Director of Finance & Business Operations/Controller

Director Of Finance & Business OperationsMetal Solutions Holdings is an entrepreneurial industrial holding company focused on acquiring and growing specialized manufacturing businesses. Its operating company, Pen Manufacturing, combines several established Southern California metal-fabrication businesses, including ASM, Pendarvis Manufacturing and Ashworth Metal Products.Pen provides sheet-metal fabrication, welding, machining and engineering services to customers across data centers, infrastructure, aerospace, defense, construction and other industrial markets. The company is AS9100 certified and ITAR registered and is investing in new equipment, automation, people and systems to expand capacity.We are seeking a senior, hands-on Director of Finance & Business Operations to lead Pen's financial and administrative functions while overseeing purchasing, materials planning, inventory control and supply-chain execution.This position combines the responsibilities of a manufacturing Controller with broader business-operations leadership. The Director will report directly to the President and serve as a key partner in improving profitability, cash flow, working capital and operational discipline.Accounting, purchasing and supply-chain personnel will report to this position.This is a player-coach role. The successful candidate must be willing to personally close the books, build cash forecasts, resolve accounting problems, analyze inventory and margins and drive critical projects through completion. We are not looking for someone who only delegates ordinary responsibilities to staff or outside consultants.ResponsibilitiesAccounting, AR and Cash FlowPersonally own and complete the monthly financial closePrepare and review financial statements, journal entries, accruals, reconciliations and supporting schedulesMaintain an accurate general ledger and reliable balance-sheet accountsOversee manufacturing accounting, including inventory, WIP, job costing, labor, overhead and margin analysisBuild and maintain the weekly cash-flow forecastOwn AR reporting, customer collections and cash-receipt forecastingMaintain visibility into AP, payroll, taxes and upcoming cash requirementsPrepare weekly reporting for the President covering cash, collections, margins, tax liabilities and upcoming obligationsComplete or review bank, payroll, credit-card and balance-sheet reconciliationsAdminister Ramp, including cards, spending limits, receipts, coding, approvals and expense complianceLead budgeting, forecasting, audits, lender reporting and accounting-cleanup projectsIdentify discrepancies, cash risks, margin problems and control failures and drive them to resolutionPurchasing, Inventory and Supply ChainLead purchasing, materials planning, inventory control and vendor managementManage and develop purchasing and supply-chain personnelEnsure materials are ordered in time to support production schedules and customer delivery requirementsWork closely with operations, planning, engineering and sales to align purchasing with production prioritiesMonitor material shortages, overdue purchase orders, supplier performance and critical delivery risksImprove purchase-order controls, approval processes and purchasing accountabilityNegotiate vendor pricing, payment terms, credit limits and supply arrangementsEstablish clear reporting for open purchase orders, shortages, vendor commitments and inventory exposureImprove inventory accuracy, cycle-count procedures, material controls and working-capital efficiencyDevelop alternative sources for critical materials and reduce dependence on weak vendorsBalance production requirements against cash constraints and payment prioritiesHold the supply-chain team accountable for cost, availability, accuracy and follow-throughTax and CompliancePersonally maintain the company's tax and compliance calendarTrack federal, state, local, payroll, sales-and-use, property and other tax liabilitiesPrepare the schedules, reconciliations and supporting records required for tax filingsCoordinate technical filings and tax positions with the company's outside CPATrack tax notices, filings, payment plans, deadlines and payment confirmations through completionProvide the President with clear reporting on current and upcoming tax obligationsMaintain licenses, permits, registrations, insurance certificates and renewal requirementsHR, Payroll and Benefits AdministrationOversee Rippling and ensure employee information remains accurateManage payroll inputs, timekeeping, PTO, deductions, reimbursements and employee-status changesOversee benefits enrollment, terminations, employee questions and carrier coordinationEnsure onboarding, offboarding, background checks, I-9s, equipment and systems access are completed properlyMaintain confidential personnel files, acknowledgments, job descriptions and required documentationOversee the HR inbox and routine employee-administration questionsCoordinate workers' compensation, leave and employment documentationSupport recruiting administration, offer letters and new-hire preparationPartner with the company's HR consultant on employee relations, investigations, discipline, terminations and complex California compliance mattersHandle sensitive employee, financial, legal, lender and ownership information with complete confidentialityBusiness Operations and LeadershipServe as a trusted business partner and direct liaison to the PresidentTranslate financial and operational information into clear recommendations and action itemsBuild documented processes, controls, reporting tools and management routinesTake loosely defined business problems, determine what needs to happen and carry the work through completionHold employees accountable for approvals, documentation, deadlines and financial controlsSupport projects involving lenders, insurance, systems, advisors and future acquisitionsBuild repeatable financial and operational infrastructure that can support additional Metal Solutions Holdings businessesDevelop employees while remaining close enough to the details to verify the quality of their workWork Style and AvailabilityThis is a demanding, hands-on leadership role in a growing manufacturing business. Longer hours will sometimes be required, particularly during month-end close, audits, critical cash-flow periods, systems projects and operational issues. The Director must also be available to work occasional weekends when business needs require it.The right person has a strong bias toward completion. They maintain a clear task list, establish priorities, follow through without repeated reminders and do not allow reconciliations, filings, employee matters, vendor issues or other responsibilities to accumulate.We need someone who takes personal responsibility for getting important work finished accurately and on time.Who Will Succeed HereThe right candidate:Is a hands-on manufacturing finance leader who wants broad operational responsibilityThinks like an owner and understands how accounting, purchasing, inventory and operations affect cash flowCan lead a team while personally performing critical workConsistently closes the loop and prevents unresolved work from piling upIs willing to handle both high-level and routine responsibilities without egoCan move between detailed accounting work and plant-level operational problemsEnjoys bringing structure and accountability to an entrepreneurial businessCommunicates directly and raises problems before they become emergenciesIs resourceful, persistent and comfortable making decisions with imperfect informationExercises strong judgment and complete confidentialityWants direct access to leadership and visible responsibility for resultsDesired Experience10+ years of progressive accounting, finance or business-operations experienceExperience as a Plant Controller, Controller, Director of Finance, Finance Director or senior manufacturing Accounting ManagerDemonstrated ownership of monthly close, financial statements and cash forecastingStrong knowledge of inventory, WIP, job costing, standard costing and manufacturing marginsExperience overseeing purchasing, materials, inventory control or supply-chain functionsExperience managing payroll, benefits or HR administrationManufacturing, aerospace, metal fabrication, industrial services, distribution or construction experience strongly preferredStrong working knowledge of ERP systems and operational reportingExperience with QuickBooks, Ramp, Rippling or comparable systems preferredBachelor's degree in accounting, finance or a related field preferredMust be available to work onsite five days per weekThis is an opportunity for a senior, entrepreneurial operator who wants meaningful authority, Pen Manufacturing