Controller
About Off the Grid
We create extraordinary experiences that build communities around food and support small businesses.
From the outside, it looks straightforward: we activate events across the Bay Area with amazing food partners. Behind the curtain? We’re running 50+ events per week, coordinating 100+ vendors under various contract agreements, serving everyone from sophisticated event planners to individuals planning their first big celebration.
We’re the platform that hundreds of small food businesses build on top of. When we get the accounting right, everyone wins—vendors get paid on time, clients trust us, and communities get fed. When we don’t, real businesses feel it.
Why This Role Matters
Let’s be direct: you could probably make more at a tech company. But here’s what you won’t get there:
Direct access to leadership. You’ll work directly with the CEO and influence decisions across product, operations, technology, and growth strategy. No layers of bureaucracy between you and impact.
Cross-functional influence that builds your executive toolkit. You’ll drive technology stack decisions. You’ll provide strategic insights that shape company forecasting and planning. You’ll prioritize tooling that improves workflows across the entire organization. These are the skills that set you up for CFO and executive roles down the line.
A mission that matters. Your financial systems don’t just close books—they enable small food businesses to grow, help communities gather around great food, and make events that would otherwise be logistically impossible actually happen.
Unique perks. Regular tastings in our office. Access to events across SF’s food scene. Relationships with celebrated chefs and food entrepreneurs. If you love food and events, this isn’t just a job—it’s a lifestyle.
The Challenge (And Why It’s Exciting)
This isn’t a “maintain the status quo” controller role. We need someone who gets energized—not stressed—by complexity:
- High-volume transaction environment: Thousands of transactions across multiple contract types, payment terms, and vendor agreements.
- Systems-building opportunity: You’ll build and refine accounting processes that replace institutional memory with institutional process—creating infrastructure that scales.
- Technology-first approach: You’ll evaluate, implement, and optimize tools (NetSuite, Rippling, Salesforce, Airbase, and others) to turn complexity into consistency.
- Business partnership: You’ll educate internal teams on the financial implications of their decisions, serving as a strategic advisor, not just a scorekeeper.
What You’ll Do
Financial Infrastructure & Operations
- Own all accounting operations including AP, AR, payroll, general ledger, and revenue recognition.
- Build and refine systems that process thousands of transactions weekly while ensuring 100+ vendor partners get paid accurately and on time.
- Develop processes that scale with volume—replacing manual workarounds with automated, repeatable systems.
Strategic Leadership & Analysis
- Prepare and analyze monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements (U.S. GAAP compliant).
- Provide senior leadership with financial analysis and strategic insights that inform company planning and forecasting.
- Assist in annual budgeting and financial forecasting; monitor performance and provide variance analysis.
- Sit at the strategy table and influence product, operations, and technology decisions.
Technology & Process Excellence
- Drive the evaluation and implementation of accounting tools and systems.
- Identify automation opportunities to increase efficiency and accuracy across finance functions.
- Prioritize tooling improvements that impact workflows across the organization.
- Maintain strong internal controls while building processes that enable speed.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, with particular attention to SF requirements.
- Coordinate annual audit process with external auditors.
- Collaborate with external tax advisors on all tax compliance and filings (income tax, sales tax, 1099s).
- Develop and enforce accounting policies that protect company assets.
Team Leadership
- Oversee AR/AP contractors to ensure timely collections, invoice processing, and inquiry resolution
- Oversee 3rd party vendor management across tax, compliance and FP&A.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.
You’ll Thrive Here If…
- You have small business DNA. You’ve worked in lean, fast-moving environments where you wore multiple hats and understand the pace of small teams.
- You’re technology-forward. You see software tools as leverage and get excited about building systems that scale.
- You’re energized by complexity. High transaction volume and operational challenges excite rather than stress you.
- You’re a business partner, not just a scorekeeper. You want to influence strategy and educate teams on financial implications.
- You care about mission. You take seriously that small businesses depend on the financial platform you’re building.
- You love food and events. You want to attend tastings, experience our activations, and be part of SF’s food community.
This Probably Isn’t For You If…
- You prefer clearly defined, slow-moving corporate accounting environments.
- You’re looking for “maintenance mode” rather than “build mode.”
- You need a large team to delegate to.
- You want to focus purely on technical accounting without cross-functional collaboration.
- You’re optimizing purely for maximum compensation over impact and growth opportunity.
Qualifications
Required
- 7+ years of progressive accounting experience with demonstrated leadership
- Strong U.S. GAAP knowledge and practical application
- Proven track record building or significantly improving accounting systems and processes
- Experience in high-volume transaction environments
- Small business or startup experience where you wore multiple hats and worked cross-functionally
- Technology-forward mindset with ability to evaluate and implement modern accounting tools
- Proficiency with NetSuite, Microsoft Excel, and Google Sheets
- Exceptional communication skills—you can explain complex financial concepts clearly to non-finance teammates
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently in a hybrid setting
- Adaptable, proactive approach to problem-solving
Preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting (CPA or MBA is a plus, not required)
- Experience with Rippling, Salesforce, Airbase or similar platforms
- Food & beverage, hospitality, catering, or event industry experience
- Familiarity with San Francisco regulatory and tax requirements
Work Environment
This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco, CA, combining remote work with in-office collaboration. We value flexibility while also believing that some of the best work happens when we’re together—especially during month-end close, strategic planning sessions, and the occasional office tasting.
Compensation & What You Get
Base Salary: $160,000 - $180,000 annually
The Real Value Proposition:
This role offers something rare: direct access to executive leadership, cross-functional influence across the entire company, and the opportunity to build systems and demonstrate skills that position you for CFO and senior executive roles in high-growth companies. You’ll develop the strategic toolkit that opens doors, not just technical accounting expertise.
Plus: regular exposure to SF’s best food, invites to exclusive events, relationships with celebrated food entrepreneurs, and the knowledge that your work directly supports small businesses and builds community.
How to Apply
We want to hear from people who are genuinely excited by this challenge.
In your application, here are some things you can share with us to better understand how you might be a fit for the role:
About a time you built or significantly improved a financial system that scaled
Why small business accounting and mission-driven work appeals to you over traditional corporate environments
What excites you most about this specific opportunity
We review applications on a rolling basis and will move quickly for the right candidate.
Our Mission: Creating extraordinary experiences that build communities around food and support small businesses.
If that resonates with you, we should talk.