Controller

Controller

Sales, Marketing & Service, LLC (SMS)

Location: Stoughton, MA (just outside Boston)

About the Role

Sales, Marketing & Service (SMS) is a leading stocking manufacturers' representative serving the HVAC, Hydronic and Plumbing market across New England and New York. Together with our affiliate in Albany, NY, we are building a multi-location platform through organic growth and acquisition, backed by a committed investor group with real operational experience.

We are seeking a hands-on Controller to own the accounting and finance function across the platform. This is a build role: you will lead the conversion of our Stoughton business from QuickBooks onto NetSuite (already live at our Albany affiliate), establish multi-entity consolidation and reporting, stand up audit readiness, and put in place the processes a growing acquisition platform needs. You will work closely with our existing, small accounting team and be the finance point of contact for our lender, our accountants and auditors, our payroll provider, and the deal team on future acquisitions.

This position is based at our Stoughton, MA headquarters and works day-to-day with the business leaders of our operating businesses and with ownership. It is a high-visibility role for someone who wants to own the numbers of a growing company rather than a slice of a large finance department.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting & Close

• Own the monthly close across multiple entities, including intercompany activity, consolidation and elimination entries.
• Maintain the general ledger, chart of accounts, and accounting policies on a consistent basis across locations.
• Manage AP, AR, inventory accounting, commissions receivable, and fixed assets, working closely with the existing accounting and administrative team at each location.
• Produce timely monthly financial packages: P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, and KPI reporting (gross margin by line, operating expenses, inventory turns, backlog).

Systems & Process (first-year priority)

• Lead the ERP conversion of the Stoughton business from QuickBooks onto NetSuite, building on the existing NetSuite environment at our Albany affiliate, and establish a common multi-entity structure, chart of accounts, and reporting.
• Implement corporate card, expense, and AP workflows and the related integrations.
• Document and strengthen internal controls appropriate for a company of our size.

Treasury, Lender & Compliance

• Own the 13-week cash flow forecast, working capital management, and revolver reporting.
• Prepare lender covenant calculations and compliance certificates and serve as day-to-day contact with our bank.
• Coordinate sales and use tax filings, 1099s, and other statutory filings with outside accountants.
• Support insurance renewals and annual payroll and benefits audits.

Audit & Transactions

• Manage the annual financial statement audit — our first-year audit is already underway — including auditor requests, schedules and support, and stub-period requirements.
• Support purchase accounting, opening balance sheets, working capital true-ups, and integration for completed and future acquisitions.
• Support diligence on new acquisitions: data room preparation, quality-of-earnings support, and financial modeling assistance.

Business Partnership

• Partner with the Presidents of each operating business on budgeting, forecasting, pricing and margin analysis, and incentive and commission calculations.
• Provide ownership with clear, decision-ready reporting and analysis.

Qualifications

Experience & Background

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance required; CPA strongly preferred.
• 7 years of progressive accounting experience, including 3 years as a Controller or Assistant Controller in a distribution, wholesale, manufacturers' representative, or similar product-based business.
• Multi-entity consolidation experience required; experience in a private equity-backed or acquisitive company strongly preferred.
• Hands-on NetSuite experience strongly preferred, ideally including a QuickBooks-to-NetSuite migration or a multi-subsidiary NetSuite environment.
• Experience preparing for and managing annual audits; purchase accounting exposure a plus.
• Working knowledge of inventory accounting and commission-based revenue models a plus.

Skills & Competencies

• Builder's mindset: comfortable creating processes, not just running them. Proactive.
• Hands-on and detail-oriented; willing to post entries and reconcile accounts, not just review.
• Strong Excel and systems skills; able to turn data into decision-ready analysis.
• Clear communicator who can work with owners, operators, lenders and auditors.
• High integrity and discretion with sensitive information.
• Organized and calm managing competing priorities and deadlines.

Additional Requirements

• Based on-site in Stoughton, MA, with periodic travel to Albany, NY or potential acquisition targets.
• Flexibility around month-end, year-end, and transaction deadlines.

Why Join SMS

• Own the finance function of a growing multi-location platform — your systems, your close, your numbers.
• Lead a NetSuite migration and multi-entity build from the front.
• Direct exposure to ownership and the Board, lenders, and M&A activity.
• Entrepreneurial culture with autonomy and accountability.
• Participate in financial upside as the platform grows.

Sales, Marketing & Service is an equal opportunity employer.