Financial Controller

Carrot-Top Industries DBA Freedom and Glory is an e-commerce and B2B distribution company based in Hillsborough, NC. We operate two national brands - FreedomandGlory.com and AmericanFlags.com- serving the armed forces, schools, municipalities, and patriotic Americans with flags and patriotic merchandise. With approximately 25 employees and a lean leadership team, we value operational excellence, data-driven decision-making, and building sustainable processes.

Our Core Values:

• Small Actions Spark Big Change : We believe the little things matter. We show care, intention, and pride in every interaction because each moment is a chance to make someone’s day better and move the business forward.
• Keep At It: We show up through challenges. We stay curious, keep improving, and focus on long-term progress over quick fixes. Consistency and learning fuel our growth.
• Stronger Together: We believe great work is built with others. We collaborate, communicate openly, and lift each other up. Shared responsibility creates stronger outcomes for our customers and our team.
• Actions Speak Louder: We follow through. We take ownership, act with integrity, and let results speak for us. We choose responsibility over excuses and initiative over waiting.

Position Summary

The Controller oversees all financial operations, reporting, and controls. This hands-on leadership role requires someone who can execute day-to-day accounting functions and provide strategic financial insights to ownership. You will directly supervise the Finance Manager and work closely with the CEO to drive profitability, optimize cash flow, and build scalable financial processes. This role isn't for someone who inherits systems; you will build, improve, and own them.

Core Responsibilities - Financial Reporting & Close

• Own the monthly and quarterly close process, ensuring accuracy and timeliness
• Maintain the general ledger, reconciliations, and accruals in NetSuite
• Prepare and present financial statements to leadership with variance analysis
• Ensure multi-brand P&L tracking keeps each brand's profitability visible and separate

Cash Flow & Working Capital

• Forecast cash flow and manage working capital to support seasonal inventory builds
• Oversee AR collections and AP to optimize payment terms and vendor relationships
• Approve vendor payments over $50K threshold; review weekly AP runs
• Maintain banking relationships

Budgeting & Analysis

• Build and manage annual budgets with departmental input
• Provide monthly budget vs. actual analysis with actionable insights
• Support strategic planning with financial modeling and scenario analysis
• Track inventory/COGS accuracy, critical for e-commerce margins

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Design, document, and enforce internal controls to prevent fraud
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and company policies
• Coordinate sales tax compliance across all jurisdictions
• Work with external CPAs on income tax preparation and audits

Inventory Control & Warehouse Partnership

• Own inventory accounting in NetSuite, including valuation, costing, and COGS accuracy, which drive our e-commerce margins
• Partner with the warehouse team on cycle counts (Smartcounts).
• Design and enforce controls for receiving, adjustments, transfers, and write-offs so every movement of inventory is documented and approved
• Monitor shrink, damaged goods, and slow-moving or obsolete stock, and recommend reserves or write-downs when needed
• Work with purchasing and the warehouse to plan seasonal inventory builds so stock levels support demand without tying up cash

People & Process Leadership

• Supervise the Finance Manager; set objectives and provide development
• Review and approve payroll, expense reports, and commissions
• Optimize NetSuite usage; you should be able to leverage the ERP deeper than we do today
• Partner with leadership team (CEO, VP Sales/Marketing) on cross-functional initiatives

Secondary Responsibilities

• HR finance overlap: benefits renewal coordination, employee file management, SimpleIRA enrollment
• Support company insurance renewals and risk management
• Notarization of documents as needed (state attestations, vendor procurement)
• Additional duties as assigned

QualificationsRequired

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 5+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, with 2+ years in a supervisory role
• Strong NetSuite experience (non-negotiable)
• Multi-entity or multi-brand accounting experience
• E-commerce, distribution, or inventory-based business experience
• Demonstrated ability to build processes, not just inherit them
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial modeling

Preferred

• CPA or CMA certification
• Experience with EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)
• Background in companies with $10-25M revenue
• Familiarity with sales tax compliance across multiple states
• Experience with inventory cycle counting programs and NetSuite inventory or WMS modules

Key Competencies

• Analytical mindset—you see patterns and drive insights, not just produce reports
• Ownership mentality—you take responsibility and follow through without being managed
• Process orientation—you document, systematize, and improve
• Clear communication—you can explain financial implications to non-finance leaders
• Attention to detail with ability to see the big picture
• Hands-on collaboration: you’re comfortable on the warehouse floor and build strong working relationships with operations teams

Who You Are

You’re a hands-on finance expert who does your best work when you’re trusted to own it. You’ll likely recognize yourself in these traits:

• Independent thinker: You’re a self-starter who doesn’t need close supervision. You make decisions based on the numbers and your own sound logic, and you’re comfortable owning the outcome.
• Direct and factual: You prefer focused work to small talk. You explain things clearly and to the point, and you let accurate, timely work speak for itself.
• Fast-moving and energized by variety: You work with urgency and enjoy a fast pace. Month-end deadlines, seasonal inventory builds, and shifting priorities energize you, and a job that’s the same every day would bore you.
• Structured but flexible: You build solid processes and controls, then use them as a foundation for solving problems instead of a rulebook to hide behind. When something breaks, you dig in, find the root cause, and adapt quickly.

If you’d rather build a better system than follow an outdated one, we’d like to hear from you.

Our Hiring Process: Culture Index

At Freedom and Glory, we use Culture Index to understand how people work, communicate, and do their best. Every candidate who moves on to the interview phase will be asked to complete a short Culture Index survey. Our whole team, employees and contractors alike, has taken it too. The survey is not anonymous, because the goal is to know our people well so we can lead, communicate, and manage better.

What to expect:

• Set aside 5 to 10 uninterrupted minutes. Read carefully and select every word that applies to you. There are no right or wrong answers.
• Take it in your strongest language. You can pick yours under "Language" once you open the survey.
• Use a computer rather than a tablet or phone for the best experience.

Small actions spark big change. If you're invited to interview, we'll send you your survey link.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

This position requires extended periods of sitting at a workstation in an office environment. The worker is required to have close visual acuity for preparing and analyzing data, extensive reading, and viewing data on a computer monitor. Occasional lifting of objects up to 25 lbs may be required. Work is performed inside an office environment with moderate noise levels and controlled temperature.

Equal Opportunity Employer

• Freedom and Glory is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.