Assistant Controller

Taylor White; Tampa (FL); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

10% bonus

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

Taylor White is seeking an Assistant Controller in Tampa, FL, with a broad leadership role over the accounting function. You will manage two direct reports and partner with the Corporate Controller and CFO on technical GAAP issues in a multi-location environment, including sale-leasebacks and debt modifications.

You will lead the close process, strengthen internal controls, and drive improvements, with a hybrid work arrangement after an initial on-site period.

Qualifications

• Active CPA license or committed to sitting for fourth section.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting.
• Minimum six years of accounting or finance experience (public or mix).
• Strong GAAP research and articulation skills.
• Experience leading a team and driving process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Manage two direct reports (AR Specialist and Credit/Collections Specialist) and oversee receivables, credit decisions, and collections.
• Serve as primary contact for complex GAAP matters (sale-leasebacks, debt modifications) and communicate positions to auditors.
• Coordinate with outside tax accountants on provision and compliance.
• Own internal control environment for financial reporting and audit readiness.
• Lead monthly/quarterly/annual close and maintain GL and schedules.
• Coach accounting staff and drive professional growth.
• Prepare GAAP financial statements and materials for Audit Committee.
• Identify and lead process-improvement initiatives across finance.

Skills

Communication skills

Team leadership

GAAP knowledge

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

CPA license

MBA or MAcc (plus)

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

ERP system

Job description

Assistant Controller | Tampa, FL | $115,000 to $130,000 base + 10% bonus + full benefits

A well-established manufacturer in Tampa is hiring an Assistant Controller to take on a broad accounting leadership role with real day-to-day influence over how the finance function runs. You'll manage two direct reports, work closely with the Corporate Controller and CFO, and serve as the team's go-to person for the trickier technical accounting issues that come up in a multi-location operation, things like sale-leasebacks and debt modifications, where you need to research the right GAAP treatment and defend it to external auditors.

This is a hybrid role: on-site daily for the first 30 days, then three days a week in the company's downtown Tampa office afterward.

What you'll own

• Manage two direct reports, an AR Specialist and a Credit and Collections Specialist, overseeing receivables, credit decisions, and collections.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for complex, non-recurring technical accounting matters, including sale-leasebacks and debt modifications, and communicate GAAP positions confidently to external auditors.
• Coordinate with outside tax accountants on provision, compliance, and related deliverables.
• A tax background isn't required, but you'll need to learn and manage the provision process.
• Own the internal control environment for financial reporting, including design, effectiveness, and ongoing compliance with company policy and audit standards.
• Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual close, including analysis of results and maintenance of the general ledger and supporting schedules.
• Coach and develop accounting staff, balancing performance management with longer-term professional growth.
• Prepare quarterly and annual GAAP financial statements (income statement, balance sheet, stockholders' equity, cash flows) along with materials for the Audit Committee.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement across corporate and plant finance and lead those initiatives from planning through execution.
• Review and approve account reconciliations, making sure they're both timely and substantively reviewed, not just completed.
• Bring forward your own ideas and recommendations to the Controller, CFO, and senior leadership, rather than waiting to be asked.
• Track and close out audit findings within your areas of responsibility on a timely basis.

What they need from you

• Active CPA license. Candidates who've passed three sections and are committed to sitting for the fourth will be considered.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting.
• Minimum six years of accounting or finance experience, either public accounting alone or a mix of public and industry.
• A genuine track record of driving process improvements, not just identifying where things could be better.
• Comfortable managing a team that includes both newer hires and long-tenured employees, with a mix of empathy and accountability.
• Strong technical accounting skills, with the ability to research and clearly explain GAAP positions on complex transactions.
• Experience strengthening internal controls in a lean, multi-entity environment.
• Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, and Word skills.
• Strong communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership.
• Able to commit to five days on-site for the first 30 days, then three days a week afterward.
• Manufacturing or multi-location experience is a plus, particularly familiarity with plant finance or logistics.
• MBA or MAcc is a plus.
• Experience with a large-scale ERP system.
• A blend of public accounting and industry experience is preferred.
• Has led a cross-functional project end to end, including the change management component.
• Low-ego, adaptable, and comfortable in a small, focused team environment.

Why this one's worth a look

• Broad scope across general accounting, reporting, AR, AP, payroll, tax coordination, and controls, with direct exposure to the CFO and senior leadership team.
• Meaningful technical work, including sale-leasebacks, debt modifications, and other complex transactions that will sharpen your skill set.
• A hybrid schedule of three days in office after the initial 30-day period, based out of a well-located Tampa facility.
• Competitive base of $115,000 to $130,000 plus a 10% bonus tied to company performance.
• Room to make a visible impact in a role with real scope and access to leadership.