Assistant Controller

Elite Spice Inc; Hanover (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Elite Spice Inc is seeking a hands-on accounting leader to bridge detailed accounting work with financial statement oversight and staff leadership. You will drive monthly close, ensure GAAP compliance, and back up the Controller while building robust SOPs.

You will supervise AR/AP, manage fixed assets, support budgets, and partner with IT on ERP upgrades and automation. Strong Excel and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required.
• CPA or CPA-track preferred.
• Progressive accounting experience appropriate for an Assistant Controller-level role.
• Experience in manufacturing, distribution, food, or related operationally complex environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Review statements, GL activity, reconciliations, variance analyses; resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain GAAP discipline and internal controls; ensure policy compliance.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and management reporting with leadership.
• Directly supervise AR, AP, and staff accountants; set priorities and train.
• Serve as backup to Controller; manage accounting ops in absence.
• Participate in recruiting, onboarding, performance mgmt, and dev of accounting staff.
• Lead fixed asset process administration, capitalization policies, depreciation, and reporting.
• Develop and improve SOPs, desk procedures, and internal controls; drive automation/AI use.
• Coordinate tax compliance and audit readiness; support external auditors.
• Partner with IT to improve systems, reporting, data integrity, and workflows.

Skills

Excel advanced formulas

GAAP knowledge

Financial statement review

Staff supervision

Fixed asset accounting

Internal controls

SOP development

ERP systems

Automation/AI in accounting

Communication/analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA or CPA-track preferred

Progressive accounting experience for Assistant Controller

Experience in manufacturing/distribution/ingredient industries a plus

Tools

ERP systems

Fixed asset system/module

AI-enabled tools for accounting

Job description

The successful candidate will be a highly capable, hands-on accounting leader who can move confidently between detailed accounting work, financial statement review, team management, and process improvement. This individual will be an Excel expert who prepares and reviews highly accurate formula-driven spreadsheets and financial schedules, a strong financial statement reviewer, an effective manager of AR/AP/accounting staff, and a dependable backup to the Controller. They will bring the discipline to build sustainable SOPs and controls, support ACH and other system implementations, use automation and AI thoughtfully to improve accounting processes, strengthen fixed asset accounting, and keep the company consistently audit- and tax-ready.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and review monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities to ensure complete, accurate, and timely financial reporting.
• Review financial statements, general ledger activity, balance sheet reconciliations, variance analyses, and supporting schedules; investigate and resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain strong accounting discipline in accordance with GAAP, company policies, legal requirements, and established internal controls.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, and variance analysis in partnership with the Controller and finance leadership.
• Directly supervise, coach, and develop the Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and Staff Accountant functions; set priorities, review work, manage deadlines, and provide ongoing training and feedback.
• Serve as the primary backup to the Controller, assuming responsibility for accounting operations, reporting, approvals, issue resolution, and departmental leadership during the Controller’s absence.
• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, performance management, and development of accounting team members as needed.

Fixed Assets, Controls & SOPs

• Lead the implementation and ongoing administration of the fixed asset process and/or fixed asset system module, including capitalization policies, asset registers, depreciation schedules, transfers, disposals, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Develop, document, maintain, and continuously improve accounting standard operating procedures (SOPs), desk procedures, workflows, and internal controls across the accounting function.
• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline processes, reduce manual work, strengthen controls, improve data integrity, and enhance reporting quality and timeliness, including appropriate use of AI-enabled tools, automation, and other process-improvement technologies.

Tax & Audit

• Coordinate tax compliance and preparation of supporting schedules for federal, state, local, sales/use, property, activity, corporate, and other applicable taxes; work with outside tax advisors as needed.
• Prepare or coordinate R&D and other tax-support schedules where applicable.
• Lead audit preparation and readiness, including reconciliations, schedules, supporting documentation, confirmations, PBC requests, and coordination with internal departments and external auditors through completion.

Systems, Treasury & Process Improvement

• Partner with IT and business teams to improve accounting systems, reporting, data integrity, and workflows, including AP, AR, fixed assets, ACH/payment processes, ERP-related initiatives, automation, and appropriate AI-enabled solutions.
• Support accounting system implementations, upgrades, integrations, ACH implementation and payment-process improvements, chart-of-accounts maintenance, and related process redesign.
• Oversee or review key accounting and treasury controls such as bank reconciliations, Positive Pay, ACH processes and controls, and other assigned cash-management activities.

Required Skills & Experience

• Expert-level Microsoft Excel skills are required, with demonstrated mastery of advanced formulas and functions such as XLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, SUMIFS, IF/IFS, nested formulas, PivotTables, data validation, large-data analysis, and complex reconciliations. Must be able to prepare accurate, well-organized, formula-driven spreadsheets, financial schedules, reconciliations, and reporting models; validate formulas and source data; identify spreadsheet errors; and maintain strong controls over spreadsheet accuracy and integrity.
• Demonstrated ability to review financial statements and identify, research, and resolve accounting issues.
• Prior experience supervising or managing accounting staff, preferably including AR, AP, and general/staff accounting personnel.
• Hands-on fixed asset accounting experience; experience implementing or significantly improving a fixed asset process or system module is strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of general ledger accounting, reconciliations, internal controls, taxes, audit preparation, and financial reporting.
• Experience developing accounting SOPs and improving processes and controls, including automation, AI-enabled tools, and other efficiency initiatives where appropriate.
• Experience working with ERP/accounting systems and supporting system implementations, upgrades, integrations, ACH/payment implementations, automation, AI-enabled process improvements, or process redesign.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Education & Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• CPA or CPA-track preferred.
• Progressive accounting experience appropriate for an Assistant Controller-level role.
• Experience in manufacturing, distribution, food, ingredient, or another operationally complex environment is a plus.