Financial Controller

Our client is seeking a hands-on Finance Director/Controller to lead day-to-day financial operations for its U.S. business, drive an ERP implementation as part of its integration into a larger international group, and serve as a true finance business partner to leadership through a period of rapid growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own day-to-day financial operations and oversee the local accounting/administration team (accounting, payroll, banking, accounts payable, and billing functions)
• Lead the U.S. side of an ERP implementation (SAP), replacing the legacy system, including inventory tracking, costing, and bill-of-materials setup
• Run monthly physical/perpetual inventory counts and closes to accurately calculate margin
• Maintain regular, hands-on presence across operations (warehouse, logistics, plant floor) to understand first-hand where financial and inventory data originates — this is not a desk-only role
• Provide technical accounting support to the local team on more complex journal entries and transactions
• Maintain rolling revenue and margin forecasts and proactively escalate emerging risks or variances to leadership in real time, ahead of period close
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and half-year financial reporting packages for the parent company's HQ, including in-depth variance analysis (actual vs. budget and prior period) on revenue, margin, and net financial position
• Support quarterly consolidated reporting required under the group's senior credit facility covenants
• Partner with external auditors and tax advisors on annual financial statements and related tax filings
• Manage working capital, cash flow, and the short-term credit line; support negotiation of a new Capex credit facility
• Provide hands-on financial and margin analysis (cost of goods, first margin, pricing) in partnership with sales and operations leadership, including monitoring and timely execution of price increases to protect margin

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Prior experience as a Controller, Finance Director, or senior financial/accounting leader in a manufacturing or distribution business
• Hands-on, detail-oriented approach — comfortable working at the transaction level and spending time in operations, not just reviewing reports from a desk
• Experience with ERP implementations (SAP strongly preferred), including inventory, costing, and bill-of-materials setup
• Strong controlling/FP&A orientation combined with solid core accounting fundamentals
• Experience working with external auditors and tax advisors on annual financial statements and compliance
• Comfortable building process and working with a lean team in a still-maturing finance function
• Available to work on-site in New Jersey daily; this is not a remote position

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Background in food & beverage, CPG, or a similar distribution/manufacturing industry (a plus, not required)
• Experience in a private-equity-backed or multinational group environment
• Exposure to both U.S. GAAP and IFRS reporting
• Open to candidates of any nationality or background

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Competitive base salary plus annual performance bonus tied to company financial KPIs (e.g., EBITDA, net financial position)
• Choice of three medical plans through a national carrier (HSA-eligible EPO, EPO, and PPO), with employee-only contributions as low as $0 per pay period
• 401(k) plan with immediate eligibility (minimum age 21, no waiting period) and a 3% employer safe harbor contribution for all eligible participants, immediately 100% vested, plus potential discretionary match and profit sharing
• Potential long-term incentive structure under discussion
• Relocation assistance open for discussion for the right candidate