Financial Controller

Our client, a rapidly growing, PE-backed consumer products manufacturer, is seeking an experienced Financial Controller. Supporting both the General Manager of the plant and the Corporate Controller in Ohio, this Financial Controller will be a critical leader during this transformative period in the business. We have worked with this team to engage two new Business Development Leaders to fuel growth, a new Plant Manager to shore up production, and a head of R&D to engage with customers on new product development. The final piece of the puzzle is a new Financial Controller to support accounting and financial analysis. If you are a well-rounded Finance & Accounting leader with strong manufacturing experience, ideally in a PE-backed environment, please read on....

This individual will report to the Corporate Controller and will provide leadership and oversight of the accounting operations of the organization, including responsibility for the design of the accounting structure and control environment, and a robust system for comparison of actual results to forecasts and plans. S/he will interface with investors, lenders, and regulatory agencies and is responsible for the accuracy of all internal and external reporting.

The Financial Controller is accountable for the production of periodic financial reports, maintenance of an adequate system of accounting records, and a comprehensive set of internal controls and budgets designed to mitigate risk, enhance the accuracy and integrity of the company's reported financial results, and ensure that reported results comply with generally accepted accounting principles and financial reporting standards. The Financial Controller will report to the Corporate Controller and CFO for analysis of the monthly results, comparisons to forecast and plans, systematic variance analysis, strategic planning and execution related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, or private equity transactions, and ad hoc financial advice.

Position Responsibilities

• Oversee the operation of the accounting department, including a cost accountant/pricing analyst, accounts receivable/accounts payable clerk, and payroll administrator. Ensure that the department's goals and objectives are met.
• Direct monthly accounting consolidation process and maintenance of General Ledger, including responsibility for adherence to GAAP, approval of accounting entries, and reconciliation of all balance sheet accounts.
• Develop forecasts and annual plans to provide investors, lenders, and management with adequate information to assess the financial and operational status of the business.
• Oversee production of monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting and financial reports, and analysis against monthly forecasts and annual plans. Identify and surface financial concerns by monitoring variances, identifying trends, and recommending actions to management.
• Lead cost and profitability analysis by providing trends and forecasts, explaining processes and techniques, and providing actionable recommendations.
• Prepare reports required by regulatory agencies, tax authorities, and lending groups.
• Coordinate the information provided to external auditors and serve as the key interface for the annual audit.
• Serve as the primary financial liaison and point person supporting the valuation, due diligence, and sale processes, collaborating directly with senior leadership, investment bankers, and external advisors.

Position Criteria

• Inspirational and transformational leadership skills and strong team orientation.
• Brings excellent communication skills to the role that will assist in building confidence in the finance organization.
• Proven track record of developing and managing highly successful teams.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, goal-oriented work environment while setting priorities and managing deadlines.
• Strong strategic and analytical thinking skills – an attention to detail without losing sight of the big picture.
• Highly experienced in accounting systems requirements with multiple ERP platforms, especially SAP.
• Thorough understanding of accounting principles, practices, and procedures.
• Ability to analyze, identify, and implement opportunities and corporate initiatives for improvement.
• Ability to recruit, train, and retain key talent in the finance department.
• Must be hands-on and be willing to get their hands dirty

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required in accounting or business administration. A Master’s degree is highly preferred.
• CPA Certification preferred.
• 5 years of experience as a Controller or equivalent financial roles of increasing responsibility in a manufacturing environment.
• Prior experience in a private equity-owned stand-alone business is strongly preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills with experience with multiple ERP systems.
• Strong working knowledge of cybersecurity and IT infrastructure controls.
• Strong Excel modeling capabilities.
• High standard of accuracy and precision; highly organized; focused on delivering commitments.
• Highly driven and self-motivated with a passion for continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to roll up sleeves and work with other associates in a hands-on management capacity.
• Unwillingness to accept the status quo combined with a strong bias for action.
• Knows the business and the technical skills needed to do the job; understands various types of business. Propositions and understands how businesses operate in general; learns new methods and technologies easily.
• Can quickly separate the mission-critical from the nice to dos and the trivial; quickly senses the next most useful thing to work on; focuses on the critical few tasks that add value and prioritizes accordingly.
• Effective process, workflow, and systems designer; Is good at figuring out what to measure to track progress; always looking for incremental process improvement.
• Attacks everything with drive and energy with an eye on the bottom line; drives to finish everything he/she starts. Ability to keep pace with a highly responsive, private equity-backed company.