Job Title: Assistant Controller
Department: Finance & Accounting
Reports to: Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President - Finance
Manages: Staff Accountant and Financial Analyst – Ticket Operations
Departmental Goal:
- To provide the Lakers organization with the necessary financial information to make informed decisions, while meeting all reporting requirements.
- To improve the quality and timeliness of existing reports issued to department.
- To collaborate with each operating group on a department-by-department basis to deliver excellent service across the enterprise.
Position Summary:
The Assistant Controller supports finance and accounting leadership team in managing the day-to-day accounting operations of the organization, which may include the team, practice facility, and foundation. This role ensures the accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of financial reporting, supports league compliance requirements, and helps maintain strong internal controls across a fast-paced, seasonally driven business. They will also lead initiatives related to the development and monitoring of all financial systems and processes across the organization.
Key metrics used to evaluate performance:
- Deadline timeliness
- Accuracy and reliability of information provided
- Departmental leadership and goal achievement
Essential Functions (Duties & Responsibilities**):
Core Accounting Operations & Financial Reporting
- Support the month-end and year-end close process, including journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations
- Support overall accounting and financial reporting function and review monthly, quarterly and annual consolidated enterprise financials in accordance with GAAP.
- Maintain and enforce the integrity of the general ledger and chart of accounts
- Prepare consolidated financials across multiple entities (e.g. teams, facilities, and foundation)
- Support revenue accounting streams, ensuring proper revenue recognition inclusive of ticketing recognition over the course of the season, media rights against contractual terms, sponsorship multi-element arrangements.
- Support merchandise, concessions, and game-day revenue reconciliation with operations and venue teams.
- Support payroll-related accounting, including coordination on player and staff compensation, reconciliations, and reporting, ensuring alignment with general ledger and financial close processes.
- Function as the primary point of contact for external auditors (GAAP and BRI) and assume accountability ensuring required audit processes are managed efficiently. Review annual audited financial statements and disclosures for accuracy.
- Support the accounting for the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation, which includes compliance with the rules established by the Internal Revenue Service, code 501(c)(3).
League Reporting
- Prepare financial submissions required by the league office (e.g. salary cap/luxury tax filings and audited financial statement packages)
- Coordinate with league auditors and respond to league financial inquiries.
- Ensure compliance with league accounting policies and revenue recognition standards specific to sports (ticketing, sponsorship, media rights, merchandising)
Regulatory Compliance
- Support the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of all financial and tax reporting in accordance with GAAP standards, IRS regulations, and NBA collective bargaining agreement rules (BRI).
- Complete the quarterly and lender compliance calculations to ensure conformity with the credit facility covenants.
- Monitor compliance with local, state, and federal tax regulations, including transactions that could result in sales and use tax.
Treasury
- Manage daily cash flow, including reconciliation of game-day and box office cash receipts.
- Support cash flow, working capital, credit facility, capital reserves, and investment strategy to improve cash position and overall debt management and compliance.
Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Supervise and review the work of the department accountants and seniors.
- Partner with Legal to establish monitor and continuously improve internal control environment, financial policies, and risk mitigation procedures to ensure compliance and fiscal integrity (i.e. Business Interruption loss calculation).
- Perform other technical and strategic duties as required by evolving landscape.
- Oversee and maintain “best practices” to disseminate financial data through the development of repeatable processes and publication of various flash reports and templates for senior leadership and other functional leaders.
**Responsibilities subject to change based on organizational needs and direction from management.
Key Qualifications & Competencies
Education & Previous Experience (Required/ Preferred):
- Individuals should have at least seven (7) years of progressive experience in corporate finance, including at least two (2) years in a supervisory role.
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field required.
- CPA and/or CMA, preferred.
- Other certification or advanced degrees are recommended.
- Experience in professional sports, entertainment, or venue management strongly preferred
- Proven leadership, strategic thinking, excellent communication, and people skills as essential to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.
Technology, Knowledge, and other Capabilities:
- Proficiency in cloud-based finance and accounting technologies, and Microsoft Office suite of applications.
- Strong comprehension of GAAP accounting principles, practices, and associated systems and interfaces
- Executive-ready communication, translating complex financial information into clear, concise insights for senior leadership.
- Strategic relationship-building, fostering trust and alignment across executive and cross-functional teams.
- Operational excellence, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and discipline across accounting, payroll, and finance processes.
- Leadership and team development, inspiring high performance and maintaining a positive, energetic team culture.
- Analytical problem-solving, using data-driven judgment to identify risks, opportunities, and improvements.
Physical Demands: N/A
Location: El Segundo (offices M-F), and other occasional off-site events, as needed
Travel: Less than 5% of the time
Hours: Regular office hours (9am- 5:30pm M-F), plus overtime is mandatory; must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays
The pay range for this role is $135,000 - $150,000 annually. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience and certifications. In addition to those factors, we consider the relative pay of our current employees in similar positions when making a final offer.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.