Assistant Controller

Assistant Controller

Since 1995, Lifted Trucks has grown from five trucks and a simple idea — build and sell pre-customized trucks ready for the road — into one of the largest lifted truck retailers in the country. Today we operate dealerships and Lift Shop facilities across Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Alabama, with more than 1,000 vehicles in stock and an accounting team that keeps pace with an aggressive growth plan.

Our corporate accounting group in Phoenix supports every store in the organization. It is a fast-moving, high-volume environment where accuracy, ownership, and strong working relationships across departments matter as much as technical skill.

The Assistant Controller is the right hand to the Controller and a key leader within the corporate accounting team. This role owns the recurring accounting cycle across a multi-state dealership group — reconciliations, month-end close, expense review, tax and regulatory filings, and audit support — while partnering closely with store management and corporate departments to keep the financials clean, timely, and defensible.

This is a hands-on position with real ownership. The right candidate has lived through the rhythm of dealership accounting, understands how multi-state operations complicate everything from sales tax to licensing, and is comfortable both in the detail and in the conversation that resolves it.

Key Responsibilities

Reconciliations & Account Integrity

• Bank reconciliations — own and review daily and monthly bank reconciliations across all store and corporate accounts, ensuring reconciling items are researched and cleared timely.
• Sales tax reconciliations — reconcile sales tax liability accounts across multiple states and jurisdictions, coordinate accurate and on-time filings, and resolve notices and discrepancies with taxing authorities.
• Balance sheet reconciliations — maintain a disciplined schedule of account reconciliations, with supporting documentation and clear aging of open items.
• Unclaimed property — manage the annual unclaimed property process end to end: identification, due diligence letters, escheatment reporting, and multi-state filing compliance.
• GL Reconciliations— oversight of all schedule and balance sheet items and assistance in keeping a pristine balance sheet

Month-End Close & Expense Review

• Drive the month-end close calendar, coordinating deliverables across store-level and corporate accounting staff to close on schedule.
• Prepare and review journal entries, accruals, prepaids, and intercompany activity.
• Perform detailed expense review and variance analysis by store and department; investigate anomalies and partner with operations to correct root causes rather than just the entry.
• Review financial statements for accuracy and consistency across stores before release to management and the manufacturer/lender reporting packages.

Audit, Reporting & Compliance

• Serve as a primary point of contact for quarterly and year-end audits — prepare schedules, pull support, respond to auditor requests, and track open items to resolution.
• Support annual reporting requirements, including financial statement preparation support, lender and floorplan reporting, and tax package preparation for external accountants.
• Maintain and strengthen internal controls over cash, inventory, deal accounting, and expense approval; document procedures and recommend improvements.
• Assist with state and local regulatory filings and registrations across the group's operating footprint.

New Store Openings & Expansion

• Support the accounting and administrative setup of new dealership locations — entity and account structure, chart of accounts mapping, DMS setup, and banking.
• Manage dealer licensing, business registrations, sales tax permits, and related state and municipal filings required to open and operate in new markets.
• Coordinate with operations, HR, IT, and outside counsel to hit opening timelines, and keep a repeatable checklist so each opening is faster than the last.

Leadership & Cross-Department Partnership

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with store controllers, office managers, sales and F&I leadership, HR, and IT.
• Translate accounting requirements into plain language for non-financial partners, and act as a trusted resource when the stores have questions.
• Mentor and develop accounting staff; review work, provide feedback, and help build bench strength as the company grows.
• Step in for the Controller as needed and take on special projects and process improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressive accounting experience, including significant time in the automotive dealership industry.
• Hands-on experience supporting a multi-state, multi-location dealership group.
• Demonstrated ownership of bank and sales tax reconciliations, month-end close, and expense review.
• Experience supporting quarterly and year-end audits and annual reporting cycles.
• Working knowledge of the unclaimed property / escheatment process.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of working effectively across departments and building durable internal relationships.
• Advanced Excel skills and comfort working in a dealership management system (DMS).

Preferred

• Active CPA license (or CPA candidate).
• Experience setting up and opening new dealership locations, including dealer licensing and state/local registrations.
• Experience with multi-entity consolidations and intercompany accounting.
• Prior supervisory experience within a corporate accounting office.
• Familiarity with dealership platforms such as CDK, Reynolds & Reynolds, Dealertrack, or Tekion.

Core Competencies

• Ownership. Takes a process from start to finish without being chased, and closes the loop.
• Accuracy under volume. Holds a high standard for detail while working across many stores and deadlines.
• Communication. Clear, direct, and respectful — in writing, on the phone, and in the room.
• Collaboration. Earns trust with operations and corporate partners and works problems jointly rather than over email.
• Judgment. Knows when to escalate, when to dig, and when a variance is worth the hours.
• Adaptability. Comfortable in a growing company where the footprint, systems, and processes are still evolving.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, on-site position based at the Lifted Trucks corporate office in Phoenix, Arizona. Standard business hours, with additional hours expected during month-end close, audit periods, and new store openings. Occasional travel to out-of-state locations may be required.

Compensation & Benefits

Lifted Trucks offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, along with a full benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, and a 401(k) plan. Specific compensation details will be discussed during the interview process.

*Must pass a pre-employment background check, MVR, and drug screening.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance available after 60 days of employment, featuring a generous employer subsidy to reduce employee premium costs.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with an attractive employer matching contribution after one year of service.
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options, dependent on the selected medical plan.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential support services.
• Additional voluntary benefits, including Life Insurance, Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, etc.

Ready to Drive Your Career Forward? Apply Now!

We understand that not all candidates may meet every requirement listed. We strongly encourage you to apply if you believe you have the skills and passion to succeed in this role, even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement in the job description.

Lifted Trucks is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and do not discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on account of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), color, national origin, religious belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Lifted Trucks is