Controller

The Controller / Finance Manager is a hands-on finance leader responsible for overseeing accounting and financial operations within a mid-sized manufacturing environment. This role leads month-end close, financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, internal controls, and cash flow management, while serving as a strategic business partner to operations and commercial leadership.

The position is both strategic and execution-oriented, requiring strong judgment, analytical rigor, and the ability to translate financial results into clear, decision-ready insights that support operational performance, profitability, and working capital discipline.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Close, Reporting, and Controls

• Lead the monthly close process, including journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules.
• Produce timely, accurate financial statements and management reporting with clear analysis and commentary.
• Establish and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting appropriate for a small-team environment.
• Maintain general ledger structure and ensure consistent accounting treatment across transactions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards and internal policies.

Manufacturing Finance and Cost Accounting

• Own inventory valuation and manufacturing finance disciplines, including cycle counts, physical inventories, and inventory controls.
• Maintain and improve standard costing methodologies for materials, labor, and overhead.
• Lead variance analysis and communicate key drivers, trends, and corrective actions.
• Partner with operations leadership to improve cost visibility, discipline, and decision-making.
• Analyze scrap, rework, and other cost-of-quality drivers.

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Performance Management

• Lead annual budgeting and periodic forecasting processes, coordinating across departments.
• Deliver variance-to-budget and variance-to-forecast analysis with actionable recommendations.
• Develop and maintain KPI reporting tied to manufacturing performance, margins, working capital, and operating expenses.
• Build financial models to support planning scenarios and operational decisions.

Pricing, Margin, and Commercial Support

• Partner with commercial leadership to support pricing, quoting, and margin protection.
• Provide profitability analysis by product line, customer, and order type.
• Identify margin improvement opportunities and support disciplined commercial decision-making.

Cash Flow, Working Capital, and Treasury

• Monitor and forecast cash flow, providing regular visibility into key drivers and risks.
• Manage working capital performance with emphasis on inventory, receivables, and payables.
• Support accounts receivable and payable oversight as needed to ensure predictable cash performance.
• Analyze capital spending, payback, and liquidity impacts.

Audit, Tax, and External Partner Coordination

• Coordinate year-end audit preparation and completion with external accounting partners.
• Support tax compliance activities through coordination with external advisors.
• Maintain organized documentation to support audits and financial reviews.

ERP Ownership and Process Improvement (Finance)

• Serve as the finance owner for ERP-related controls and reporting processes.
• Partner cross-functionally to improve transaction discipline impacting inventory, WIP, shipments, and invoicing.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen controls, shorten close timelines, and improve reporting quality.
• Implement automation and standard work where it improves accuracy, timeliness, and scalability.

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead and develop a small accounting/finance team through coaching, clear expectations, and accountability.
• Ensure cross-training and coverage for critical finance processes.
• Establish consistent execution and communication routines.

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Controller and/or Finance Manager in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong expertise in inventory accounting, standard costing, and variance analysis.
• ERP experience within a manufacturing setting, with ownership of finance-related controls and reporting.
• Advanced Excel skills for analysis, modeling, and reconciliations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present clearly to senior leadership.
• Hands-on, detail-oriented approach with the ability to execute personally while leading others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with modern ERP platforms supporting manufacturing finance and inventory workflows.
• Background supporting ERP implementations, stabilization, or post–go-live optimization.
• Experience building management reporting packages and KPI dashboards.
• Prior experience in a small-to-mid-size manufacturing organization.

Core Competencies

• Manufacturing finance leadership (inventory and costing)
• Disciplined month-end close and financial reporting ownership
• Analytical rigor and root-cause orientation
• Executive-level communication and presence
• Practical internal controls mindset
• Continuous improvement and process discipline
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, hands-on environment

Warren Averett is an equal opportunity employer. We hire, promote and make all other employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, genetic information, military service, disability, age, or any other unlawful basis.