferred
• 8–12+ years of progressive accounting experience
• Experience in public accounting or professional services strongly preferred
• Prior experience managing or reviewing complex accounting operations
• Experience with multi-entity and/or multi-location organizations
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP
• Experience with professional services revenue recognition and WIP accounting
• Proficiency with Workday preferred
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with reporting and analytics tools preferred

• Strong attention to detail with the ability to see the “big picture”
• High integrity and sound judgment
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Strong communication skills with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Leadership mindset with a focus on coaching and development
• Continuous improvement and problem-solving orientation

• Akron, Cleveland, or Youngstown, OH;
  Detroit or St. Clair Shores, MI;
  Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, PA;
  New York City or Buffalo, NY;
  Denver, CO;
  Milwaukee, WI;
  Chicago, IL
• Hybrid work environment

Sure, we like numbers. (But we’ll never treat you like one.) At Cohen & Co our foundational principles offer insight into how we achieve an inclusive, growth-oriented culture that fuels the success of our firm, our clients and our people. In particular, we honor our foundational principle of “great people first” by:

• Championing the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion by embracing the unique stories, backgrounds, perspectives and ideas that come from our people; and
• Offering a comprehensive and competitive Total Rewards package, which allows each employee to use the benefits that best suits their needs. Our offerings go beyond standard options, including time off outside of your standard PTO to give back to the community, annual discretionary merit increases and bonuses,…