Controller $150-175k plus bonus

Controller

$150-175k plus bonus

Atlanta, GA

Bell \& Associates has been engaged to find our client’s next

Controller

. This role is responsible for overseeing all financial operations, including budgeting, financial reporting, audits, and ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. The Controller will manage cash flow, analyze financial data, and play a key role in strategic financial planning.

This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership position during a period of scalable growth. The Controller will serve as a critical business partner to the CFO and executive team, translating financial data into actionable insights across our manufacturing and distribution operations. This role requires a leader who can strengthen processes, navigate complex inventory environments, and drive accountability across the organization.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, operationally driven environment and brings a proactive approach to improving financial performance, optimizing systems, and supporting informed decision-making at all levels of the business.

Operating Model: All business operations are U.S.-based. Our India office functions as an accounting shared services team handling most transactional processing. This role owns governance and controls and ensures close coordination between the U.S. and India teams.

Responsibilities

Financial Leadership \& Close Management

• Close Leadership: Lead the month-end, quarterly, and year-end close processes to ensure the delivery of timely, GAAP-compliant financial statements.
• Insightful Reporting: Develop KPI-driven reporting packages (beyond standard P\&L and balance sheet) to provide leadership with a clear view of cash flow and variance trends.
• Planning Support: Support budgeting/forecasting and monthly operating reviews, partnering with Operations and Sales to explain performance drivers.
• Audit \& Compliance: Serve as the primary liaison for external auditors and tax advisors, ensuring all schedules are audit-ready and sales tax compliance is maintained.

Accounting Shared Services Oversight (India)

• Governance: Provide day-to-day performance management for the India-based team responsible for transactional processing (AP, AR, JE preparation, and reconciliations).
• Shared Services Leadership: Define scope, priorities, and escalation paths with the India team lead to ensure deliverables align with the U.S. close calendar.
• Performance Standards: Establish the close calendar and quality standards; drive accountability for accuracy and reconciliation quality supporting U.S. GAAP.
• Internal Controls: Ensure effective controls across shared services processes, including approval workflows, evidence standards, and segregation of duties.
• Continuous Improvement: Partner with the India team and ERP owners to drive automation, reduce manual work, and shorten the close cycle.

Operational Finance \& Cost Accounting

• Inventory Mastery: Oversee accounting for raw materials, WIP, and finished goods, ensuring tight controls and accurate reserves.
• Inventory Integrity: Own inventory-to-GL reconciliations; investigate and resolve variances with Operations.
• Costing Excellence: Drive accuracy in product costing, including standard and landed costs, overhead allocation, and absorption.
• Margin Analysis: Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to analyze scrap, yield, labor efficiency, and freight costs to identify margin improvement opportunities.

Working Capital \& Systems Optimization

• Cash Flow Strategy: Manage AR/AP processes and improve forecasting inputs for collections and inventory procurement.
• Systems Innovation: Act as the functional lead for ERP enhancements (e.g., NetSuite, Acumatica, SAP), driving automation to eliminate manual fire drills.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance is required.
• Must have a CPA
• 7\+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 2\+ years at the Controller or Assistant Controller level.
• Deep background in manufacturing and/or distribution is essential, specifically with inventory cycle counts and variance analysis.
• Advanced Excel proficiency and prior experience managing/optimizing an ERP system.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in Private Equity-backed or high-growth environments.
• Experience with multi-location operations and international supply chains (specifically landed cost complexity).
• Experience leading or partnering with offshore/shared services teams (India strongly preferred) using clear SLAs and close governance.
• Ability to partner across time zones with structured communication and clear escalation paths.

Work Environment

• This position is based on site at our U.S. office location and is not eligible for remote work.
• Work is primarily performed in a professional office setting within a manufacturing and distribution environment.
• Regular interaction with Operations, Supply Chain, and warehouse personnel is required.
• Periodic presence on the production floor or in warehouse areas may be necessary to review inventory processes, costing methodologies, and operational controls.
• The role requires frequent collaboration across departments and coordination with an offshore accounting team across time zones.

BETTER TALENT. BETTER OPPORTUNITY. FIND IT HERE.

Bellsearchfirm.com

Bell \& Associates, Inc. is a recognized Executive Recruiting \& Staffing leader based in Kansas City. We focus and specialize in the following practice areas -

Accounting/Finance, Engineering, Executive Leadership, Financial Institutions, Healthcare, Human Resources, Information Technology, Manufacturing/Operations Management.

We provide top talent to our clients on a Direct Hire, Contract, and Contract-to-Hire basis.