Controller

Alcool NB Liquor; Fredericton; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A government Crown corporation in New Brunswick is seeking a Controller to lead financial accounting and reporting processes. The ideal candidate will have a CPA designation and extensive accounting and leadership experience. This role includes opportunities for remote work and leadership development. Responsibilities encompass payroll operations and compliance oversight, ensuring efficiency and accuracy in all financial matters.

Benefits

Market competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits package

Flexible work arrangements

Leadership Development Program

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive accounting experience.
• Experience in a leadership capacity within a complex organization.
• Proven expertise in IFRS and internal controls.

Responsibilities

• Lead the financial accounting, reporting, and payroll operations.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting.
• Provide strategic leadership for finance functions.

Skills

Technical accounting knowledge

Leadership skills

Analytical skills

Interpersonal communication

Education

CPA designation

7–10 years of accounting experience

Tools

ERP systems

Microsoft GP

Dynamics 365

Job description

Controller

Alcool NB Liquor

Essential role information

Title: Controller ANBL (Alcool NB Liquor)

Duration: 1 Year

Language requirement: Spoken and written competence in English

Location: Reporting to the Retail Operations Center in Fredericton – Remote work is possible

Closing: November 30, 2025

Who we are

As one of Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers for 2025 ANBL is proud of the people-first culture we’ve built together with our team members and the passion our team brings to work every day.

Alcool NB Liquor (ANBL) is a provincial Crown corporation responsible for the purchase, importation, distribution, and retail activity for all beverage alcohol in the province. We are passionate about our purpose of giving back to New Brunswickers by responsibly enhancing occasions, providing a superior service experience to our customers, spending time in our communities, and fostering strong relationships with our industry and vendor partners.

Cannabis NB (CNB), our sister company, also a provincial Crown corporation, manages retail cannabis sales for the province, providing a range of safe, legal products. The core focus of our retail model is ensuring the thriving cannabis industry developing in New Brunswick is safe and responsible. At CNB, our goal is to deliver a world class customer experience built on good information, a safe high-quality product offering and a highly trained and engaged team. Our mandate is public education and protection, and everyone at Cannabis NB is committed to it.

Every year, we return 100% of profits to the Government of New Brunswick to benefit of all New Brunswickers. As a provincial Crown corporation, we serve the public and licensee community through a network of corporate retail stores and private retail operators. Our mandate is to responsibly manage a successful business for the people of New Brunswick and to deliver the best value for your investment in us.

Corporate Social Responsibility at ANBL

At ANBL, we take our social responsibility seriously. With our Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy to guide us, we are committed to :

• Responsible selling through our CHECK 30 program, which specifies that customers who look younger than 30 will be asked for valid photo identification.
• Food security through our partnership with Food Depot Alimentaire to help get more food to the New Brunswickers who need it.
• Helping New Brunswickers get home safely through our Safe Ride program, providing FREE transportation at ANBL-sponsored events.

None of these efforts would be possible without the more than 800 team members who are the lifeblood of our organization and choose ANBL as their employer.

What's in it for you?

Being part of the ANBL team means being part of an organization that values its employees, where everyone has a voice and uses it in the best interest of the organization and our people. We are all proud of what we contribute to the betterment of our province, and we take that responsibility seriously.

In addition to offering a market competitive salary, we ensure that our employees can enjoy work-life balance by offering a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and a generous pension plan. Employees also have access to a Health Spending Account or Wellness Subsidy, and opportunities to utilize flexible work arrangements, such as remote or hybrid work.

At ANBL we value the growth of our employees both personal and professional. We offer various types of external and internal development activities, including a robust internal Leadership Development Program.

About the Accountant role

Reporting to the Director of Finance, the Controller is accountable for the overall financial accounting, reporting, and payroll operations for both ANBL and Cannabis NB. This position leads the controllership function as a shared service, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and compliance across all financial processes.

The Controller provides strategic and people leadership to the Assistant Controllers, and Payroll teams to ensure the timely and accurate completion of financial reporting and audit deliverables while strengthening governance, internal controls, and operational efficiency.

This role requires a results-driven leader with strong technical accounting knowledge and the ability to oversee multiple workstreams in a complex, dual-entity environment. The Controller empowers and develops Finance leaders to execute effectively, creating the organization capacity for the Director of Finance to focus on enterprise-level strategy, business advisory, and transformation initiatives.

Additional Responsibilities

Leadership and Oversight

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the controllership function across both ANBL and CNB, overseeing financial accounting, reporting, payroll, and related compliance functions.
• Directly and indirectly lead, coach, and develop a team of Assistant Controllers, Senior and Intermediate Accountants, Payroll, and Accounting Administration.
• Empower Assistant Controllers to lead their respective areas (Reporting and Operations) independently while ensuring alignment and cohesion across Finance functions.
• Ensure accountability for timely and accurate financial reporting, payroll processing, and statutory compliance.
• Foster a collaborative, learning-focused environment that emphasizes problem-solving, professional growth, and proactive communication across the team.
• Establish a culture of accuracy, efficiency, and accountability within the Finance team.

Financial Reporting and Compliance

• Oversee the full accounting and financial reporting cycle, including day-to-day accounting operations, month-end soft close, quarterly and annual financial statements, and external audit support.
• Ensure adherence to IFRS and internal policies, maintaining strong internal control processes and documentation.
• Coordinate with the Assistant Controller – Reporting on audit readiness and financial statement preparation, ensuring accurate and timely completion of deliverables.
• Support the Director of Finance in preparing reporting packages for the Executive, Board, and external stakeholders.
• Act as the primary point of continuity for all controllership deliverables, ensuring data integrity and the reliability of financial information used for decision‑making.

Payroll Oversight

• Provide people leadership and accountability for the payroll function, including compliance, accuracy, and timeliness of all payroll activities.
• Work through the Payroll Manager as a technical lead to ensure proper workflow management and continuous improvement of payroll processes.
• Ensure integration of payroll data into financial systems and reporting.
• Champion collaboration between Payroll, Accounting, and HR to ensure end‑to‑end process alignment and compliance.

Operational Efficiency and Continuous Improvement

• Delegate operational leadership of AP, AR, Treasury, and Excise to the Assistant Controller – Operations while maintaining overall accountability for process integrity.
• Guide and mentor the Assistant Controllers to identify and remove barriers, streamline processes, and enhance financial accuracy and reporting timeliness.
• Drive improvements in the month‑end and quarter‑end close processes, with a particular focus on CNB reporting efficiency and data accuracy.
• Collaborate with FP&A to enhance the quality and consistency of financial reporting and variance analysis.
• Champion Finance transformation and system initiatives, ensuring alignment between operational processes and strategic objectives.

Governance and Controls

• Develop and maintain oversight of internal controls and compliance with accounting policies, legislation, and audit requirements.
• Promote a culture of strong financial stewardship, ensuring Finance remains an effective and trusted partner to business units.
• Support the Director of Finance in risk identification and remediation related to financial reporting and control processes.
• Ensure documentation, accountability, and clear ownership of controls across the Finance structure, providing visibility and assurance to executive leadership.

What do you need to be successful?

• CPA designation required.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive accounting experience, including 3–5 years in a leadership capacity within a complex organization.
• Proven expertise in IFRS, internal controls, and external audit management.
• Experience overseeing payroll operations and integrating payroll data into financial reporting systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through others by empowering Assistant Controllers and ensuring clear alignment between Finance workstreams.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to balance tactical execution and strategic oversight.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills with a focus on accuracy and efficiency.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Experience with ERP systems; exposure to Microsoft GP and / or Dynamics 365 considered an asset.

Key Competencies

• Leads Through Others : Builds leadership capability within the team to strengthen Finance’s overall capacity.
• Ensures Accountability : Holds self and others responsible for meeting commitments and deadlines.
• Financial Acumen : Interprets and applies financial insights to strengthen decision‑making and control.
• Optimizes Work Processes : Identifies and implements process improvements to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Develops Talent : Coaches and empowers others to achieve high performance.
• Strategic Mindset : Anticipates future implications of business decisions and aligns operations accordingly.
• Manages Complexity : Simplifies complex processes and information to enable clarity and execution.

Language competencies

• Bilingualism in both official languages is an asset, but not required

Work location

• The Retail Operations Centre is located in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
• The successful candidate must be based in New Brunswick, remote work is possible.
• Semi‑regular travel for meetings and project work may be required.

Note

• Only candidates with legal authorization to work in Canada will be considered
• Accommodations may be provided to candidates upon request, in all aspects of the selection process.