Controller

Role Intro Tired of being the smartest person in the room and the slowest to get answers? Sick of closing the books, running the reports, and watching the same broken processes eat your week — month after month? You're capable of more. You want a seat where your numbers actually drive decisions, where AI and a real ERP do the repetitive work, and where the leadership team treats finance as a strategic engine — not a scoreboard. That's where Gunwerks comes in. We're not just building rifles; we're crafting precision instruments that empower hunters and shooters to achieve the perfect shot. We're innovators, we're perfectionists, and we're looking for a Controller who shares our obsession with accuracy, discipline, and getting better every quarter. Position Overview This is your chance to own the financial engine of a growing, premium manufacturer. If you've got the technical depth of a Controller and the strategic instincts of a CFO — and you're hungry to use modern tools (AI, automation, a real ERP) to get rid of the busywork — this is the role for you. As the Gunwerks Controller, you'll own the accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of every financial record in the company. You'll lead the bookkeeping team, run a clean ≤10-day monthly close, reconcile every balance sheet account, and deliver the numbers leadership uses to run the business. You'll manage payroll, sales tax, recordkeeping, and regulatory compliance. You'll own cost accounting for a real manufacturing operation — standard costs, BOMs, work orders, variances, and inventory valuation — and you'll be the operational driver of our Odoo ERP, including its heavily customized financial modules. You won't be doing this alone. We have a part‑time CFO who sets the strategic financial direction, runs the budget process, and handles banking and outside advisor relationships. Your job is to make the CFO’s job easier — by delivering clean books, sharp variance analysis, and well‑controlled processes that don't require them to dig in and rebuild every month. The better you are, the less they have to do, and the more strategic both of you become. This isn't just a job; it's an opportunity to build the financial backbone that takes Gunwerks from a two‑person accounting function into a real finance organization. We need a leader who can think strategically, execute relentlessly, manage a team with structure, and leverage AI tools to eliminate the rework that drowns most finance departments. Why Gunwerks? We're not your typical gun company. We're a tight‑knit team of passionate individuals committed to pushing the boundaries of long‑range shooting. We believe in hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of perfection. We operate on EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System). The CEO is the Visionary, and every Director — including the Controller — owns a clear seat with measurable outcomes, weekly L10 accountability, and a real voice on the leadership team. You'll know what's expected, you'll have the authority to deliver it, and you'll be held to it. We produce some of the best content in the shooting and technology niche on our YouTube channel (and on Instagram and Facebook). Our content is 100% free. If you want to understand the brand before you apply, spend an hour on the channel — that's the company you'd be joining. Why This Role Matters With revenue goals and seasonal cash flow, deep inventory, complex product margins, and a regulated supply chain, Gunwerks has outgrown what a bookkeeping function can handle alone. The Controller is the bridge — between the bookkeepers who keep the ledger moving and the CFO and CEO who use the numbers to steer the company. Get this seat right and the entire leadership team makes faster, better‑informed decisions. Production knows their true unit cost. Sales knows their actual margin by channel. The CEO has confidence in the cash runway. The CFO can spend his time on strategy instead of cleaning up the close. The board‑level scorecard metrics — Net Income, Profit Sharing Eligibility, ERP Utilization — sit on your shoulders. We've supported trigger pulls on million‑dollar hunts for our customers. Your work makes sure the business behind those rifles is just as well‑built. You will inherit a documented month‑end close checklist, a documented chart of accounts, and an in‑flight inventory reduction plan — so you're not starting from zero. You will own making them better. Location Cody, WY—this is a fully on‑site role. The Controller works daily on the floor with Production, Operations, and Leadership; that proximity is essential to the seat. We will help with relocation for the right candidate. Type Of Employment Full Time Reports To CEO directly (with a dotted line to the part‑time CFO for strategic financial guidance and standards). The Controller sits on the Gunwerks Leadership Team and is a Director‑level seat on the EOS Accountability Chart. Compensation The compensation plan for this position will consist of a base salary $130,000 - $160,000 (DOE) plus the following incentives: Company Performance: participation in the company performance profit incentive plan, with eligibility tied directly to Net Income ≥ 10% — a number you are personally accountable for delivering with clean books. Group Performance: up to 10% of annual salary tied to finance department performance metrics — on‑time monthly close (≤10 business days), balance sheet reconciliation completion, audit readiness, and ERP utilization. Individual Performance: up to 10% of annual salary tied to documented systems, controls, AI/automation deployment, and team development outcomes. The Perks Comprehensive health insurance benefits with a generous employer contribution the first day of the following month after your hire date, with the option to add dependents. Access to Dental, Vision, Accident, Life, Critical Illness, and Short‑term Disability insurance. Employee discounts on everything Gunwerks, as well as discounts from a host of industry companies and local businesses. Flexible time off policy starting with 25 days PTO (15 days personal PTO + 10 paid company and U.S. federal holidays). Automatic enrollment after 6 months of employment in a 401(k) with Roth options. Company events for employees and families throughout the year. On‑time direct deposit pay twice a month. What You’ll Own Accuracy and integrity of every financial record in the company, including consolidating between various entities and properly recording all intercompany activity. A clean, on‑time monthly close in 10 business days or fewer. Full balance sheet reconciliation every month — no rolling unreconciled accounts. Daily management of the bookkeeping team (AP, AR, Staff Accountant) — written standards, real‑time correction, weekly check‑ins, quarterly reviews. Cost accounting for a manufacturing environment — standard costs, BOM accuracy, work order variances, WIP and finished goods valuation, COGS integrity. Inventory accounting and physical‑to‑book reconciliation — directly tied to our Inventory Reduction Plan and weekly inventory scorecard. Odoo ERP ownership from a finance perspective — data integrity, costing setup, and financial module utilization. Payroll processing, sales tax filings, and all regulatory and compliance reporting. 13‑week rolling cash flow forecast, refreshed weekly and reviewed with the CFO — particularly during seasonal cash flow swings. Year‑end coordination with the outside CPA — tax provision, tax return support, audit/review fieldwork, and any related‑party transaction documentation between entities. Internal controls, documented accounting procedures, and audit readiness. Cash position reporting and variance analysis delivered to the CFO and CEO on a defined cadence. Active partnership with the part‑time CFO — making their strategic work possible by handling the operational finance work cleanly and proactively. Aggressive deployment of AI tools to eliminate repetitive work, reduce errors, and free the finance team for higher‑value analysis. Necessary Skills And Qualifications 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 5 years as a Controller or Assistant Controller in a manufacturing environment. This is not an entry‑level position. Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field. CPA, CMA, or MBA strongly preferred. Deep cost accounting expertise: standard costing, BOM/routing setup, work order variance analysis, WIP and inventory valuation, COGS reporting, and gross margin analysis by product line, ideally in a semi‑custom or configure‑to‑order manufacturing environment where each unit’s BOM can vary. Strong ERP/MRP experience — Odoo experience is a major plus; NetSuite, SAP, Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar mid‑market manufacturing ERP experience is required. Multi‑entity accounting and consolidation experience — preferably for related entities that share customers, vendors, or inventory, and require intercompany eliminations. Demonstrated fluency with modern AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, etc.) applied to real accounting work — reconciliations, variance commentary, journal entry drafting, policy documentation, ad‑hoc analysis. Strategic instinct beyond the books — able to read the numbers, identify what’s driving them, and translate that into business decisions for the leadership team. Proven people manager — has actually run a team of bookkeepers or accountants with written standards, real‑time coaching, and documented procedures. Strong working knowledge of GAAP, sales/use tax across multiple states, payroll compliance, and audit preparation. Self‑starter who thrives in a growing, founder‑led company. Takes initiative. Learns fast. Gets it done. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. You’ll be working with the CEO, COO, CFO, Directors, bookkeepers, auditors, banks, and the IRS — all in the same week. Ready to Apply? Think you’ve got what it takes? Great. To apply, please email your resume to View email address on click.appcast.io and answer these questions below. In the subject line, write “I’m your Controller.” Tell me why you are uniquely qualified to crush this role. (For this answer only, record a video — use Descript or Loom for easy setup and editing — answering this question in 2 minutes or less.) Walk me through your last monthly close — how long did it take, who did what, and what was the single biggest weakness in the process you ran? Describe a specific cost accounting problem you solved in a manufacturing environment. What was broken, what did you change, and what did the numbers do afterward? How are you actively using AI in your current finance role today? Give specific examples — what tasks, Describe your experience with multi‑entity accounting and consolidation. How did you handle intercompany transactions, eliminations, and separate‑vs‑consolidated reporting? what tools, what time savings, and what controls do you have in place? What’s your leadership style? How do you set standards for a bookkeeping team and hold them accountable without becoming a senior bookkeeper yourself? Why Gunwerks? Why this role specifically? Include a link to your LinkedIn profile. We receive a ton of applications, so we can’t respond to every email or take phone calls. But if we think you’re a great fit, we’ll schedule a Google Meet interview ASAP. #J-18808-Ljbffr Gunwerks