The Assistant Controller, Director will lead international accounting, manage audits, develop policies, and oversee a distributed team, ensuring compliance and accuracy in financial reporting.
About Tala
Tala is on a mission to unleash the economic power of the Global Majority – the 4 billion people overlooked by existing financial systems. With nearly half a billion dollars raised from equity and debt, we are serving millions of customers across three continents. Tala has been named by the Fortune Impact 20 list, CNBC’s Disruptor 50 five years in a row, CNBC’s World's Top Fintech Company, Forbes’ Fintech 50 list for eight years running, and Chief's The New Era of Leadership Award. We are expanding across product offerings, countries and crypto and are looking for people who have an entrepreneurial spirit and are passionate about our mission.
By creating a unique platform that enables lending and other financial services around the globe, people in emerging markets are able to start and expand small businesses, manage day-to-day needs, and pursue their financial goals with confidence. Currently, over nine million people across Kenya, the Philippines, Mexico, and India have used Tala products. Due to our global team, we have a remote-first approach, and also have offices in Santa Monica, CA (HQ); Nairobi, Kenya; Mexico City, Mexico; Manila, the Philippines; and Bangalore, India.
Most Talazens join us because they connect with our mission. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Tala, we’d love to hear from you!
The Role
Tala is seeking a highly capable Assistant Controller, Director to lead core accounting operations across our U.S. and international entities. This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role overseeing global consolidation, U.S. financial reporting, technical accounting, and audit readiness—while managing a distributed team across the U.S., Mexico, and LatAm.
You will serve as the operational right hand to the VP Global Controller and act as Tala’s primary point of contact for external audits, technical accounting advisors, and lender due diligence teams. This role is ideal for a candidate with strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to execute and lead in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
What You'll Do
- Lead the monthly close and financial reporting for Tala’s U.S. parent entity, including preparation of GAAP-compliant financials, investor deliverables (e.g., Vitals P&L, DCF cash slide), and lender packages
- Oversee global consolidation of all international subsidiaries and ensure the accuracy, completeness, and audit readiness of all reporting outputs
- Own technical accounting areas including:
- Stock-based compensation (SBC) accounting and administration in collaboration with Legal and HR (Carta)
- Capitalization and accounting of internally developed software
- Development of policies for complex transactions, including RSU programs, crypto/treasury innovations, and new partnership structures
- Serve as the lead liaison for:
- Annual audits of consolidated and local financial statements
- Lender portfolio audits and operational reviews
- External technical advisors and audit firms
- Support the documentation and maintenance of internal control processes in partnership with the Sr. Director, Global Accounting
- Manage and coach a cross-border team of approx 6 people
- Act as the operational point of contact for the accounting function during U.S. business hours and back up the VP Global Controller as needed
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Treasury, Tax, Legal, Product, and Engineering to assess the financial and accounting impact of product changes, expansion, and systems initiatives
- Partner with the Accounting Optimization Team (AOT) to drive automation, improve documentation, and ensure scalable processes and SOPs across jurisdictions
What You'll Need
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
- CPA required
- 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 2+ years in a leadership role and prior experience in public accounting (Big Four preferred)
- Proven experience managing complex audits and preparing audit-ready financials under investor and lender scrutiny
- Demonstrated ability to develop accounting policies, lead cross-functional initiatives, and support audit uplift for public company standards (PCAOB)
- Proficiency in NetSuite; familiarity with Carta, Pigment, ZIP, and Expensify is preferred
- Experience managing distributed teams across multiple time zones and cultural contexts
- Deep technical knowledge of U.S. GAAP, including:
*Stock-based compensation (SBC)
*Software capitalization
*CECL (Current Expected Credit Losses) and accounting for loan portfolios
Our vision is to build a new financial ecosystem where everyone can participate on equal footing and access the tools they need to be financially healthy. We strongly believe that inclusion fosters innovation and we’re proud to have a diverse global team that represents a multitude of backgrounds, cultures, and experience. We hire talented people regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Top Skills
Carta
Expensify
NetSuite
Pigment
Zip
Tala Santa Monica, California, USA Office
1633 26th St, Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90404
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