Assistant Controller / Controller (Wholesale Footwear & Fashion) AZALEA WANG

AZALEA WANG Assistant Controller / Controller (Wholesale Footwear & Fashion)Azalea Wang is a dynamic wholesale footwear and fashion brand with distribution through major national retail accounts, including Urban Outfitters and Von Maur. We operate at the intersection of creative brand-building and disciplined wholesale operations, requiring finance leadership that can move between strategic oversight and hands-on execution.Our finance team is a small, high-ownership group embedded in the business. We don’t have layers of process handed down from a large corporate parent — we build what we need, own what we build, and move fast. The person in this role will be expected to bring the same energy.The Position: Assistant Controller / Controller (Wholesale Footwear & Fashion)Location: Chicago, IL - OnsiteDepartment: Finance & AccountingReports To: Controller / Senior LeadershipPosition SummaryWe are seeking an experienced accounting professional to serve as Assistant Controller or Controller — title and scope determined by the candidate's background, leadership experience, and technical depth. This is a full-ownership role: you will be responsible for the complete accounting cycle, from daily transactional operations through month-end close, financial reporting, and audit readiness.The right candidate has worked in fast-fashion, wholesale apparel, or footwear, or a similarly high-velocity inventory-driven environment. You understand how wholesale AR actually works — EDI, retailer deductions,high-volume vendor management — and you’ve owned the close cycle and take initiative to drive it forward.Key ResponsibilitiesMonth-End Close & Financial ReportingOwn and execute the full monthly, quarterly, and annual close cycle end-to-endPrepare and review financial statements, supporting schedules, and variance analysisEnsure timely and accurate revenue recognition, inventory accounting, and expense accrualsMaintain general ledger integrity and manage the chart of accountsDeliver clean, audit-ready financials to leadership on a consistent close calendarSupport budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow planningAccounts Payable & Vendor ManagementOversee AP operations, including high-volume invoice processing, vendor reconciliation, and payment management across a large domestic and international vendor baseManage payment runs, vendor statement reconciliations, and dispute resolutionWork directly with international and domestic vendors on payment timing, invoice discrepancies, and account cleanupEnsure accurate three-way matching and proper cut-off for accrualsInventory & Cost AccountingEnsure accurate inventory accounting across wholesale channels and product categoriesManage inventory reconciliations, reserves, and shrink/write-off analysisOversee COGS accounting and gross margin reporting by channel and categoryPartner with merchandising and operations on inventory controls, costing, and landed cost accuracySupport seasonal inventory roll-forwards and physical count reconciliationReporting & ControlsSupport internal controls related to cash and balance sheet accountsAssist with external audits by providing requested schedules and documentationIdentify process gaps and recommend improvements to increase efficiency and accuracySystems, Controls & Process ImprovementServe as the accounting owner of the ERP system (NetSuite preferred) — including saved searches, reporting, and workflow optimizationLead or support system implementations, upgrades, or integrations as neededBuild and maintain strong internal controls and process documentationIdentify and drive process improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency, and scalabilityPartner with IT/admin on system configuration, data integrity, and automation opportunitiesTeam Leadership & Cross-Functional PartnershipManage, review, and develop accounting team membersCollaborate with operations, sales, merchandising, and logistics on financial reporting and planningServe as a key finance partner to leadership on ad hoc analysis, business decisions, and strategic initiativesSupport annual audit preparation and act as primary contact for external auditorsQualificationsBachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA preferred but not required5+ years of progressive accounting experience in wholesale apparel, footwear, fast fashion, or retailDemonstrated ownership of the full month-end close cycleHands-on experience with wholesale AR — retailer deductions, remittance reconciliation, and high-volume vendor managementStrong understanding of inventory accounting, COGS, and cost of goods in a wholesale environmentNetSuite experience strongly preferred; proficiency in other ERP systems consideredAdvanced Excel skills — comfortable building and maintaining complex reconciliation workbooksExperience managing direct reports and building team capacityProven ability to build, improve, and document accounting processes in a fast-moving environmentStrong communicator with the ability to work cross-functionally and present to senior leadershipsIdeal Candidate ProfileHas worked in a high-SKU, high-velocity environment where speed and accuracy both matterUnderstands wholesale AR from the inside — how retailer deductions get disputed and recovered, and how to manage high-volume vendor relationships with accuracy and accountabilityHas owned a close cycle, not just contributed to one, and has a track record of hitting the calendarHas been through a system implementation and can speak to what went wrong and how they managed through itSelf-directed, high standards, and comfortable operating without a detailed playbookBrings strong process instincts — identifies gaps and fixes them without being askedInternational vendor experience (AP reconciliation, payment coordination) is a plusSpecific title and compensation will be determined based on the candidate's experience and skill set. We are open to evaluating candidates across a range of levels for the right fit.Job Type: Full-TimeAt AKIRA, we believe in breaking down the barriers of the traditional retail experience and embracing the individuality of both our team and our clients. We’re on the lookout for extraordinary individuals who thrive on creativity, innovation, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.Join our team and become part of a culture that values diversity, fosters personal growth, and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.