Controller

Summit Products | Black River by Summit; Altoona (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Summit Products in Altoona, IA is seeking an experienced Controller to lead accounting and financial activities in our manufacturing operation. This role partners with leadership to provide actionable financial insight that drives profitable growth and operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate will be a hands-on finance leader with deep knowledge of cost accounting, standard costing, inventory controls, budgeting, and GAAP, and will work closely with shop floor leadership on-site in Altoona.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience, with leadership responsibility.
• Manufacturing finance experience preferred.
• Strong GAAP, internal controls, budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead the company’s accounting function, including month-end and year-end close, general ledger oversight, account reconciliations, financial statement preparation, and cash-flow management.
• Prepare monthly financial reports, forecasts, budgets, variance analyses and dashboards.
• Partner with operations to analyze costs, labor efficiency, material usage, overhead allocation, inventory accuracy and margins.
• Own standard costing, product costing, inventory valuation, cycle-counts, and COGS reporting.
• Maintain internal controls, policies, approvals and documentation.

Skills

Excel skills

Financial analysis

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA/CMA/MBA preferred

Tools

ERP systems

Cost accounting software

Job description

Schedule: Full-time, on-site — Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Summit Products is seeking an experienced, operationally minded Controller to lead accounting and financial activities in our manufacturing operation. This role is an important business partner to leadership and operations, responsible for accurate financial reporting, strong internal controls, cost and inventory visibility, and forward-looking financial analysis that supports profitable growth.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing finance leader who understands how financial decisions connect to the shop floor, materials, labor, inventory, production performance, and customer service.

What you’ll do

• Lead the company’s accounting function, including month-end and year-end close, general ledger oversight, account reconciliations, financial statement preparation, and cash-flow management.
• Prepare timely and accurate monthly financial reports, forecasts, budgets, variance analyses, and management dashboards.
• Partner with operations and leadership to analyze manufacturing costs, labor efficiency, material usage, overhead allocation, scrap, inventory accuracy, and margins.
• Own and improve standard costing, product costing, inventory valuation, cycle-count processes, and cost-of-goods-sold reporting.
• Monitor financial performance against budget and prior periods; clearly explain variances and recommend practical corrective actions.
• Maintain effective internal controls, accounting policies, approval processes, and documentation practices.
• Coordinate annual budgeting, ongoing forecasting, audit support, tax reporting support, and relationships with external accountants, banking partners, and other financial vendors.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll coordination, credit/collections support, and other core accounting processes as applicable.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and accountability for accounting team members.
• Help evaluate capital investments, equipment purchases, pricing decisions, and other key business initiatives.
• Improve systems, workflows, reporting tools, and financial processes to increase accuracy, timeliness, and operational insight.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, tax requirements, and company policies.

What we’re looking for

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• CPA, CMA, MBA, or similar credential preferred, but not required.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience, including leadership responsibility.
• Prior Controller, Assistant Controller, Plant Controller, Senior Accounting Manager, or equivalent experience preferred.
• Strong manufacturing, distribution, or inventory-intensive business experience is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with cost accounting, standard costing, inventory controls, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Strong understanding of GAAP, internal controls, reconciliations, and month-end close processes.
• Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with ERP/accounting systems.
• Clear, practical communication skills and the ability to translate financial information into operational decisions.
• High level of integrity, discretion, organization, and follow-through.
• Willingness to work fully on site in Altoona and partner directly with operations and leadership.