Controller

Description

Thornburg is a global investment firm delivering on strategy for institutions, financial professionals and investors worldwide. The privately held firm, founded in 1982, is an active, high-conviction manager of fixed income, equities, and multi-asset solutions.

As an independent firm, Thornburg can take on a wide range of opportunities, explore ideas thoroughly and work across strategies to deliver consistent risk-adjusted outperformance over the long term. The firm attracts free-thinking professionals who are eager to pursue investment outcomes beyond the confines of popular wisdom. From nimble operational capabilities to principles and actions fitting of a global citizen, Thornburg’s world-class investment platform and team are aligned on strategy to serve investors.

Primary Job Function 

The Controller is responsible for leading the accounting function for the company, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting, robust internal controls, and strong audit/compliance execution. In addition to traditional controllership responsibilities (close, GAAP reporting, revenue recognition, expense management, and oversight of payables/receivables), this role will partner closely with the Director of Finance and Fund Administration to deliver profitability and performance analytics across product lines (e.g., mutual funds, ETFs, UCITS, SMAs, and institutional mandates).

This role blends hands-on accounting leadership with strategic financial analysis, including product-level P&Ls, fee and margin analysis, cost allocation methodologies, and insight into drivers of profitability and operating leverage.

Duties and Responsibilities

Controllership & Financial Reporting 

• Assist with the month-end and quarter-end close process for the company including review of journal entries, accruals, and prepaids.
• Assist on the review of financial statements (income statement, balance sheet, cash flow) and supporting schedules in accordance with U.S. GAAP (or IFRS where applicable).
• Maintain and improve accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls (including SOX-lite or SOC readiness, as applicable).
• Oversee general ledger structure and ensure accurate department/product tagging to enable profitability reporting.
• Manage fixed assets, prepaid expenses, accruals, intercompany accounting, reconciliations, and consolidation activities where relevant.
• Coordinate with external auditors and tax advisors to support annual audits, tax filings, and regulatory requests; ensure timely delivery of PBC schedules.
• Ensure appropriate accounting for investment management revenue streams (advisory fees, performance fees, distribution/12b-1 where relevant, sub-advisory, administration/service fees).
• Support treasury/cash management, including forecasting cash needs and ensuring appropriate controls around payments and approvals.

Expense Oversight & Cost Management 

• Assist with monitoring and analyzing operating expenses versus budget/forecast; identify trends, risks, and opportunities for savings.
• Assist with partnering with department heads to review spend, headcount, vendor contracts, and project costs.
• Develop and maintain allocation methodologies (e.g., headcount, AUM, transactions, time studies) to support product-level and channel-level profitability.
• Maintain discipline around accruals, vendor management, and purchase-to-pay controls.

Product Line Profitability & Financial Analysis 

• Produce product-level profitability reporting (P&L by product, strategy, vehicle, share class, channel, or client segment) including revenue, direct expenses, allocated costs, and contribution margin.
• Analyze fee rates, breakpoints, waivers, expense caps, revenue sharing, distribution costs, and servicing costs to determine true product economics.
• Conduct AUM, flows, fee revenue, and margin analyses; identify drivers of profitability and operating leverage.
• Partner with distribution, product, operations, and investment teams to evaluate pricing decisions, product changes, and new launches.
• Build and enhance profitability models (including scenario analysis for AUM growth/declines, fee compression, expense changes, and scale benefits).
• Support business cases for new product launches, white-label/sub-advisory opportunities, and platform/channel initiatives.
• Provide recurring executive-level insights: “what is profitable, why, what changed, and what actions should we take.”

Budgeting, Forecasting & Strategic Support

• Lead or co-lead annual budgeting and rolling forecast processes for company and key product lines.
• Develop KPI dashboards for leadership as requested.
• Assist with long-range planning, headcount planning, and compensation expense analysis.
• Support ad hoc analyses for leadership, including vendor ROI, project economics, and capacity planning.

Systems, Process Improvement & Governance 

• Drive continuous improvement in close efficiency, reporting automation, data quality, and documentation.
• Act as finance lead for system enhancements (ERP/GL, expense management, AUM/fee systems, BI tools).
• Ensure strong governance and documentation around allocation logic, model assumptions, and reporting definitions.
• Become the lead for the department on Artificial Intelligence integration.
• Perform other job duties assigned as necessary  

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field. 
• 15+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, including controllership responsibilities. 
• CPA (or equivalent) strongly preferred. 
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, financial statement preparation, and close process best practices. 
• Experience within asset management, investment advisory, fund administration, or financial services strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to perform profitability analysis and build models that connect financial statements to business drivers.
• Advanced Excel skills (modeling, Power Query/Pivots); experience with ERP/GL systems (e.g., NetSuite, Workday Financials, Dynamics, Sage Intacct) and BI tools (Power BI/Tableau) is a plus. 
• Proven ability to manage audits and work cross-functionally with senior stakeholders.
• Experience with investment management revenue mechanics: advisory fee billing, fee breakpoints, waivers, performance fees, distribution and servicing arrangements. 
• Familiarity with regulatory reporting environments (e.g., SEC-registered adviser operations, broker dealer operations, and fund structures). 
•  Prior people management experience preferred.

Job Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Employer 401(k) safe harbor and profit-sharing contributions.
• Work/life programs such as flexible work arrangements, flexible paid time off, paid parental leave, employee assistance, education reimbursement program.  
• Community involvement opportunities.
• Onsite cafeteria.
• Onsite fitness center.
• Referral program. 

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. Founded in 1610 and nicknamed "The City Different," Santa Fe captures hearts and minds with its museums, restaurants, theater, opera, and adobe-style architecture. With an average of over 300 sunny days per year and picturesque landscape, it's no wonder that outdoor activities such as skiing and hiking in "The Land of Enchantment" attract visitors from around the world.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender, gender identity or protected veteran status