Controller

Acara Solutions, Inc.; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Acara Solutions, Inc. seeks a Controller/Director of Finance to partner with the CEO, lead a small finance team, and build the financial infrastructure for a fast-growing, multi-entity roll-up.

You'll own FP&A, monthly close, treasury, tax, and intercompany accounting across 4–6 entities, while driving process improvements and system enhancements in an inventory-heavy distribution/3PL context.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Controller or Director of Finance, with strategic and hands-on accounting.
• Startup or high-growth experience building structure from scratch.
• Multi-entity accounting and consolidation experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead FP&A: budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow planning, and unit economics.
• Close monthly books across 4–6 entities with strong internal controls.
• Oversee AP/AR, payroll, tax coordination, and insurance compliance.
• Manage treasury: weekly cash visibility, debt, and working capital.
• Drive acquisitions diligence, valuation, and post-close integration.

Job description

Why You’ll Love Working Here:Our client is a fast-growing holding company that is scaling quickly across their operating companies.

Why This Opportunity is Exciting:The Controller is a strategic financial partner to the CEO and the person who makes sure the books close cleanly every month. This is a builder’s seat at a company that’s scaling fast. You’ll inherit a small, capable team that already handles the majority of day‑to‑day transactional work. Your job is to lead them and build the financial infrastructure a multi‑entity roll up needs to keep growing. Our client is seeking someone who’s a thought leader on strategy and capital but who will also roll up their sleeves and get the day‑to‑day done.

What You’ll Do:

Finance Strategy & Accounting

• Serve as the CEO’s primary financial partner on strategy, capital allocation, and pricing
• Build and own FP&A: budgeting, forecasting, cash‑flow planning, and unit economics our businesses Manage banking, lending, and debt relationships; optimize working capital across inventory‑heavy businesses
• Run accurate, timely financials — P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow at both the entity and consolidated level
• Maintain strong internal controls, intercompany accounting, and a clean audit trail
• Translate numbers into decisions: tell us where we’re making money, where we’re not, and what to do about it
• Oversee AP, AR, payroll, and tax coordination
• Manage inventory accounting and costing across distribution, auction, and 3PL operations
• Drive the financial side of acquisitions — diligence, valuation, deal structuring, and post‑close integration as we continue to roll up the space
• Own the monthly close, consolidations, and reporting across 4–6 legal entities

Treasury & Cash Flow

• Own weekly cash visibility across all entities and bank accounts, and maintain short‑term cash‑flow forecasts
• Track LOC usage, debt service, and liquidity risk — flagging funding needs and timing issues to leadership early
• Support financing requests, credit applications, and lender reporting

Revenue & Margin Analysis

• Analyze revenue and gross margin by channel
• Surface margin compression, channel‑mix shifts, and pricing issues
• Connect financial results to actual inventory movement and sell‑through

Tax, Compliance & Insurance

• Oversee sales tax reporting, remittance, and exemption certificates across applicable states
• Coordinate multi‑entity tax planning and filings with outside CPAs
• Manage insurance renewals, certificates of insurance, claims, and audits
• Serve as the primary financial point of contact for audit, insurance brokers, lenders, and banks

Team & systems

• Lead and develop the existing small, capable finance team
• Choose, implement, and improve the financial systems
• Build the repeatable processes and reporting cadence that a growing roll up depends on

Job Requirements

What You’ll Bring:

• Proven experience as a Controller, or Director of Finance, ideally having done both strategic and hands‑on accounting work
• Startup or high‑growth experience — you’ve operated where things are unfinished and built structure from scratch
• Multi‑entity accounting and consolidation experience
• Genuinely hands‑on: comfortable in the GL and the spreadsheets, not just the boardroom
• Strong command of cash management and working capital in an inventory‑or asset‑heavy business
• The scrappy, get‑it‑done mindset that matches how we operate

What Sets You Apart:

• CPA designation
• Experience in distribution, wholesale, logistics/3PL, manufacturing, or another inventory‑intensive industry
• M&A / integration experience (diligence, deal structuring, folding acquired companies into the parent)
• Experience managing remote and/or offshore team members

Additional Information:

Aleron companies (Acara Solutions, Aleron Shared Resources, Broadleaf Results, Lume Strategies, TalentRise, Viaduct) are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Race/Color/Gender/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Veteran.

Applicants for this position must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position does not meet the employment requirements for individuals with F‑1 OPT STEM work authorization status.