Corporate Controller

Finance Transformation & Business Systems

This is not a simple replacement hire. It's an opportunity to redefine what the finance function looks like over the next decade.

We're seeking an exceptional finance professional who pairs strong technical accounting skills with a genuine passion for improving how a business runs.

While the title is Corporate Controller, this is not a traditional controllership role. We need someone who will lead the accounting function while actively transforming how finance supports the wider business — combining technical excellence with continuous improvement, operational rigor, and strategic partnership with leadership.

This is a hands-on accounting leadership role. The successful candidate will personally complete accounting work while also driving the ongoing development of the finance function. This is not a role for someone who wants to manage a department from a distance.

Candidates who are energized by improving organizations, leveraging technology, challenging the status quo, and helping executive leadership make better decisions will find this a rare opportunity to leave a lasting mark on a growing, privately owned manufacturing business.

About the Company

Our client is a privately owned manufacturer of highly customized bulk material handling equipment, serving customers across North America and internationally.

Unlike repetitive manufacturing environments, every project is engineered specifically for the customer. That makes accurate job costing, inventory management, work-in-process reporting, and timely financial information essential to the business's success.

The company is investing in its leadership team, sharpening operational excellence, and strengthening its business systems. Finance is expected to evolve into a proactive partner supporting strategic decision-making across the organization.

Why This Role Exists

Historically, finance has successfully maintained the company's financial records and reporting obligations. The next phase of growth requires considerably more.

We're looking for someone who will build the finance function the business needs for the next decade — someone who will:

• Improve financial reporting
• Shorten the monthly close process
• Increase utilization of the company's ERP system
• Improve manufacturing and project costing
• Reduce manual processes
• Improve executive-level reporting
• Strengthen internal controls
• Support capital allocation decisions
• Build a finance function that scales with the business

The Opportunity

Hands-On Accounting Leadership

This is a genuine working Controller position. The successful candidate is expected to personally complete accounting work on a regular basis while leading the function — someone who enjoys staying close to the numbers, supporting the team when needed, and leading by example.

Responsibilities include:

• Personally performing and overseeing month-end close
• Preparing and reviewing journal entries
• Completing account reconciliations
• Preparing financial statements
• Managing indirect tax filings (e.g., GST/HST)
• Fixed asset accounting
• Treasury and cash management
• Overseeing Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable
• Supporting the accounting team wherever needed

As the company grows, additional accounting resources may be added. Until then, the Controller must be comfortable rolling up their sleeves and pitching in wherever necessary.

Financial Leadership

• Producing timely, accurate monthly financial statements
• Maintaining strong internal controls
• Managing banking relationships
• Coordinating year-end activities with external accountants
• Supporting budgeting and forecasting
• Developing meaningful financial reporting for management

Finance Transformation & Business Systems

• Improving finance workflows
• Increasing automation
• Expanding ERP system utilization
• Reducing dependence on spreadsheets
• Improving reporting
• Standardizing processes
• Strengthening controls
• Documenting procedures
• Building scalable systems for future growth

The expectation is continuous improvement — not maintenance.

Manufacturing Finance

Partner closely with Operations and Engineering to improve:

• Job costing
• Inventory reporting
• Work-in-process reporting
• Labour costing
• Gross margin reporting
• Project profitability
• Manufacturing KPIs

The ideal candidate enjoys understanding how the business operates, not just reporting results after the fact — comfortable spending time on the shop floor, understanding how projects move through the business, and translating operational performance into financial insight.

Financial Stewardship & Capital Planning

Working closely with the President, external accountants, tax advisors, and banking partners, the Controller will proactively identify opportunities to strengthen the company's financial position:

• Monitoring cash flow and retained earnings
• Identifying opportunities to better deploy capital
• Supporting equipment and technology investment decisions
• Preparing financial analysis for strategic initiatives
• Working proactively with external accountants on tax planning opportunities
• Working with banking partners on financing strategies
• Supporting long-term financial planning
• Evaluating capital investment opportunities
• Helping determine the most effective use of retained earnings
• Bringing forward recommendations proactively, rather than only reporting historical results

The role isn't meant to replace external tax advisors — it's meant to spot opportunities, initiate conversations, coordinate with advisors, and help ensure leadership is making informed decisions year-round.

Business Continuity

A key objective of this role is reducing dependency on any one person's knowledge. The successful candidate will:

• Document finance processes
• Develop standard operating procedures
• Cross-train team members
• Improve knowledge transfer
• Strengthen internal controls
• Build a finance function that is resilient and scalable

Ideal Candidate

Education

• CPA designation (required)
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or Business from an accredited university

Experience

• 8–15 years of progressive accounting and finance experience
• Minimum five years in a manufacturing environment
• Strong experience with inventory, work-in-process, and job costing
• Demonstrated experience improving ERP systems and finance processes
• Experience preparing executive-level financial reporting
• Experience acting as a trusted financial advisor to a President, CEO, or business owner — providing insight and recommendations, not just historical reporting

Strong preference for experience in:

• Custom equipment manufacturing
• Engineered products
• Industrial equipment
• Project-based manufacturing

Experience with mid-market ERP systems (e.g., Sage 300) is a strong plus.

Personal Characteristics

We're looking for someone naturally curious, commercially minded, and driven to improve businesses — someone who asks "why?" before accepting the status quo and constantly looks for ways to improve efficiency, reporting, and decision-making.

Equally comfortable preparing journal entries, discussing manufacturing costing with Operations, meeting with external accountants and tax advisors, working with banking partners, or advising the President on strategic financial decisions.

Above all, they enjoy building better businesses — not simply maintaining an accounting function.

Measures of Success

Within the first 18–24 months, the successful candidate will have:

• Reduced the monthly close timeline
• Improved the quality and usefulness of management reporting
• Significantly increased ERP system utilization
• Improved job costing and manufacturing reporting
• Reduced manual finance processes
• Developed meaningful executive dashboards and KPIs
• Established proactive capital planning discussions throughout the year
• Improved collaboration with external accountants, tax advisors, and banking partners
• Reduced dependency on individual knowledge
• Built a finance function capable of supporting the company's next stage of growth

Search Philosophy

We're not looking for the most impressive résumé. We're looking for an exceptional Controller who enjoys accounting, enjoys improving businesses, and wants to become a trusted financial advisor to the President.

Someone equally comfortable completing accounting work, improving financial systems, partnering with Operations, working with external advisors, and helping shape the financial future of the business.

We're not looking for someone to keep score. We're looking for someone who will help us improve it.

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