Controller

Springer's Jewelers; Portland (ME); On-site; USD 130,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Springer’s Jewelers, a Maine-based multi-location family business, seeks a hands-on Controller to lead financial operations across locations and partner with executive leadership.

You will build controls, reporting, and a scalable finance function, mentor the team, and guide strategic decision-making through accurate, timely insights.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in a Controller or comparable senior finance leadership role.
• Strong expertise in financial reporting, internal controls, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management.
• Experience with inventory accounting and multi-entity financial structures.
• Experience leading and developing accounting or finance teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate financial concepts clearly to non-financial stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day financial operations of the business across multiple locations.
• Establish, maintain, and strengthen internal controls, financial reporting accuracy, and accounting discipline.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow management, and compliance activities.
• Ensure timely and accurate month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes.
• Monitor financial performance and provide clear, actionable reporting to leadership.
• Partner closely with the CEO, CRO and fractional CFO on financial priorities, decision-making, and execution.
• Provide financial analysis and business insight related to store performance, margins, inventory, and growth opportunities.
• Support cross-functional leaders with practical financial guidance that improves visibility and decision quality.
• Proactively identify financial risks, operational inefficiencies, and solutions for improvement.
• Lead, coach, and develop the existing finance and accounting team.
• Clarify expectations, improve accountability, and elevate overall team performance.
• Build a culture of accuracy, responsiveness, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Identify and implement process improvements that create greater efficiency, visibility, and consistency.
• Help professionalize the finance function to support continued growth.
• Contribute to the development of systems and practices that can scale with the business over time.

Skills

Financial leadership

Internal controls

Budgeting & forecasting

Cash flow management

Team development

Communication

Education

Accounting degree

Finance background

Tools

ERP systems

Inventory accounting

Multi-entity accounting

Financial reporting

Job description

For over 150 years, Springer’s Jewelers has been a trusted destination for fine jewelry, luxury timepieces, and exceptional client experience across Maine and New Hampshire. As a multi-location, family-owned business, we combine deep heritage with a forward-looking approach to growth, operations, and customer relationships.

We are looking for a hands-on Controller to lead and strengthen the company’s financial operations across a multi-location business. This role is designed for a finance leader who can bring discipline, visibility, and operational partnership to the business.

This is not a narrow accounting role. The Controller will own core financial operations, improve controls and reporting, lead and develop the finance team, and provide practical financial insight that helps leadership make sound business decisions. Over time, this individual will have the opportunity to expand into broader strategic finance responsibilities related to banking relationships, growth initiatives, investment evaluation, and long‑term financial stewardship.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership and Control

• Lead the day‑to‑day financial operations of the business across multiple locations.
• Establish, maintain, and strengthen internal controls, financial reporting accuracy, and accounting discipline.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cash‑flow management, and compliance activities.
• Ensure timely and accurate month‑end, quarter‑end, and year‑end close processes.
• Monitor financial performance and provide clear, actionable reporting to leadership.

Business Partnership

• Partner closely with the CEO, CRO and fractional CFO on financial priorities, decision‑making, and execution.
• Provide financial analysis and business insight related to store performance, margins, inventory, and growth opportunities.
• Support cross‑functional leaders with practical financial guidance that improves visibility and decision quality.
• Proactively identify financial risks, operational inefficiencies, and solutions for improvement.
• Lead, coach, and develop the existing finance and accounting team.
• Clarify expectations, improve accountability, and elevate overall team performance.
• Build a culture of accuracy, responsiveness, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Process Improvement and Scalability

• Identify and implement process improvements that create greater efficiency, visibility, and consistency.
• Help professionalize the finance function to support continued growth.
• Contribute to the development of systems and practices that can scale with the business over time.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in a Controller or comparable senior finance leadership role.
• Strong expertise in financial reporting, internal controls, budgeting, forecasting, and cash‑flow management.
• Experience with inventory accounting and multi‑entity financial structures.
• Experience leading and developing accounting or finance teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate financial concepts clearly to non‑financial stakeholders.

Preferred

• Experience in retail, consumer products, multi‑location, multi‑unit, or family‑owned businesses.
• Experience in organizations in the $50M-$100M+ revenue range.
• Experience supporting ownership, executive leadership, or outside advisors in a closely held business environment.
• Exposure to strategic finance areas such as banking relationships, investment analysis, expansion planning, or family office operations.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a proactive, detail‑oriented, and business‑minded finance leader who combines strong technical accounting capability with sound judgment and operational partnership. This person should be comfortable rolling up their sleeves, improving what already exists, and building trust with leadership, the finance team, and external partners. They should also bring the maturity and ambition to grow from a strong Controller into a broader strategic finance leader over time.

Success in this role will include:

• Creating accurate, timely, and trusted financial reporting
• Strengthening controls and financial discipline across the business
• Improving forecasting, cash management, and operational visibility
• Elevating the performance of the finance and accounting team
• Becoming a trusted business partner to the CEO, CRO and fractional CFO
• Demonstrating the readiness to grow into broader responsibilities over time

This role requires a high level of collaboration, judgment, discretion, and accountability. The ideal candidate will be comfortable operating in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment while maintaining the structure and discipline needed to support a growing business.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Springer’s Jewelers is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.