Assistant Controller (East Haven)

Controller / Finance Manager

A growing company in our client network

Greater New Haven, Connecticut (on-site). Candidates within approximately one hour's commute, including the Stamford area, will also be considered.

Full-time, on-site

Reports to: CEO

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Italian heritage specialty cheese manufacturer based in Connecticut, belonging to an international Group, producing fresh milk mozzarella, burrata, and ricotta for retail and foodservice customers across the United States. The company generates approximately $35 million in annual revenue and continues to grow quickly as part of a global ownership group with operations spanning multiple countries.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The company is seeking a hands-on Controller / Finance Manager to lead day to day financial operations for a growing dairy manufacturing business, partnering directly with ownership on cost accounting, cash management, financial reporting, and monthly closing. This is a genuine growth-track role: the successful candidate will be developed into the company's CFO over approximately two years, and should bring solid controllership fundamentals together with the appetite and trajectory to grow into broader finance leadership. Regular presence on the plant floor is expected, rather than a desk-only approach.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own product and raw milk costing, including allocation of milk categories and cost tracking across multiple cheese product lines (mozzarella, burrata, ricotta).
• Calculate fully landed product cost, incorporating raw material sourcing, logistics, and duties.
• Review work orders daily, investigate significant manufacturing variances, and close completed work orders in the ERP system.
• Apply working knowledge of Dynamics NAV / Business Central to day to day financial operations.
• Prepare and review a daily P&L to track performance against budget and verify accurate expense classification.
• Perform variance analysis versus budget and versus prior year.
• Lead the month end close process, including preparation of internal management reporting packages.
• Conduct regular plant floor walkthroughs with operations leadership to understand production, quality, and costing issues firsthand.
• Review labor, material, manufacturing overhead, distribution cost, and inventory levels; compare budget to actual and recommend corrective action.
• Support the annual operating budget process and maintain rolling monthly and quarterly forecasts.
• Manage full cycle accounting, including journal entries, reconciliations, and preparation of internal P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.
• Own cash flow management, net financial position, and banking relationships, including vendor and supplier payments.
• Serve as an authorized signer and act as a company officer on financial and banking matters.
• Partner with the company's external auditor and outside tax advisors on annual financial statements and tax filings.
• Act as a true business partner to ownership: raise financial and compliance issues directly and proactively, while staying pragmatic and supportive of decisions once made.
• Grow into a broader finance leadership role over approximately two years as the business scales, including supporting future growth initiatives such as potential acquisitions.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Required: direct, in-house experience within a manufacturing environment in a role such as Junior or Assistant Controller, Controller, Finance Manager, or Accounting Manager; food and beverage, dairy, or CPG experience is a plus.
• Hands on, detail-oriented approach, comfortable working at the transaction level and spending time on the plant floor rather than solely reviewing reports from a desk.
• Solid foundation in cost accounting, standard costing, bill of materials, and margin analysis within a multi-SKU manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of US GAAP.
• Experience managing cash flow, banking relationships, and net financial position.
• Strong business partner orientation: direct and proactive in raising issues, while pragmatic and focused on business continuity.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills; Italian language ability not required but a plus given the ownership structure.
• Available to work on site five days a week in the Greater New Haven, Connecticut area.
• Comfortable stepping into a role with a defined path to CFO, with the trajectory and scope of responsibility to grow into that broader mandate over approximately two years.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• US CPA license (a plus, not required); this role will serve as a company officer and authorized signer on financial and banking matters.
• Public accounting background (Big Four or national firm), ideally with audit experience in manufacturing or industrial clients, is a plus in addition to the in-house manufacturing experience above.
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or a comparable mid market ERP system.
• Experience supporting a business through periods of growth, integration, or M&A activity.
• Exposure to warehouse management system (WMS) implementations.

COMPENSATION

• Base salary up to $140,000