Financial Controller

Our client is seeking a hands-on Finance Director/Controller to lead day-to-day financial operations for its U.S. business, drive an ERP implementation as part of its integration into a larger international group, and serve as a true finance business partner to leadership through a period of rapid growth. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Own day-to-day financial operations and oversee the local accounting/administration team (accounting, payroll, banking, accounts payable, and billing functions) Lead the U.S. side of an ERP implementation (SAP), replacing the legacy system, including inventory tracking, costing, and bill-of-materials setup Run monthly physical/perpetual inventory counts and closes to accurately calculate margin Maintain regular, hands-on presence across operations (warehouse, logistics, plant floor) to understand first-hand where financial and inventory data originates — this is not a desk-only role Provide technical accounting support to the local team on more complex journal entries and transactions Maintain rolling revenue and margin forecasts and proactively escalate emerging risks or variances to leadership in real time, ahead of period close Prepare monthly, quarterly, and half-year financial reporting packages for the parent company's HQ, including in-depth variance analysis (actual vs. budget and prior period) on revenue, margin, and net financial position Support quarterly consolidated reporting required under the group's senior credit facility covenants Partner with external auditors and tax advisors on annual financial statements and related tax filings Manage working capital, cash flow, and the short-term credit line; support negotiation of a new Capex credit facility Provide hands-on financial and margin analysis (cost of goods, first margin, pricing) in partnership with sales and operations leadership, including monitoring and timely execution of price increases to protect margin QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Prior experience as a Controller, Finance Director, or senior financial/accounting leader in a manufacturing or distribution business Hands-on, detail-oriented approach — comfortable working at the transaction level and spending time in operations, not just reviewing reports from a desk Experience with ERP implementations (SAP strongly preferred), including inventory, costing, and bill-of-materials setup Strong controlling/FP&A orientation combined with solid core accounting fundamentals Experience working with external auditors and tax advisors on annual financial statements and compliance Comfortable building process and working with a lean team in a still-maturing finance function Available to work on-site in New Jersey daily; this is not a remote position PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Background in food & beverage, CPG, or a similar distribution/manufacturing industry (a plus, not required) Experience in a private-equity-backed or multinational group environment Exposure to both U.S. GAAP and IFRS reporting COMPENSATION & BENEFITS Competitive base salary plus annual performance bonus tied to company financial KPIs (e.g., EBITDA, net financial position) Choice of three medical plans through a national carrier (HSA-eligible EPO, EPO, and PPO), with employee-only contributions as low as $0 per pay period 401(k) plan with immediate eligibility (minimum age 21, no waiting period) and a 3% employer safe harbor contribution for all eligible participants, immediately 100% vested Relocation assistance open for discussion for the right candidate