Controller

Company Overview:

Our client is a chemical manufacturer headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. Through a network of 60+ Manufacturing Centers across the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, we blend water-based cleaning and sanitation chemistry locally then deliver it to customers in refillable tanks.

Role of the Controller:

Consolidates its results with the company-owned stores, and bills, collects and pays out national accounts for 57 franchisees. The Controller owns the accuracy of those numbers and the cash behind them, so leadership, the board, lenders and franchisees can trust them. The Controller’s work supports the CFO, who owns FP&A, the board and capital strategy

Five Key Functions:

LMA (Lead, Manage, Accountability):

• leads and develops the Assistant Controller, the National Accounts Collections Manager and their teams, including offshore support and outside providers
• runs Accounting and National Accounts Collections on clear seats, a weekly Scorecard with KPIs
• owns the results of both: close timing and quality, audit outcomes, controls, past-due balances and franchisee payout timing

Close and reporting:

• closes the books across Acumatica, Dynamics GP and TankOne in 6 business days with no surprises at CFO review
• owns consolidation, intercompany and profit in store inventory, and reconciles every balance sheet account monthly
• sets accounting policy for royalties, agency billing, telemetry, leases, capitalization and inventory, and agrees positions with the auditors before year-end

Audit, controls and compliance:

• leads the annual financial statement and 401(k) audits as the auditors’ main contact
• designs and runs a risk-based control framework sized for a lean team
• oversees sales, use, property and S-corp tax filings, and supports the CFO on cash, bank reconciliations and lender covenant reporting

National accounts collections:

• leads the order-to-cash process that our client runs for its franchise network, from delivery ticket to franchisee payout, and oversees local AR
• fixes problems at the source (missing POs, ticket errors, portal submissions, unapplied cash) through systems, process or controls
• keeps national Accounts 30+ Days past due below $100K and avoids current balances to creep into aging

Systems, AI and growth:

• owns the accounting workflows in our client's Claude-based Finance OS and the review standards and audit trail behind them
• partners with IT to align charts of accounts and fix accounting issues in the source system
• brings acquired stores onto company systems and the standard close within 90 days

Core Values Related to This Role, with examples:

• Do the Right Thing: In this seat, integrity means the numbers are true and franchisee money is handled exactly right. Example: books the supported number and raise a bad result the same day.
• Driven to Action: In this seat, it means owning accounting quality without being asked. Example: finds the misclassified expense or unreversed accrual before the CFO does, and stays audit-ready all year.
• Creative Problem Solvers: In this seat, it means fixing the cause, not repeating the adjustment. Example: when an entry repeats, fixes it in the system or process and uses AI to take manual work out of the close.
• WE > Me: In this seat, the Controller’s success is measured by the team’s and the company’s success. Example: develop the Assistant Controller and Collections Manager into stronger leaders, share credit, and partners with operations, IT and franchisees to solve problems across functions, not hand them off.
• Always More: In this seat, it means raising the standard across accounting, collections, controls and systems, not just keeping them running. Example: makes each close, audit and collections cycle better than the last, and brings ideas to automate, simplify and scale as the company grows.

Success in the First Year:

• Close in 6 business days with no material corrections at CFO review
• Audit issued by April 30th with no material weaknesses; prior findings closed
• All balance sheet accounts reconciled monthly; intercompany and profit in inventory tie every month
• National accounts 30+ days past due below $100K; franchisees paid on time
• Stable team; close workflows automated with documented review

Requirements:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting
• 7+ years of progressive accounting, including 3+ years running a multi-entity close as Controller, Assistant Controller or Accounting Manager
• A fast-track record; built something from scratch, fixed problems without being asked
• Manufacturing experience
• Owns a multi-entity close, including intercompany and profit in inventory
• Strong GAAP judgment
• Has led an external audit and designed controls
• Order-to-cash or collections redesign

Preferred

• CPA
• Public accounting (audit) start
• Distribution or franchise experience
• Acquisition integration or ERP implementation
• Lender reporting and covenants
• PE-backed or high-change business
• Uses AI tools in daily accounting work

Work Environment:

• Full-time, exempt, on-site in Dayton, Monday–Friday; some travel to stores; background check and drug screen