I am seeking some career advice in the industry. I worked at a software company for about 10 years, which started as a small private business and was acquired by a large public company after 6 years. My role progressed from Senior Accountant to Accounting/Finance Manager, and eventually to Director of Billing/Revenue. Later, my position was eliminated, and I took some time off. Upon returning, I did contract work for a few years because it was difficult to find a manager position without a CPA certification. Eventually, I landed a Senior Accountant role at a software startup. I tried to negotiate the position into a Controller role but was unsuccessful, although the compensation was decent. I am essentially handling everything on my own, with support from only a part-time CFO.

I am planning to leave this position because there is almost zero room for advancement currently. I feel like I am essentially repeating work I did many years ago, with no professional progress. I am currently pursuing my CPA (I have completed 150 credit hours and started studying for the AUD section). I am somewhat torn about what to pursue next and would appreciate some advice. The two options I am considering are:

Option 1: Join a large tech company as an individual contributor in revenue accounting

In my view, the pros include: it is a stable company that is building a new team; there is a salary increase and better benefits; advancement opportunities may exist, but it might take some time to step back into a manager role. However, the job seems quite challenging, and I think I can learn a lot and build solid skills in revenue accounting at a large tech company. I have done some contract work as a senior revenue accountant, which was a nice change of pace compared to general ledger duties. However, I need to swallow my pride because I am almost 50, and the rest of the team is much younger and has public accounting experience.

Option 2: Look for an Accounting Manager/Assistant Controller/Controller position at another startup or small company

This way, I can manage a team that handles a lot of transactional work. I do not mind handling day-to-day tasks, but at this stage, I feel I should be more involved in review and management rather than handling everything myself on a daily basis. The pros are: I can step back into a manager role, which feels more aligned with where I "should" be given my experience. The compensation may be similar to the revenue role, but benefits might not be as good. The stability of the company could be good or bad, depending on whether I end up at another startup.

My inclination and confusion

I am leaning toward Option 1 because I believe that despite the title seeming "lower," the role offers great growth opportunities. I am trying to focus on the responsibilities and content of the position rather than the title. Thanks again for any advice on this matter.