Controller; Remote

Position: Controller (Remote)
Controller

Location: Remote (US)
Reports to: Chief Financial Officer
About ZestyAI

Zesty

AI is the leading property and climate risk analytics platform for the P&C insurance industry. Our AI-powered models provide property-level insights into the risks that drive the majority of losses, including wildfire, hail, and water damage. Using proprietary data from aerial imagery, property characteristics, permits, and environmental signals, we help insurers price accurately, underwrite smarter, and reduce losses - creating a stronger and more resilient insurance market.

As climate events grow more frequent and complex, legacy models can no longer keep pace. Zesty

AI replaces outdated assumptions with dynamic, property-specific intelligence. Our next wave of innovation leverages agentic and generative AI to accelerate decision-making across the insurance value chain.
The Opportunity

We are hiring a Controller to build and lead a modern, automation-first accounting function at a rapidly growing AI company.

This is a rare opportunity to design the financial control environment of an AI-native platform company from the ground up.

We are intentionally building a flat, highly capable finance team where senior leaders operate as high-impact individual contributors and leverage automation, outsourced partners, and AI agents to maximize efficiency. You will work directly with the CFO to:

• Professionalize accounting policies and monthly close process
• Design scalable accounting processes and infrastructure
• Implement scale-appropriate financial controls
• Drive automation across close, reporting, and compliance
• Build a finance function that scales to $100M+ without unnecessary headcount

If you are a technically strong Controller who is curious, self-directed, and already experimenting with AI in your current finance workflows, this role puts you at the forefront of how AI reshapes accounting. You will not be constrained by legacy systems or bureaucracy. You will be empowered to build.
What You'll Do
Own the Accounting Function

• Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual multi-entity close process; produce accurate consolidated GAAP financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow)
• Managing outsourced bookkeeping
• Develop accounting policies, SOPs, and internal controls
• Manage/oversee AP, AR, payroll accounting, reconciliations
• Maintain reconciliations, schedules, and documentation at audit-ready standards

Revenue & Contract Accounting

• Own revenue recognition policy and execution (including complex data licensing and multi-element contracts)
• Partner with Go-To-Market and Legal to ensure contract structures align with accounting treatment
• Maintain deferred revenue schedules and ensure billing, collections, and reporting are clean and reconciled

Controls, Risk & Audit

• Design and implement scalable internal controls
• Prepare the company for financial audits and future diligence
• Partner cross-functionally to ensure control maturity aligns with growth
• Build documentation and workflows that support compliance and enterprise customer requirements

Automation & AI-Driven Finance

• Lead the accounting systems roadmap (ERP, close tools, bill pay, spend management)
• Leverage automation to reduce manual journal entries and reconciliation work
• Identify and implement AI agents or workflows to assist with:
• Reconciliations
• Contract review
• Close checklists
• Policy drafting
• Variance analysis
• Establish an "automation-first" mindset across the finance function

You will have wide latitude to test, implement, and scale AI tooling inside finance.
Vendor & Outsourced Partner Oversight

• Manage outsourced bookkeeping, tax, payroll, and other accounting support
• Establish clear service standards and quality expectations
• Ensure outsourced workflows integrate seamlessly with internal systems

Cash & Financial Discipline

• Oversee AP/AR workflows and improve billing and collections rigor
• Strengthen working capital management
• Support cash forecasting accuracy through clean accounting data

What We're Looking For

• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience
• Strong US GAAP foundation including CPA and audit experience (either auditor-side or company-side)
• Experience in high growth recurring revenue software…