Controller

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Position Type: Full-Time | Senior Leadership

Position Summary

Furniture Enterprises of Alaska is seeking an experienced and highly capable Controller to lead the company’s accounting and financial reporting functions. This position will play a critical role in maintaining the financial integrity of the organization while providing ownership and senior leadership with timely, accurate financial information to support business decisions.

The Controller will oversee general accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, internal controls, inventory accounting, accounts payable and receivable, payroll oversight, and month-end/year-end closing processes.

The ideal candidate will combine strong technical accounting knowledge with a practical understanding of business operations. Experience within furniture retail, multi-location retail, distribution, or another inventory-intensive business is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Accounting

• Direct all day-to-day accounting activities and maintain accurate financial records.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and year-end closing processes.
• Prepare and review financial statements, management reports, balance sheets, income statements, and cash-flow reporting.
• Ensure timely reconciliation of general ledger accounts and resolution of discrepancies.
• Maintain the chart of accounts and ensure transactions are properly classified.
• Provide ownership and senior leadership with accurate financial information and meaningful analysis.
• Ensure accounting practices comply with applicable accounting standards, company policies, and regulatory requirements.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Analysis

• Lead the annual budgeting process and support periodic forecasting.
• Compare actual performance against budgets, forecasts, and prior periods.
• Identify significant financial variances and communicate findings to leadership.
• Analyze sales, gross margins, expenses, labor costs, inventory, and profitability.
• Develop financial models and reporting tools that improve management's visibility into business performance.
• Support leadership in evaluating capital expenditures and other significant business investments.

Inventory & Retail Accounting

• Maintain accurate accounting and financial controls surrounding inventory.
• Partner with purchasing, merchandising, warehouse, and operational leadership to reconcile inventory activity.
• Monitor inventory valuation, adjustments, shrinkage, aging, and other inventory-related financial issues.
• Assist management in analyzing inventory turns and the financial impact of inventory decisions.
• Ensure appropriate controls exist for receiving, transfers, adjustments, and other inventory transactions.
• Support physical inventory and cycle-count processes as appropriate.

Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable

• Provide oversight of accounts payable and accounts receivable functions.
• Ensure vendor invoices and payments are processed accurately and timely.
• Monitor receivables and assist with resolving outstanding balances.
• Maintain appropriate approval processes and segregation of duties.
• Monitor vendor credits, customer refunds, deposits, and other significant transactions.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Identify areas of financial or operational risk and recommend corrective measures.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and approval processes are followed.
• Coordinate annual audits, tax preparation, and other external financial reviews.
• Serve as the primary accounting contact for external accountants, auditors, banks, and other financial partners.
• Support compliance with federal, state, and local financial and tax requirements.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop members of the accounting and finance team.
• Establish clear responsibilities, deadlines, and performance expectations.
• Improve accounting workflows and eliminate unnecessary manual processes.
• Promote accuracy, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with operational departments to strengthen financial understanding throughout the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required.
• 7 years of progressive accounting and financial management experience, with previous Controller, Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, or comparable leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in retail, furniture, distribution, warehousing, or another inventory-intensive environment preferred.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting principles.
• Demonstrated experience with budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow management, and financial analysis.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting and internal controls.
• Experience overseeing month-end and year-end close processes.
• Advanced proficiency with accounting/ERP systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Experience improving accounting processes and implementing financial controls.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate financial information effectively to both financial and non-financial leaders.
• CPA or CMA designation is preferred but not required.

Leadership Profile

The successful Controller will be a hands-on financial leader who combines attention to detail with a strong understanding of the broader business. This individual should be comfortable working directly with ownership and executive leadership while remaining actively involved in accounting operations.

The Controller should be able to identify what is happening behind the numbers—not simply report results—and provide management with actionable financial insight regarding profitability, margins, inventory, expenses, cash flow, and operational performance.

Compensation & Benefits

Furniture Enterprises of Alaska offers a competitive compensation package based on experience and qualifications, including:

• Competitive base salary
• Performance-based incentive opportunity, as applicable
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance for qualified out-of-state candidates, as applicable