Controller

Controller (Succession Plan to CFO)

Location: Lake Geneva, WI

Position Type: Full-Time

Our client is seeking a high-impact Controller to join its leadership team in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced accounting and finance professional to step into a strategic leadership role with a clearly defined succession path to CFO. The ideal candidate will bring a blend of strong technical accounting expertise, leadership capabilities, and operational finance experience within a consumer packaged goods (CPG), distribution, or related product-based environment.

The Controller will oversee all accounting operations, financial reporting, internal controls, budgeting, forecasting, and business partnering activities while helping drive the company's continued growth and profitability. This position offers significant visibility to executive leadership and the opportunity to influence strategic decision-making across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all accounting and financial reporting activities, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and compliance with GAAP.
• Manage the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes.
• Prepare and analyze financial statements and provide insights to senior leadership.
• Oversee inventory accounting, cost accounting, and gross margin analysis.
• Direct budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and financial planning activities.
• Develop and maintain strong internal controls and accounting policies.
• Partner with operations, supply chain, distribution, and sales leadership to improve business performance.
• Oversee external audits, tax compliance, and banking relationships.
• Monitor key performance indicators and provide actionable recommendations to improve profitability and operational efficiency.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the accounting and finance team.
• Participate in strategic initiatives including system implementations, process improvements, acquisitions, and growth planning.
• Serve as a key business partner to executive leadership while preparing for future advancement into the CFO role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting required.
• CPA designation strongly preferred.
• Public accounting experience strongly preferred, ideally with a regional or national public accounting firm.
• 8 years of progressive accounting and finance experience.
• Previous Controller experience required.
• Strong experience within a consumer products, manufacturing, or distribution environment.
• Deep understanding of inventory accounting, cost accounting, and supply chain financial processes.
• Demonstrated experience leading month-end close, financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting functions.
• Experience working with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling capabilities.
• Strong leadership, communication, and business partnership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA certification.
• Public accounting background with experience serving CPG, manufacturing, or distribution clients.
• Experience in organizations with annual revenues between $50M and $500M.
• Experience supporting private equity-backed or high-growth companies.
• Exposure to strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, or enterprise system implementations.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $170,000 - $200,000 base salary, depending on experience.

In addition:

• Annual performance bonus
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous PTO and paid holidays
• Leadership development opportunities
• Executive succession planning toward CFO

Why Join?

This opportunity offers more than a traditional Controller role. The selected candidate will work closely with executive leadership, gain exposure to strategic decision-making, and have a clearly defined path toward becoming the organization's future CFO. The company offers a collaborative culture, strong growth trajectory, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the business.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Our company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees and applicants are treated with respect and dignity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and encourages individuals from all backgrounds to apply.