Director of Financial Reporting

Location: Tyler, TX | Department: Controllership | Reports to: Corporate Controller | Direct reports: GL / Accounting Manager, Fixed Assets Accountant, Treasury Manager

About the company

Soules Foods is a thriving family-owned food company that has made a positive difference for its customers and consumers for nearly 50 years. Our purpose and promise of Great Food, Made Simple® drives us. Based in Tyler, Texas, the company is a leading national producer of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook chicken and beef products and is the number one producer of chicken and beef fajitas in the USA. We proudly serve a broad portfolio of great-tasting, high-quality products sold throughout the US via retail, food service distributors, and restaurants. Our wide array of national customers includes prominent organizations such as Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, Sysco, and HEB. The company was established in 1975 by John Soules Sr., and the business is now in the second generation of family leadership. The organization has expanded dramatically over the past decade, and with its continued growth, it now has annual sales of approximately $1 billion. The company employs over 2,000 individuals and has three manufacturing facilities in Gainesville, Georgia; Valley, Alabama; and its headquarters in Tyler, Texas.

Job summary

The Director of Financial Reporting owns the integrity of the general ledger, the month-end and year-end close, and the company's financial statements. This leader oversees GL accounting, consolidation, fixed assets, external reporting, and treasury execution, including debt administration and covenant compliance. Inventory and cost of goods sold accounting and analysis are owned by Inventory and Cost Accounting; this role ensures those results are properly reflected in the ledger and financial statements. Under the interim structure, FP&A owns cash forecasting until a dedicated Treasury role is added. The role partners closely with Shared Services, FP&A, Inventory and Cost Accounting, external auditors, and banking partners.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting
• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 5+ years managing accounting teams; public accounting experience preferred
• Deep knowledge of GAAP, month-end close, consolidations, and financial statement preparation
• Experience leading external audits and working with lenders on covenant reporting
• Working knowledge of cash management, bank relationships, and debt facilities
• Strong ERP experience (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite) and advanced Excel skills
• Track record of shortening the close or improving reporting through automation

Preferred

• Experience in food manufacturing, CPG, or other multi-plant manufacturing
• Experience in a private equity-backed or lender-reporting environment
• Experience with close management, reconciliation, or AI-enabled accounting software
• Experience with acquisitions, purchase accounting, and integrations

Competencies

• Technical accounting: applies GAAP confidently and documents positions clearly
• Accuracy and ownership: stands behind every number that leaves the department
• People leadership: builds a strong, accountable team and develops future leaders
• Process improvement: looks for faster, cleaner, more automated ways to close and report
• Communication: explains results and risks plainly to leadership, auditors, and lenders

Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Lead, coach, and develop the GL, fixed asset, and treasury teams; build succession plans and cross-training
  • Set standards, deadlines, and review expectations for all accounting deliverables
  • Serve as a key advisor to the Corporate Controller on technical accounting and reporting matters
• General ledger
  • Own the chart of accounts, GL structure, and journal entry policies across all entities and plants
  • Review and approve significant and non-routine journal entries
  • Ensure all balance sheet accounts are reconciled monthly with timely resolution of reconciling items
  • Oversee intercompany accounting, eliminations, and consolidations
  • Review inventory and COGS entries and reconciliations delivered by Inventory and Cost Accounting for completeness and proper GL presentation; Inventory and Cost Accounting owns the underlying inventory valuation, costing, reserves, and analysis
• Month-end and year-end close
  • Own the close calendar and checklist; drive a consistent, on-time close (target: 5 business days)
  • Coordinate close inputs from Shared Services, Inventory and Cost Accounting, Payroll, and Treasury
  • Perform balance sheet and income statement flux analysis and explain results to leadership
  • Continuously shorten and streamline the close through standardization, automation, and practical use of AI tools
• Financial reporting
  • Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with GAAP
  • Prepare lender and bank covenant compliance reporting and board or ownership reporting packages
  • Lead the annual external audit and any reviews; prepare schedules and manage auditor requests
  • Research and document technical accounting positions
  • Support Tax with provision and return information
• Fixed assets
  • Oversee the fixed asset sub-ledger, including capitalization, depreciation, transfers, disposals, and impairments
  • Maintain and enforce the capitalization