Exploring, LLC - Controller

Key Responsibilities

• Close Leadership: Lead the month-end, quarterly, and year-end close processes to ensure the delivery of timely, GAAP-compliant financial statements.
• Insightful Reporting: Develop KPI-driven reporting packages (beyond standard P&L and balance sheet) to provide leadership with a clear view of cash flow and variance trends.
• Planning Support: Support budgeting/forecasting and monthly operating reviews, partnering with Operations and Sales to explain performance drivers.
• Audit & Compliance: Serve as the primary liaison for external auditors and tax advisors, ensuring all schedules are audit-ready and sales tax compliance is maintained.
• Accounting Shared Services Oversight (India): Provide day-to-day performance management for the India-based team responsible for transactional processing (AP, AR, JE preparation, and reconciliations).
• Shared Services Leadership: Define scope, priorities, and escalation paths with the India team lead to ensure deliverables align with the U.S. close calendar.
• Performance Standards: Establish the close calendar and quality standards; drive accountability for accuracy and reconciliation quality supporting U.S. GAAP.
• Internal Controls: Ensure effective controls across shared services processes, including approval workflows, evidence standards, and segregation of duties.
• Continuous Improvement: Partner with the India team and ERP owners to drive automation, reduce manual work, and shorten the close cycle.
• Inventory Mastery: Oversee accounting for raw materials, WIP, and finished goods, ensuring tight controls and accurate reserves.
• Inventory Integrity: Own inventory-to-GL reconciliations; investigate and resolve variances with Operations.
• Costing Excellence: Drive accuracy in product costing, including standard and landed costs, overhead allocation, and absorption.
• Margin Analysis: Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to analyze scrap, yield, labor efficiency, and freight costs to identify margin improvement opportunities.
• Cash Flow Strategy: Manage AR/AP processes and improve forecasting inputs for collections and inventory procurement.
• Systems Innovation: Act as the functional lead for ERP enhancements (e.g., NetSuite, Acumatica, SAP), driving automation to eliminate manual fire drills.

Qualifications

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance is required.
• Experience: 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 2+ years at the Controller or Assistant Controller level.
• Technical Skills: Advanced Excel proficiency and prior experience managing/optimizing an ERP system.
• Industry Expertise: Deep background in manufacturing and/or distribution is essential, specifically with inventory cycle counts and variance analysis.