Senior Controller – Mortgage Servicing

Tampa, FL | Dallas, TX | Rosemont, IL
Full-Time | Director Level
Financial Services / Mortgage Servicing

We are seeking an experienced Senior Controller to lead enterprise accounting, payroll, accounts payable, financial reporting, and financial control functions for a large, complex financial services organization.

This is a senior accounting leadership position requiring significant mortgage servicing finance experience, Controller-level leadership, deep knowledge of U.S. GAAP, and expertise with mortgage servicing rights, investor reporting, audits, controls, and regulatory compliance.

Candidates must be based in or able to work from Tampa, Florida; Dallas, Texas; or Rosemont, Illinois.

Position Overview

The Senior Controller will lead accounting activities across multiple business entities and oversee the accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of enterprise financial reporting.

The position is responsible for month-end close, accounting operations, payroll, accounts payable, cash management, balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, debt reporting, lender covenant compliance, and external audits.

The Senior Controller will also serve as a senior finance liaison with auditors and regulators and provide technical accounting leadership regarding current and emerging U.S. GAAP requirements.

A major component of this position involves mortgage servicing accounting, including mortgage servicing rights valuation and investor reporting requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Lead accounting activities across multiple legal entities and business operations
• Ensure accurate and timely month-end and year-end close processes
• Oversee preparation and review of internal financial reporting
• Maintain accurate balance sheet reconciliations
• Ensure intercompany accounts are appropriately reconciled and balanced
• Oversee bank reconciliations and cash flow activities
• Review disbursements and maintain appropriate financial controls
• Support budgeting and forecasting activities

Mortgage Servicing Accounting

• Provide accounting leadership for mortgage servicing operations
• Collaborate with third-party valuation firms on mortgage servicing rights (MSR) valuations
• Ensure appropriate accounting treatment and financial recognition of MSRs
• Maintain compliance with applicable investor reporting requirements
• Support financial reporting related to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, and other applicable investors
• Review contracts to determine asset ownership and appropriate financial recognition

Technical Accounting & U.S. GAAP

• Maintain strong compliance with U.S. GAAP
• Research current and emerging accounting requirements
• Document management's position regarding accounting treatments affecting business entities
• Evaluate complex accounting matters and recommend appropriate treatment
• Develop and maintain accounting policies and procedures
• Ensure financial reporting appropriately reflects contractual and economic arrangements

Audit, Controls & Regulatory Compliance

• Serve as the primary liaison with external financial audit firms
• Coordinate multiple financial and regulatory audits
• Partner with auditors and regulators on accounting and financial matters
• Maintain and enhance internal financial controls
• Identify financial and operational risks and implement appropriate controls
• Maintain controls designed to prevent and detect fraud
• Support regulatory compliance requirements across the organization

Treasury, Debt & Financial Operations

• Oversee cash flow management and related financial operations
• Manage debt reporting requirements
• Monitor lender covenant compliance
• Ensure appropriate controls surrounding disbursements and cash activities
• Support financial resource planning and enterprise cost management

Accounting Operations

• Provide leadership over enterprise accounts payable
• Oversee payroll operations
• Maintain efficient and scalable accounting processes
• Evaluate existing workflows and identify opportunities for automation and process improvement
• Support enterprise accounting and mortgage servicing systems

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop accounting professionals and managers
• Recruit, train, coach, mentor, and evaluate team members
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability
• Build scalable accounting processes and organizational capabilities
• Promote employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous improvement

Executive Partnership

• Present complex financial information to executive stakeholders
• Partner across the organization on financial and operational initiatives
• Provide financial insight to support business decisions
• Lead cross-functional and matrixed projects
• Establish credibility as a senior finance and accounting leader

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
• CPA or equivalent professional certification
• 15+ years of progressive accounting experience
• 10+ years of senior accounting experience within mortgage servicing or closely aligned financial services segments
• Controller-level experience
• Significant experience within a complex mortgage servicing environment
• Previous people management and accounting team leadership experience
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP
• Knowledge of mortgage investor reporting requirements, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae
• Experience with mortgage servicing rights valuation and accounting
• Financial audit and regulatory compliance experience
• Strong internal controls background
• Experience with enterprise accounting systems
• Experience with mortgage servicing platforms
• ERP experience such as SAP, Oracle, or comparable systems
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
• Strong financial reporting and analysis capabilities
• Experience presenting complex financial information to executive stakeholders

Preferred Background

The strongest candidates will have experience within a large or sophisticated mortgage servicing organization, institutional mortgage platform, or complex financial services company.

Candidates whose backgrounds are primarily limited to small community banks or small mortgage operations are unlikely to have the scale and complexity required for this position.

Key Skills

Mortgage Servicing Accounting
Mortgage Servicing Rights
MSR Valuation
U.S. GAAP
Controller Leadership
Enterprise Accounting
Financial Reporting
Month-End Close
Technical Accounting
Investor Reporting
Fannie Mae
Freddie Mac
Ginnie Mae
Internal Controls
Regulatory Compliance
External Audit
Cash Flow Management
Balance Sheet Reconciliation
Intercompany Accounting
Accounts Payable
Payroll
Debt Reporting
Lender Covenants
Financial Risk Management
ERP Systems
Mortgage Servicing Platforms
Process Improvement
Team Leadership

Additional Details

• Full-time, Director-level position
• Candidates must sit in Tampa, FL; Dallas, TX; or Rosemont, IL
• Relocation assistance is not available
• Visa sponsorship is not available

Screening Priorities

• Mortgage servicing experience is a primary requirement
• CPA or equivalent professional certification
• Controller-level accounting leadership experience
• 15+ years of progressive accounting experience
• 10+ years of senior accounting experience within mortgage servicing or an applicable financial services segment
• Experience within a large or complex mortgage servicing environment rather than primarily small-bank or small-mortgage-shop experience
• Strong understanding of MSR accounting and valuation
• Knowledge of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae investor reporting requirements
• Deep U.S. GAAP and technical accounting knowledge
• Experience leading external audits and working with regulators
• Strong internal controls and risk management background
• Experience leading sizable accounting teams and developing managers
• Enterprise ERP and mortgage servicing platform experience
• Must be located in or able to work from Tampa, Dallas, or Rosemont