Controller

About Sapio Sciences
 
Sapio Sciences is on a mission to accelerate scientific drug discovery and high-throughput clinical and diagnostics for our clients and partners. The Sapio team consists of expert and highly collaborative scientists, software developers, and professionals passionate about providing a best-in-class lab informatics platform and industry-specific solutions.
 
Sapio is one of the few software providers to offer a truly unified and highly configurable lab informatics platform and a broad suite of purpose-built solutions. The Sapio platform makes it easy for scientists, laboratory, and bio/informatics professionals to streamline and manage their end-to-end laboratory operations, from instrument data integration to workflow and experiment setup to sample and materials management, data management, and scientific data analysis and reporting.
 
Working at Sapio
 
At Sapio, we’re not just building lab informatics solutions. We’re creating tools made for the scientist and motivated to make the world a better place. We understand that lab informatics is about more than managing data or connecting workflows. It’s about making life easier for the scientist and making scientific progress faster for everyone. Our platform delivers the levels of configurability, usability and insight that scientists have only ever dreamed of.
 
We’re a team of scientists, developers and innovators who question convention and stay focused on what matters most - advancing drug discovery science. We challenge the status quo and respond to the needs at the heart of science with powerful solutions that are simple to use, effortless to evolve and downright easy to love.
 
As part of the Sapio team, you’ll work in a collaborative and forward-thinking environment where your ideas are valued, your growth matters and your work makes a difference.
 
We’re proud to partner with leading labs around the world, from ambitious start-ups to global organisations, who trust Sapio to support discovery, development and diagnostics with industry-first science-aware solutions.

Position Summary
We are seeking a Financial Controller to own global accounting and financial reporting for a private equity-backed SaaS life sciences business operating across multiple countries and legal entities. This is a hands-on leadership role for a technically strong accountant who thrives in a fast-scaling, multi-entity environment — someone who can bring order, consistency, and audit-grade rigor to a growing global business while partnering closely with the VP-Finance, PE sponsor, and cross-functional leaders. FP&A owns budgeting and forecasting; this role owns the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of everything behind the numbers. We are only considering candidates who sit within the Eastern Time Zone of the United States.
Key Responsibilities:

Global Accounting & Financial Reporting
Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close and consolidation process across all US and international entities, including intercompany eliminations and multi-currency translation
Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant financial statements under US GAAP, with working knowledge of IFRS/UK GAAP and local statutory requirements in each operating jurisdiction
Deliver monthly and quarterly reporting packages to the CFO, board, and PE sponsor, including SaaS metrics (ARR, NRR, gross margin, churn) in coordination with FP&A
Drive continuous improvement in days-to-close through process discipline and automation
Technical Accounting
Serve as the organization's technical accounting authority, including ASC 606 (SaaS/subscription revenue), ASC 842 (leases), equity compensation/409A, and R&D cost treatment specific to a life sciences business
Evaluate and document the accounting treatment for new products, contract structures, and non-routine transactions
Monitor new accounting standards and lead implementation across entities
Internal Controls & Compliance
Design and maintain an internal controls framework appropriate for a scaling, PE-backed business, with an eye toward future audit, SOX, or exit readiness
Own statutory and regulatory compliance filings across all operating jurisdictions
Manage the annual external audit and quarterly reviews, serving as primary point of contact for auditors
PE, Lender & Board Reporting
Own preparation of financial reporting packages for the PE sponsor, lenders, and board, including covenant compliance reporting
Support financial due diligence, quality-of-earnings reviews, and other requests tied to the sponsor relationship or future transactions
Treasury & Cash Management
Own cash management, cash flow forecasting, and banking relationships across entities and currencies
Provide near- and long-term liquidity visibility, optimize working capital, and manage lender relationships in support of the company's cost of capital and return on capital objectives.
M&A & Systems
Support due diligence and post-close integration for acquisitions, standardizing chart of accounts, policies, and systems across newly acquired entities
Own and continuously improve financial systems (ERP/consolidation tools), driving automation to reduce manual effort as the business scales
Team Leadership
Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing, global accounting team
Establish clear roles, career paths, and performance expectations that scale with the business

Cross-Functional Partnering
Partner with FP&A to ensure timely, accurate actuals that support their budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis
Partner with Legal, Revenue Operations, and business leaders on deal structures, contracts, and financial implications of business decisions

Qualifications

Required
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
 CPA (or international equivalent — ACA, ACCA, CIMA) required
8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including public accounting (Big 4 or national firm strongly preferred)
Demonstrated experience owning global, multi-entity, multi-currency consolidation
Deep knowledge of US GAAP (606, 842, equity comp); working knowledge of IFRS/UK GAAP
Experience in a SaaS or software business; life sciences or healthcare-adjacent experience strongly preferred
Experience in a private equity-backed environment, including lender/covenant reporting
Proven experience managing and developing a distributed team
Strong ERP systems experience (NetSuite or comparable)
MUST sit within the Eastern Time Zone of the United States.

Our People
 
At Sapio Sciences, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our lab informatics solutions are powered not just by technology, but by a shared commitment to our core values—what we proudly call The Sapio Seven, aka EMBRACE:
- Embrace the future
- Make a difference
- Be true partners
- Remember why we’re here
- Act with empathy
- Commit to transparency
- Excel in quality
 
These values shape how we work, how we grow, and how we deliver impact for our clients every day.
 
Reasonable Adjustments
 
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments, at any stage across the application, interview & assessment processes then please let us know. We will work with you to support your needs in confidence.
 
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
 
We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation. We intend that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.