Controller

AppleOne Employment Services; Escondido (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Major medical, dental, vision

401k

Statutory sick pay

Pay transparency

Job summary

AppleOne Employment Services is seeking an accomplished Controller to lead financial operations for a fast-paced manufacturing facility in the North San Diego area. You will work closely with executive leadership and investment partners to strengthen financial performance and scale accounting practices.

The role emphasizes more than traditional reporting, as you will identify risks, analyze operational performance, and provide financial insight to guide strategic decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience.
• Controller or comparable senior accounting leadership experience.
• Manufacturing cost accounting and standard costing experience.
• Advanced Excel skills and proficiency with ERP and financial reporting systems.
• Strong executive communication and cross-functional business partnering skills.
• Authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial operations for a manufacturing facility, including financial statements, general ledger, balance sheet activity, banking, cash management, and financial reporting.
• Oversee month‑end and year‑end close, account reconciliations, budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, and GAAP compliance.
• Manage standard costing, product costing, inventory accounting, and manufacturing variance analysis.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Commercial, HR, corporate finance, and investment partners to improve performance.
• Develop financial and operational KPIs, including EBITDA, gross margin, cash flow, inventory turns, labor efficiency, and capital investment analysis.
• Strengthen internal controls, improve reporting, support audits and tax‑related activities, and build scalable accounting procedures.

Skills

Leadership

GAAP knowledge

Budgeting

Forecasting

Cost accounting

Inventory accounting

Variance analysis

ERP systems

Excel proficiency

Cross-functional partnering

Financial reporting

Internal controls

Audits

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

CPA

MBA

Tools

SyteLine ERP

Forecast Pro

Vena

Salesforce

ProcessMaker

Job description

A rapidly growing advanced manufacturing company is seeking an accomplished Controller to lead financial operations for a fast-paced manufacturing facility in the North San Diego area. This direct hire opportunity is ideal for a hands‑on manufacturing finance leader who wants high visibility, meaningful business impact, and a clear path toward future senior finance leadership.

The Controller will work closely with executive leadership, corporate finance, operations, and private‑equity investment partners to strengthen financial performance, improve processes, and support continued growth. This role offers a collaborative environment with supportive leadership, strong cross‑functional teamwork, and the opportunity to build scalable accounting and finance practices that can influence the broader organization.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive Controller who enjoys more than traditional reporting. The right candidate will identify risks, improve controls, analyze operational performance, and provide financial insight that helps guide strategic decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead financial operations for a manufacturing facility, including financial statements, general ledger, balance sheet activity, banking, cash management, and financial reporting.
• Oversee month‑end and year‑end close, account reconciliations, budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, and compliance with GAAP and company policies.
• Manage standard costing, product costing, inventory accounting, and manufacturing variance analysis across labor, materials, overhead, margins, inventory, and cash flow.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Commercial, HR, corporate finance, and investment partners to improve business performance and support strategic decisions.
• Develop financial and operational KPIs, including EBITDA, gross margin, cash flow, inventory turns, labor efficiency, customer profitability, and capital investment analysis.
• Strengthen internal controls, improve reporting, support audits and tax‑related activities, and build scalable accounting procedures for future growth.

Compensation and Benefits

• Direct hire opportunity.
• Compensation: $160,000 to $180,000 annually, depending on experience.
• Location: North San Diego

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Lead accounting and finance operations for a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Manage month‑end close, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cost accounting, and inventory accounting.
• Analyze manufacturing variances, margins, cash flow, labor, materials, overhead, and operational KPIs.
• Partner with leadership and cross‑functional teams to improve processes, controls, and financial performance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
• 10 or more years of progressive accounting and finance experience.
• Controller or comparable senior accounting leadership experience.
• Required manufacturing and cost accounting experience.
• Strong knowledge of standard costing, product costing, inventory accounting, manufacturing variances, balance sheets, accounts payable, accounts receivable, banking, and cash management.
• Experience supporting financial operations in a fast‑paced manufacturing or complex production environment.
• Proven ability to translate financial data into practical business recommendations.
• Experience leading and developing accounting employees.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency with ERP and financial reporting systems.
• Strong executive communication, analytical, problem‑solving, and cross‑functional business partnering skills.
• Ability to take initiative, manage changing priorities, and work effectively with minimal supervision.
• Authorization to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.
• Ability to satisfy applicable U.S. Person requirements associated with the organization’s regulated customer base.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA and/or MBA.
• Experience in additive manufacturing, aerospace, defense, medical devices, industrial manufacturing, or another complex production environment.
• Experience within a private‑equity‑backed or rapidly scaling organization.
• Experience supporting facility expansion, capital investments, or post‑acquisition integration.
• Familiarity with SyteLine ERP, Forecast Pro, Vena, Salesforce, ProcessMaker, or comparable platforms.
• Direct experience with the company’s systems is not required, and training will be provided on SyteLine, Forecast Pro, and other internal platforms.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

The Know Your Rights poster is available here: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

The pay transparency policy is available here: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf

• For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.
• We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.
• AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program. https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf
• We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment‑qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.