Controller

About this role

About SafeLease

At SafeLease, we're rethinking how P&C insurance is sold in an age of technological change. We believe the industry's biggest inefficiencies aren't technical problems — they're structural ones. And we're building the team to tackle them.

SafeLease is a profitable insurance business that designs, underwrites, and distributes specialty coverage for commercial property owners and their tenants. Most insurance companies either distribute products or bear the risk — we do both. We back our policies with our own capital, which means we control the full stack: product design, tech, and the speed at which we move. That end-to-end ownership lets us offer customers real flexibility, saving time and money for more than 4,000 properties insured for billions in value nationwide.

We're a team of 70, growing over 100% annually, and we've done it without sacrificing profitability or culture. Here, you'll get high discretion and a wide aperture of problems to solve. We embrace the newest technologies, move fast together, and operate with the intensity of a small company where every person's work is visible. If you're looking for a place to sharpen your craft alongside people who take their work seriously, you'll fit right in.

ABOUT THE ROLE

SafeLease is hiring a Controller to lead all accounting, financial reporting, and internal controls across the organization — with full ownership spanning our Managing General Agent (MGA) operations and our surplus lines insurance carrier. The role owns dual-track reporting: U.S. GAAP financial statements for SafeLease and its consolidated entities, and statutory financial statements filed with state insurance regulators under NAIC Statutory Accounting Principles. The ideal candidate combines a Big Four audit foundation with hands-on accounting experience inside an insurance carrier, and a track record of building and scaling finance functions in a high-growth environment. This is a high-visibility leadership role reporting to the CEO with direct exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

- Own and oversee all accounting operations across the MGA and the surplus lines carrier, including general ledger management, month-end / quarter-end / year-end close, and intercompany accounting between the producer and the underwriter.

- Prepare and deliver timely, accurate financial statements in accordance with both U.S. GAAP and Statutory Accounting Principles (SAP), including the NAIC P&C Annual Statement, quarterly statements, and audited statutory financial statements.

- Manage statutory reporting and regulatory filings: NAIC Schedules F (reinsurance), P (loss reserves), D (investments), and T (premium by state); Risk-Based Capital (RBC) calculations; IRIS ratios; and domiciliary and non-admitted / surplus lines state filings.

- Oversee MGA accounting under the NAIC Managing General Agents Act (Model #225), including premium trust / fiduciary accounts, the MGA-to-carrier reporting cycle, and quarterly accounting packages submitted to the carrier in a form usable for completion of the Annual Statement.

- Design, implement, and maintain robust internal controls and financial policies that scale with organizational growth (SOX-style frameworks preferred).

- Lead the annual statutory and GAAP audits and serve as the primary liaison with external auditors, tax advisors, state insurance examiners, and the engaged actuary.

- Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing accounting team; establish best-in-class processes and a culture of continuous improvement.

- Manage consolidated financial reporting across SafeLease entities, including intercompany transactions and eliminations between the MGA and the carrier.

- Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to provide financial insights, variance analysis, and strategic recommendations.

- Own premium and claims accounting cycles, ceded and assumed reinsurance accounting, deferred acquisition cost (DAC) treatment, and loss reserve accounting.

- Oversee cash management, treasury functions, investment accounting (including NAIC SVO-rated portfolios), and capital allocation reporting.

- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local tax requirements, including premium tax filings and surplus lines tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

- Evaluate and enhance financial systems, tools, and technology infrastructure to support scalability and operational efficiency.

- Support fundraising, investor reporting, and due diligence processes as needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Insurance carrier experience required, with responsibility spanning an MGA and a surplus lines (Excess & Surplus / E&S) or admitted carrier.

- Statutory accounting (SAP) and NAIC reporting experience required — including preparation or direct oversight of the NAIC Annual Statement and quarterly statements.

- Big Four background required — audit or assurance experience at Deloitte, PwC, EY, or KPMG.

- CPA designation required; Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.

- Minimum 7 years of progressive accounting and finance experience.

- Deep expertise in both U.S. GAAP and SAP, the differences between the two frameworks, and the bridging entries required to reconcile them.

- Demonstrated experience managing accounting functions across multiple legal entities and lines of business.

- Strong technical accounting skills including consolidations, intercompany eliminations, premium accounting (written / earned / unearned), loss reserve accounting, and reinsurance accounting (ceded and assumed).

- Hands-on familiarity with NAIC Schedules F, P, and D, and Risk-Based Capital reporting.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, MBA, or a related advanced degree.

- Experience inside a high-growth insurtech, specialty insurer, or scale-up environment.

- Prior responsibility for…