Controller

WE HAVE CREATED A WORLD WHERE ART AND SCIENCE ARE BEST FRIENDS Known is a modern marketing company engineered for the unprecedented opportunities and challenges facing marketers today. We are about 200+ people strong, pairing PhD data scientists with award-winning creatives, strategists, engineers and expert research teams to produce some of the most innovative and cutting-edge creative work in culture. We believe that when creative truly collaborates with science, strategy, and technology, amazing things can happen. Ad Age touted that "Known may be the ultimate example of a full-service agency," and honored us with two prestigious recognitions this year: #3 on The A-List as one of the top agencies in the world, and Ad Age's Data & Insights Agency of the year for the second year in a row. Without our incredible partnerships with our clients, spanning across the leading brands in finance, technology, entertainment, media, CPG, real estate, and many other categories, honors like this could not be possible, and also have helped us earn additional awards and recognitions over the years like: Emmys, Clios Entertainment and Sports Awards, Effies, Cannes Lions Awards, ProMax Agency of the Year, and Digiday's Most Innovative Media Agency to name a few. We couldn't create this award-winning work without seeking out and hiring the best talent. What does it mean to be a Knowner? We are curious innovators, knowledge-hunters who are constantly challenging ourselves to do better and be better for our clients, for our team and for our world at large. Our offices around the U.S. are open and while most of our people work in a hybrid setting, we are a distributed workforce with a number of Knowners working remotely. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT US, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU The Controller leads the agency's accounting function, with responsibility for financial reporting, internal controls, and compliance with U.S. GAAP. Reporting to the SVP, Accounting & Finance, this role ensures the accuracy and timeliness of financial information and supports operational decision-making through clear and reliable reporting. This role is intended for a candidate who views accounting as a tool to support the business, not an end in itself. The Controller is expected to translate financial results into insights that help leadership understand performance and identify issues early. Financial reporting should not only explain what happened, but also highlight the drivers of performance and where attention is needed going forward. The Controller serves as a trusted financial leader to senior leadership, building credibility through the accuracy, integrity, and consistency of financial reporting and accounting operations. The Controller will also drive improvements in the close process, accounting workflows, and systems to increase efficiency, reduce manual work, and support the agency's continued growth. This role requires sound judgment in prioritizing issues, improving processes, and focusing the accounting team on the areas of greatest business impact. WHAT YOU'LL DO Accounting Operations Lead all core accounting activities, including general ledger, revenue accounting, cost accounting, and the monthly close Maintain and enforce accounting policies in accordance with U.S. GAAP Ensure financial processes are scalable and aligned with the agency's growth and evolving service offerings Close & Reporting Own the monthly and quarterly close process, including timelines, deliverables, and review procedures Ensure balance sheet integrity through rigorous review of reconciliations and account analyses Deliver accurate and timely financial statements and management reports Present financial results to senior leadership and other financial stakeholders Revenue & Cost Accounting Oversee revenue recognition in accordance with ASC 606, including principal vs. agent considerations Ensure accurate accounting for media and production costs, including accruals, true-ups, rebates, credits, and vendor incentives Partner with Media and Operations teams to deliver clear reporting on client and project profitability, including margin analysis and resource utilization Treasury & Cash Management Oversee day-to-day cash management, including cash positioning, liquidity planning, and bank relationships Maintain effective working relationships with banking partners and other external stakeholders as needed Manage debt obligations, including borrowings, repayments, and compliance with all loan covenants, ensuring accurate and timely debt reporting, including covenant calculati