Controller

Job DescriptionCONTROLLERWest Michigan | Full Time, Onsite | ExemptABOUT THE OPPORTUNITYAn established international manufacturer and distributor is hiring a Controller to lead the accounting function for its U.S. business. This search is being conducted confidentially. The employer will be identified to candidates during the interview process.The team is lean and the scope is wide. This is the senior finance position in the U.S., with end to end ownership of the accounting function and a seat on the U.S. leadership team. The company is actively investing in strengthening its finance function, and this role leads that work rather than inheriting it finished.ROLE SUMMARYThe Controller owns the U.S. accounting function: monthly close, U.S. GAAP financial statements, internal controls, inventory and cost accounting, cash management, payroll oversight, accounts payable and receivable, and the recurring reporting package delivered to the parent company. The role also serves as the finance voice to U.S. leadership, providing budgeting, forecasting, margin analysis, and decision support to commercial and operational leaders.This is a working Controller position. The person in this seat performs the work as well as owning it.CORE RESPONSIBILITIESAccounting and CloseOwn the monthly, quarterly, and annual close, including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and preparation of financial statements under U.S. GAAPMaintain the general ledger and chart of accounts; ensure intercompany transactions are recorded, reconciled, and supportedPrepare and deliver the recurring reporting package to the parent company on the group reporting calendar, including data required for global consolidationOwn the fixed asset ledger, depreciation schedules, and prepaid and accrual schedulesInventory and Cost AccountingOwn inventory valuation, standard cost development, and variance analysis in a combined manufacturing and distribution environmentAccount for imported inventory, including landed cost, freight, duties, and tariff impactsPartner with operations on cycle counts, physical inventory, and obsolescence and reserve analysisProvide product-level and customer-level margin analysis to support pricing decisionsControls and ComplianceDesign, document, and maintain internal controls, segregation of duties, and written accounting policies and proceduresEnsure compliance with U.S. GAAP and with federal, state, and local tax filing obligations, including sales and use, income, property, and annual reportingCoordinate external audit, tax preparation, and banking and insurance relationshipsMaintain financial records supporting customs and trade compliance in coordination with operationsPlanning and Business PartnershipLead the annual budget and periodic reforecast in coordination with U.S. leadership and the parent companyBuild and maintain rolling cash flow forecasting; manage working capital, receivables collection, and vendor payment timingTranslate financial results into plain-language insight for leaders who are not accountantsServe as the finance and accounting representative on the U.S. leadership team, contributing to strategic and operational decisionsSystems and TeamOwn the finance side of the ERP system, including data integrity, reporting, and process improvementSupervise or directly perform accounts payable, accounts receivable, general accounting, and payroll processing oversightBuild the accounting function's capability as the business growsWHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN YEAR ONEA monthly close that runs on a predictable calendar and produces statements leadership and the parent company trust without reworkDocumented accounting procedures and internal controls where undocumented practice exists todayInventory and cost accounting that ties cleanly and explains margin movementA cash forecast used to make decisionsREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONSBachelor's degree in Accounting or FinanceMinimum seven (7) years of progressive accounting experience, including three (3) or more in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or equivalent senior accounting roleDemonstrated ownership of a full monthly close and preparation of U.S. GAAP financial statementsInventory and cost accounting experience in manufacturing, distribution, or bothHands-on ERP experience, including month-end processing and building reports without IT supportAdvanced ExcelProven ability to operate effectively in a small accounting function without a large support staffHigh personal integrity and sound judgment handling confidential financial and personnel informationPREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSCPA or MBASAP or comparable mid-market ERPExperience with imported goods: landed cost, customs duties, and tariff classification impactsExperience formalizing accounting processes in an organization where they were previously informalExperience supporting an external audit, ideally a first-time or newly expanded auditCross-cultural communication skills and comfort working across time zonesWORK ARRANGEMENTFull time, onsite, West Michigan. This is not a remote or hybrid-primary role.Exempt under the Fair Labor Standards ActPeriodic early-morning meetings to align with the parent company's time zoneOccasional international travelWe are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, height, weight, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal law or by the Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, MCL 37.2202. Reasonable accommodation is available to applicants with disabilities upon request.