Controller, Finance & Banking, Accounting Manager

A mid-size PE-backed manufacturing company is seeking a strategic, hands-on Controller to lead Finance and Accounting in the St. Paul area. This role is a key leadership position, responsible for strengthening financial performance, supporting operational excellence, and building scalable processes as the business continues to grow. You’ll partner closely with operations and corporate teams, bring rigor to financial reporting and controls, and develop a high-performing accounting organization positioned for future expansion.

• Lead the preparation and delivery of accurate, timely financial statements in accordance with GAAP.
• Own cash forecasting and working capital management, driving continuous improvement across accounting processes.
• Deliver actionable insights on financial performance, trends, and forecasts to support strategic decision-making.
• Partner with corporate FP&A and business leaders to enhance budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.

• Oversee all day-to-day accounting functions, including AP, AR, cost accounting, general ledger, payroll, and inventory.
• Lead inventory accounting and proactively analyze production variances in close collaboration with manufacturing and operations teams.
• Drive continuous improvement of the monthly five-day close process.
• Design and implement standardized operating procedures focused on simplification, efficiency, and scalability.

• Strengthen internal controls and financial governance to support growth and risk mitigation.
• Manage audit and tax processes, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and on-time completion.
• Provide technical accounting leadership for complex areas such as purchase accounting, leases, consolidations, reserves, and valuations.
• Oversee company insurance programs, including policy management, compliance, and claims.

• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Coach, mentor, and develop a high-performing accounting team aligned with best practices.
• Scale the accounting function to support increasing business complexity and future growth.

• 7–10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including people leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Prior experience as a Controller for a standalone business or a divisional role within a larger organization.
• Strong data and systems skills, including Power Query and Power Pivot.
• Proven experience partnering with manufacturing and operations teams.
• Deep expertise in inventory accounting and production variance analysis.
• Demonstrated success developing and leading accounting professionals.
• Track record of optimizing, automating, and accelerating close processes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial topics for non-finance stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• High integrity and commitment to ethical standards.

• Background that includes Big Four or tier-two public accounting combined with corporate accounting experience.
• CPA designation.
• Cost accounting experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in private equity-backed companies and/or M&A integration.
• Multi-site manufacturing or consumer products industry experience.
• Significant contribution to a successful ERP implementation.