Controller

Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced and results-oriented Controller for a newly acquired portfolio company that is a manufacturer and distributor of consumer and industrial products. The company is located in the Miami area, operates manufacturing and distribution from a single site, sells through a network of distributors and retailers, and serves a customer base that is substantially international.

The business has been closely held and owner-operated and is now transitioning to institutional ownership. This role is the primary owner of all financial and accounting processes and functions, including day-to-day bookkeeping, tax and insurance, and the fiscal performance of the organization in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and industry best practices.

This is a full-time, salaried position that requires five days per week on-site.

This role holds direct responsibility for maintaining accounting books and records and will be directly involved in transitioning the business to best practice accounting methodologies. The successful Controller will also partner with the CEO on operational issues to help drive the value creation plan.

The company today runs its books through an internal bookkeeper with an outside CPA firm preparing monthly entries and annual financial statements. The Controller will bring the accounting function in-house, establish a disciplined monthly close, build management reporting and KPIs where little exists today, and play a central role in selecting and implementing a modern ERP system to replace legacy platforms.

The role is hands-on. The Controller will be supported by existing administrative staff who handle day-to-day accounts receivable and accounts payable processing, and should expect to perform transactional work personally.

Fluency in both English and Spanish is a requirement of this role. The Controller will work daily with employees, customers, and vendors in both languages.

The Controller works internally with the CEO, department managers, and the private equity ownership group, and externally with banking partners, insurance brokers, independent accountants, income tax preparers, and certain other support vendors. The Controller will have regular interaction with employees at all levels of the organization.

The Controller reports directly to the company’s CEO and works directly with the private equity ownership group.

Essential Functions

Management

• Work with the CEO and department managers on decisions pertaining to operating performance and execution.
• Maintain primary day-to-day responsibility for all financial-related activities of the company, which includes responsibility for accounting, finance, forecasting, strategic planning, deal analysis and negotiations, investor relationships, and compliance.
• Provide management with advice on the financial implications of business activities.
• Provide timely and accurate analysis of budgets, financial reports, and financial trends to assist the CEO and other management members in performing their responsibilities.
• Represent the company to financial partners, including financial institutions, investors, auditors, and public officials.
• Provide oversight of administrative staff supporting the accounting function and of all external vendors supporting finance, tax, and audit activities.
• Directly engage staff in developing and fostering the culture of the company.

Hands-On Accounting Ownership

• Transition the monthly close from the outside CPA firm to an in-house process, including journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and a defined close calendar.
• Own day-to-day transactional work, including bank and credit card reconciliations, payroll entry and coordination with the payroll processor, vendor payments, and general ledger maintenance.
• Produce consolidated and entity-level financial statements across related operating entities, including intercompany transactions, transfer pricing, and eliminations.
• Optimize relationships with credit card, bank, and cash deposit institutions, and maintain a robust system of internal controls over all accounting transactions.

Inventory, Costing, and Supply Chain

• Own inventory accounting for both manufactured and purchased finished goods, including standard costing, bill of materials, batch and production costing, variance analysis, cycle counts, physical inventories, and reserves for obsolete and slow-moving stock.
• Establish landed cost methodology for imported raw materials, packaging, and finished goods, including freight, delivery, duties, and tariffs.
• Develop product-level and customer-level margin reporting to support pricing decisions.
• Partner with operations and purchasing to introduce vendor pricing discipline, competitive quoting, and inventory planning practices.

Financial Strategic Direction

• Plan, implement, manage, and control all financial-related activities of the company to meet both short-term and long-term strategic financial objectives.
• Set strategies and initiatives to improve the financial performance of the company.
• Direct and implement financial strategic plans for accounting and financial activities.
• Provide recommendations to strategically enhance financial performance and business activities.

Transactional Excellence

• Oversee the management of short-term working capital and cash flow planning; ensure the availability of funds as needed.
• Oversee processing of accounts payable, collection of accounts receivable, and completion of monthly bank reconciliations.
• Manage credit and collections across a domestic and international customer base, including credit limits, terms, aging discipline, and coordination with the sales team.
• Support export and shipping documentation and international payment mechanics, including wire transfers and letters of credit where applicable.
• Manage loan payments, monitor loan provisions, and ensure strict compliance with all debt covenants and lender reporting requirements on a leveraged balance sheet.

Financial Planning, Analysis, and Reporting

• Ensure credibility of the finance and accounting function by providing timely and accurate month-end, quarter-end, and year-end financial statements.
• Develop, manage, and ensure accurate processes for financial forecasting, planning, budgeting, and reporting to the company and its stakeholders.
• Recommend, prepare, and manage financial and operating metrics, including a KPI package for the CEO and the board.
• Play a leading role in preparing and developing board meeting presentations; participate in and play a key role in all board meeting financial reviews.
• Calculate variances from budget and report significant issues to management.
• Provide ad hoc financial analysis as needed, including capital investments, pricing decisions, and contract negotiations.

Qualifications

Required

• Full professional fluency in both English and Spanish, written and verbal. This is a requirement of the role, not a preference.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance is required; advanced degrees a plus.
• A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience.
• Previous experience within a manufacturing or distribution environment, including hands-on inventory and cost accounting.
• Demonstrated ownership of a monthly close in a company without a large accounting department.
• Ability to work on-site in the Miami area five days per week.

Preferred

• Successful completion of the Uniform Certified Public Accountants Exam is preferred, but not required.
• Previous interaction and experience with private equity partners and related banking concepts, including leveraged balance sheets and bank covenant reporting.
• Experience with ERP selection or implementation.
• Experience with import and export operations, landed cost, duties, and tariffs.
• Experience supporting international customers or distributors.

Personal Attributes

• High level of integrity and dependability, with a strong sense of urgency and work ethic.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate and manage well at all levels of the organization.
• Strong problem solving and assessment skills; ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions based on accurate and timely analysis.
• Comfortable operating in a founder-run business transitioning to institutional ownership and best-practice processes.
• Results oriented; driven and engaged to develop, mentor, and manage accounting and finance personnel and functions.
• Adaptable and capable of handling multiple projects and work streams efficiently.

Skills

• Must possess strong financial acumen, reading, writing, grammar, and mathematics skills.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and financial modeling.
• Working knowledge of QuickBooks is required; familiarity with cloud-based inventory platforms is a plus.
• Must possess strong computer skills including Microsoft Office products, most notably Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Must be able to manage confidential information with the utmost integrity and discretion.

Selection Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit resumes and cover letters. Candidates with appropriate backgrounds will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Selected candidates will then be invited to proceed to phone and in-person discussions. Compensation will be competitive and based on candidates’ skills, qualifications, and experience.