Controller - Transformation

About ETS:

ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization enabling lifelong learners worldwide to be future-ready. For more than 75 years, we've been advancing the science of measurement to build benchmarks for fair and valid skill assessment across cultures and borders. Our worldwide impact extends through our renowned assessments including TOEFL, TOEIC, GRE and Praxis tests, serving millions of learners in more than 200 countries and territories. Through strategic acquisitions, we've expanded our global capabilities: PSI strengthens our workforce assessment solutions, while Edusoft, Kira Talent, Pipplet, Vericant, and Wheebox enhance our educational technology and assessment platforms across critical markets worldwide.

Through ETS Research Institute and ETS Solutions, we're partnering with educational institutions, governments, and organizations globally to promote skill proficiency, empower upward mobility, and unlock opportunities for everyone, everywhere. With offices and partners across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, we deliver nearly 50 million tests annually. Join us in our journey of measuring progress to power human progress worldwide.

Position Summary:

The Transformation Controller is a senior finance leadership role responsible for strengthening and modernizing ETS controllership capabilities across business units, legal entities, and finance transformation initiatives. Reporting to the Global Controller, this role will lead scalable accounting operations, financial governance, ERP-enabled process improvements, and enterprise-wide control discipline.

The Transformation Controller will serve as both architect and operator of core accounting, close, reporting, and control processes, ensuring that finance infrastructure, policies, and operating routines support growth, integration, system modernization, and timely, accurate financial reporting.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical accounting expertise, operational discipline, systems fluency, integration, and change leadership, with the ability to execute in ambiguity and partner closely with FP&A, Tax, Treasury, IT, HR, Legal, and business leaders globally.

TRANSFORMATION CONTROLLERSHIP  RESPONSIBILITIES:

Enterprise Accounting Transformation & Process Excellence

• Lead controllership transformation initiatives across ETS business units, legal entities, and finance workstreams, with a focus on scalability, automation, standardization, clear ownership, and sustainable operating discipline.
• Establish and enhance accounting policies, procedures, close routines, and internal control frameworks aligned with ETS enterprise requirements and future operating needs.
• Partner with Finance, Legal, Tax, Treasury, HR, IT, and business leaders to translate strategic initiatives, system changes, integrations, and operating model decisions into effective accounting and reporting solutions.

ERP, Systems & Process Modernization

• Design and implement scalable record-to-report operating model, including chart of accounts governance, close calendar, reconciliations, and reporting cadence.
• Partner with Finance and IT to implement, stabilize, and optimize NetSuite and related finance processes, ensuring accounting requirements, controls, and reporting needs are embedded into system design.

Audit, Compliance & Governance

• Engage as a senior controllership leader for external audits, complex accounting matters, audit readiness, and timely resolution of reporting and control issues.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, tax, and financial reporting requirements across global entities.
• Strengthen financial governance, approval authorities, account ownership, and control discipline across ETS.

Controllership & Financial Integrity

• Lead the monthly close end-to-end, including the close calendar, deliverable accountability, cross-functional inputs, review process, and timely reporting of accurate results.
• Drive close discipline and continuous improvement across journal entry governance, balance sheet reconciliations, flux analysis, and sign-off procedures.
• Oversee general ledger, revenue recognition, cost accounting, accruals, reserves, and balance sheet integrity.
• Ensure consistent application of accounting policies across global operations.

Revenue & Contract Accounting

• Partner with Business leaders, Legal, and FP&A teams to ensure appropriate revenue recognition for complex customer contracts, multi-element arrangements, and global transactions.
• Strengthen controls and documentation around pricing, billing, deferred revenue, and customer receivables.

M&A & Integration Support

• Lead accounting diligence and integration planning for acquisitions.
• Ensure rapid stabilization of acquired entities' accounting, controls, and reporting.
• Support purchase accounting, opening balance sheets, and post-close integration.
• Support investor-grade reporting, diligence requests, and data room readiness.
• Act as a thought partner to ETS leadership on accounting implications of strategy, M&A, capital structure, and investor readiness.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Build and lead a high-performing global accounting organization with strong technical depth and operational discipline.
• Assess current talent, identify gaps, and hire key leaders to support ETS growth.
• Develop future finance leaders through coaching, mentorship, and exposure to transformation initiatives.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

REQUIRED LEADERSHIP TRAITS:

•  Hands-On, Detail-Oriented Leader: Deep involvement in the mechanics of accounting and close, with the ability to zoom out and see enterprise implications.
• Change Leader: Proven ability to build structure in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
• Technical Excellence: Strong command of US GAAP, complex accounting topics, and financial controls.
• Executive Maturity: Confidence and credibility to engage with auditors, advisors, and senior leadership.
• Operational Mindset: Focused on execution, repeatability, and sustainable processes-not just compliance.

Keyword: Controller - Transformation
Required Experience:

• Progressive controllership or senior accounting leadership experience in a complex, multi-entity organization.

• Preferred: NetSuite OneWorld and/or Advanced Revenue Management (ARM) experience; familiarity with integrations, reporting, and financial system controls.

• Required: NetSuite ERP experience (implementation, optimization, and/or operating ownership of key record-to-report processes).

• Experience operating in a global environment.

• Ownership of external audits and complex accounting judgments.

• Experience leading major finance transformation, ERP implementation, controllership modernization, integration, or operating model redesign initiatives.
• CPA or CMA required

From: ETS