Controller & Project Manager

Controller-level | Team leadership | Client onboarding ownership

$85,000 – $120,000 annually | Remote | Full-time W2

About the Role

Breakwater Accounting & Advisory is hiring a Client Onboarding Controller, key role on our onboarding Client Solutions team and is responsible for managing the new client experience coming into Breakwater.

This is not a passive project management role. It's a hands-on leadership position where your accounting expertise, judgment, and ability to guide both clients and team members directly shape long-term client success.

You'll lead a team, serve as the primary client contact during onboarding, and ensure every client is set up with clean financials, clear processes, and confidence in their numbers.

What You'll Own

• Lead the full onboarding lifecycle for new clients - from kickoff through transition to their long-term team
• Serve as the primary client contact, building trust through clear communication and strong financial guidance
• Ensures quality and consistency of client work from day one
• Coordinate across AP, AR, Payroll, and Accounting to ensure all services are aligned and delivered seamlessly
• Build, refine, and scale onboarding processes to improve speed, quality, and client experience
• Lead, coach, and develop a team; driving accountability, growth, and high standards

Who You Are

• 5+ years of accounting or bookkeeping experience (CPA firm or outsourced environment preferred)
• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Accounting
• Strong controller-level skills, including financial review and issuing statements. Familiarity with revenue recognition, deferred revenue, and other advanced accounting topics.
• Excellent at client and internal communication and staying ahead of needs
• Experienced managing multiple clients and priorities simultaneously and driving them to completion
• Proven people leader who can develop talent and hold a high bar
• Goal-oriented, process-oriented and detail-driven, without losing sight of the bigger picture
• Tech-savvy, with strong, recent QuickBooks Online experience
• Bonus points for:
  • Experience with onboarding or project management in an outsourced accounting or professional services setting.
  • Exposure to audit processes or internal control design.

Why Breakwater

Be part of a fast-growing, innovative accounting firm with a strong reputation and national reach.

• Advisory-first work – your value is in your thinking, not just your output
• Real impact – Shape the onboarding experience for clients and help define scalable processes for the future.
• Flexibility – remote work with autonomy over your non-meeting time
• Supportive team – collaborative, low-ego environment that shares ideas and solutions
• People-first culture – we care about our team and our clients as people
• Modern, tech-forward approach – always improving how we work
• Generous time off – five weeks PTO + holidays
• Benefits + 401(k) match

About Breakwater

Breakwater Accounting & Advisory provides outsourced accounting services to small businesses and nonprofits across the U.S. We are a woman-led company, a four-time Top Workplace (Delaware News Journal), and an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company.

We believe in great people first, technology-forward thinking second - with just the right combination.

Breakwater Accounting + Advisory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.