Controller

A growing multi-brand consumer products/apparel organization is seeking a hands-on Controller to join its New York finance team. This is a newly created position reporting directly to the VP of Finance & Accounting, with significant visibility across the organization.

The company operates across multiple well-known brands in a fast-paced wholesale and licensed apparel environment . This is an excellent opportunity for either an experienced Controller/Assistant Controller or a strong Accounting Manager ready to step into their first Controller role .

The ideal candidate will have a strong accounting foundation but, equally important, will be comfortable staying close to the details. With a lean internal team, this person should be willing to roll up their sleeves, solve problems, improve processes, and help build a stronger accounting infrastructure as the business continues to grow.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and year-end close , ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting across a multi-brand organization.
• Oversee general ledger accounting, journal entries, accruals, prepaid expenses, balance sheet reconciliations , and supporting schedules.
• Manage and develop an internal AP and AR team , while overseeing an outsourced accounting team supporting transactional and operational activities.
• Oversee accounting related to licensing and royalty arrangements , including reporting, reconciliations, accruals, and contractual requirements.
• Support wholesale accounting activities including receivables, deductions, chargebacks, credits, collections, and other customer-related transactions .
• Partner with the VP of Finance & Accounting on financial reporting, variance analysis, controls, and broader finance initiatives.
• Support and oversee factoring-related accounting and reconciliations , where applicable.
• Maintain and improve accounting processes and controls within the company's ERP environment.
• Identify opportunities to streamline manual processes, strengthen controls, and improve reporting and efficiency .
• Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, Production, Licensing, and other teams to resolve accounting issues and improve financial visibility.
• Remain hands-on and willing to step into reconciliations, transactional accounting, or operational issues when necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
• Approximately 7–10+ years of progressive accounting experience .
• Current Controller, Assistant Controller, Accounting Director, or strong Accounting Manager ready for increased responsibility.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, month-end close, financial reporting, and balance sheet reconciliations .
• Experience within apparel, fashion, wholesale, consumer products, retail, manufacturing, distribution, or another inventory-driven business strongly preferred.
• Experience with wholesale and/or licensed brands and royalty accounting highly desirable.
• Understanding of customer deductions, chargebacks, receivables, and other wholesale accounting complexities.
• Factoring experience is a strong plus.
• Experience with BlueCherry is a plus; comparable ERP experience will be considered.
• Prior experience managing internal staff and/or outsourced accounting resources preferred.
• Strong Excel skills and comfort working with significant volumes of financial and operational data.

Who Will Thrive in This Role

This opportunity is best suited for someone who doesn't want to manage accounting solely from a high level. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable reviewing financial statements, digging into a reconciliation, helping resolve an AR issue, and identifying a better way to run a process .

The company is looking for a curious, adaptable accounting leader who enjoys improving processes rather than simply maintaining the status quo. The role offers the opportunity to become a key partner to the VP of Finance & Accounting and take meaningful ownership of the accounting function within a growing multi-brand platform.