Legal Controller Jobs in Hawaii (NOW HIRING)

Position Overview:

RED Hospitality & Leisure is seeking an experienced Controller to manage full P&L accounting for a multi-entity hospitality organization. Reporting to the Director of Accounting, you will own the accounting cycle and financial reporting for your assigned business unit(s), ensure GAAP compliance, and provide strategic financial insight to market leadership. This role requires both strong technical accounting judgment and a genuine interest in process improvement — someone who looks for the manual, repetitive, or error-prone step in a process and proactively works to redesign or automate it, rather than simply absorbing more manual work. Hybrid role with approximately 10% travel to support oversight across entities.

Duties (NOT ALL INCLUSIVE):

• Oversees the complete accounting cycle for assigned business unit(s), including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, intercompany transactions, and multi-entity consolidations
• Owns P&L outcomes for assigned business unit(s) — budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and monthly/quarterly reporting
• Manages month-end and year-end close processes, audit support, and external financial reporting in accordance with U.S. GAAP
• Maintains accounts receivable and accounts payable aging and health for assigned business unit(s), and reviews this cadence directly with the Director of Accounting
• Owns payroll processing and related accounting entries for assigned business unit(s), including comp changes, corrections, and accruals
• Prepares the weekly performance report for assigned market(s), partnering with the Director of Accounting and VP of Finance & Corporate Development on review and consolidation
• Develops, implements, and strengthens internal controls and compliance frameworks within assigned business unit(s)
• Collaborates with executive and market leadership on strategic planning, financial modeling, cost control, and KPI tracking
• Administers tax filings, intercompany accounting, and cash flow management for assigned business unit(s)
• Ensures direct reports (senior accountants, bookkeeping staff) are cross-trained across core functions to maintain coverage during PTO, leaves of absence, and other absences
• Proactively identifies manual, redundant, or error-prone accounting processes within assigned business unit(s) and partners with the Director of Accounting to redesign or automate them
• Champions AI and automation tool adoption within assigned business unit(s), evaluating new tools and driving adoption of approved technology and platforms
• Identifies and executes systems improvement initiatives, including reporting enhancements and process automation
• Protects operations by keeping financial information and plans confidential
• Other projects and/or duties as assigned

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related field; CPA preferred
• 3–5 years of progressive accounting/finance experience, including multi-entity consolidation and P&L management
• Demonstrated leadership and team development experience
• Expertise in U.S. GAAP, compliance, audit readiness, and internal control frameworks
• Proficiency with ERP systems (e.g., Sage Intacct) and advanced Excel/reporting tools
• Flexible travel (~10%) to support oversight across legal entities
• Strong analytical skills — forecasting, budgeting, variance explanations, and scenario modeling
• Genuinely tech-forward — comfortable adopting new technology and automation tools, and proactive about reducing manual work in day-to-day accounting processes
• Superior analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to prepare and maintain accurate and complete financial records and reports
• Excellent communication skills — able to translate financial insights for non-finance stakeholders
• Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment on accounting and reconciliation matters
• Ability to handle sensitive matters on a confidential basis
• Skilled in working under pressure of deadlines while maintaining a professional demeanor and strong working relationships with employees, ownership, and outside parties
• Strong interpersonal skills and a positive, solutions-oriented attitude