Controller

About GPTZero

GPTZero is on a mission to restore trust and transparency on the internet. As the leading AI detection platform, we empower educators, students, journalists, marketers, and writers to navigate the evolving landscape of AI-generated content. With millions of users and institutions relying on us, we’re building a category-defining company at the intersection of AI and information integrity.

Our team comes from high-performing engineering cultures, including Uber, Meta, Amazon, Affirm, and leading AI research labs, including Princeton, Caltech, MILA, and Vector.

About this role

In this role, you'll have end-to-end responsibility for all accounting functions and internal controls at a fast-growing startup. You are eager to ensure the integrity of financial reporting, and alignment of financial processes with strategic goals. As the first accounting hire, you are a self-starter excited about the opportunity to build the overall accounting, reporting, and FP&A functions to support a high-growth SaaS business. You will interact closely with the cofounders and senior executives to accomplish your goals.

What you’ll do

• Oversee all accounting tasks, including responsibility for the general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, and monthly close processes

• Manage the monthly reconciliation of all key accounts including deferred revenue, deferred commissions, accruals, prepaids, and other key balance sheet accounts

• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of monthly financial statements in accordance with US GAAP

• Support the company’s nascent FP&A function

• Partner with external firms to complete annual audits and tax filings

• Drive improvements of internal financial controls, systems, and processes

• Implement best practices for SaaS-specific accounting, including revenue recognition, deferred revenue, and commission expenses

• Develop and maintain scalable processes for accurate and efficient financial reporting

• Prepare monthly and quarterly reporting packages for internal and external stakeholders including the Board of Directors

• Support fundraising activities

• Oversee state and local compliance for sales and use taxes, working with third-party advisors as needed

• Research and implement strategies to ensure Canadian subsidiary is structured to fully leverage R&D tax credits

Qualifications

• CPA required

• 5+ years of experience

• At least 1-2 years of experience in a startup environment

• Strong understanding of GAAP and compliance requirements

• Hands-on experience managing the full accounting cycle, including general ledger, reconciliations, and month-end close

• Demonstrated ability to improve financial systems and implement scalable processes

• Experience working with external auditors and managing audits from start to finish

• Proven ability to collaborate across teams and communicate financial information to non-financial stakeholders

What makes you a good fit

• Self-starter with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment

• Top-tier accountant with a desire to develop FP&A skills

• Bias for action

• “No job is too small” attitude

• Equally comfortable with in-the-weeds accounting minutiae and collaborating with senior executives and investors

• Technically savvy and eager to lean on new technologies to automate and scale processes

• Extremely high standards of personal integrity

• Comfortable disagreeing with senior executives, and not shy about surfacing bad news

• Collaborative mindset with the ability to prioritize other stakeholders’ needs over your own

• Persistence

Who you’ll be working with

• Edward, our cofounder/CEO, ex Bellingcat, Microsoft, BBC investigative journalism 

• Alex, our cofounder/CTO, ex R&D at Uber self-driving division and Facebook, 3 patents in ML

• Jonathan, our VP of Operations, ex YipitData, private equity, investment banking

What we offer

• Competitive salary

• Significant equity in a fast-growing, cash flow positive, Series A startup

• Unlimited PTO

• Hybrid office environment in NYC (3 days/week in-office)

• In-office lunch

• Healthcare, dental, and vision

• Wellness and learning stipend

• Semi-annual team retreats