Controller-Supermarket Operations, Boston MA

Controller – Supermarket Operations in the Finance & Accounting department, reporting to the CEO. Full-cycle accounting across 6 supermarket locations and a central warehouse in the Greater Boston area.

About the company

They are a family-owned, immigrant-founded grocery brand with deep roots in the Greater Boston area's Latino, Brazilian, and multi-ethnic communities. What started as a single store built on hard work, cultural pride, and a commitment to serving neighbors has grown into a 6-location operation that remains as personal today as it was on day one. The stores are more than supermarkets—they are gathering places for communities that don't always see themselves reflected in mainstream retail. They carry the products, flavors, and brands that customers grew up with, and hire people who understand and celebrate that mission. Culture isn't a footnote here—it is the business.

About the role

This is a senior, hands-on role responsible for owning all accounting operations—from general ledger management and reconciliations to financial reporting and cash management—across 6 Greater Boston locations and a central warehouse. The ideal candidate brings deep familiarity with the financial rhythms of supermarket operations: weekly P&L cycles, shrink, margin analysis, vendor reconciliations, and multi-location reporting. A key long-term objective is to absorb and internalize the full-cycle accounting and reporting work currently handled by a third-party provider. Candidates with hands-on experience at a supermarket company or a grocery-focused accounting firm are strongly preferred.

This is not a standard corporate accounting seat. You will need to understand the business from the inside out:

• Supermarket P&L dynamics—gross margin by department, markdowns, shrink, seasonal fluctuations
• Multi-location reporting across 6 stores with store-level accountability
• Vendor and trade reconciliations specific to grocery retail
• High-volume, fast-cycle weekly reporting tied to store operations
• A mission-driven, community-rooted culture where the work has real meaning

Responsibilities

• Full-Cycle Accounting & General Ledger
  • Maintain and manage the general ledger across all store and warehouse entities
  • Prepare and post journal entries including AR, retail adjustments, and accruals
  • Perform monthly bank and credit card reconciliations
  • Ensure accuracy and integrity of all accounting records
• Financial Reporting & Analysis
  • Prepare weekly and monthly financial reports including P&L and balance sheets for all locations
  • Analyze sales, payroll, markdowns, shrink, and gross margin (GM%) to identify discrepancies and opportunities
  • Provide actionable insights to improve profitability by vendor and department
  • Deliver timely, accurate reporting to ownership and management
• Cash Flow & Treasury Management
  • Oversee weekly cash flow planning and reporting
  • Manage wire transfers, ACH, and portal payments
  • Administer Positive Pay for fraud prevention
  • Coordinate weekly check runs in line with budget
  • Ensure proper handling and deposit of incoming checks
• Payroll & Labor Oversight
  • Review and submit weekly payroll
  • Run post-payroll reports and distribute to relevant stakeholders
  • Monitor payroll expenses and ensure alignment with store-level budgets
  • Manage administrative expense reimbursements
• Accounts Payable & Fixed Expenses
  • Manage recurring payments including rent, utilities, and vendor obligations
  • Ensure timely and accurate processing of all AP transactions
• Budgeting & Forecasting
  • Develop and update monthly and quarterly budgets
  • Track actual performance against budget and explain variances
  • Support ownership in financial planning and strategic decision-making
• Store & Operational Partnership
  • Conduct financial reviews and regular meetings with each store location
  • Partner with store managers to identify and address financial performance issues
  • Monitor KPIs across all locations and escalate concerns proactively
• Compliance & Internal Controls
  • Maintain adherence to internal controls and accounting policies
  • Support audits and documentation requests
  • Ensure compliance with applicable financial regulations

Requirements

• Required
  • 3+ years of accounting experience in a supermarket, grocery chain, or grocery retail environment
  • Hands-on experience performing full-cycle bookkeeping and reconciliations—not purely supervisory
  • Strong working knowledge of grocery retail financials: shrink, margin analysis, vendor reconciliations, weekly P&L
  • Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, financial modeling)
  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Strongly Preferred
  • Experience with NetSuite or comparable ERP system
  • Prior experience working with or at a supermarket-specialized accounting firm
  • Familiarity with multi-location retail operations
  • Experience with Positive Pay and bank portal systems
• Nice to Have
  • CPA or CPA candidate
  • Experience migrating accounting functions from outsourced to in-house

Skills

• Ownership mindset—treating the books as your own responsibility
• Detail-oriented with high accuracy standards
• Strong communicator able to present financial data to non-finance stakeholders
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, operationally driven environment
• Proactive problem-solver who flags issues early and comes with solutions

Systems & Growth

A primary long-term goal of this role is to bring full-cycle accounting and reporting functions fully in-house, currently handled by a third-party provider with deep supermarket expertise. This is an opportunity to build and own the financial infrastructure of a growing, community-driven brand. Experience with NetSuite is a plus but not required—system training will be provided. What matters most is your knowledge of supermarket accounting and your ability to own the numbers end-to-end.