Corporate Controller

Gilder Search Group; Salinas (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Gilder Search Group seeks a hands-on Corporate Controller to partner directly with the CFO and own day-to-day accounting for a manufacturing business. You will lead the close, strengthen controls, and deliver accurate roll-ups while coaching a three-person team.

The role emphasizes improving processes, elevating reporting quality and timeliness, and collaborating with finance leaders on inventory and cost accounting. CPA/CFO experience is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close; improve processes for timely analysis.
• Maintain proactive close calendar with clear accountability.
• Strengthen balance sheet and income statement reconciliations with documented ownership.
• Prepare consolidated financial statements, disclosures, and cash flow; ensure tie-out across entities.
• Manage external audit relationship and coordinate schedules and documentation.
• Serve as technical authority for complex transactions with system and P&L implications.
• Lead, coach, and develop the accounting team.
• Oversee general ledger, payables, receivables, cash, banking, and other operations.
• Own borrowing-base reporting and treasury knowledge for debt reporting.
• Partner with operations to reflect inventory and manufacturing costs accurately.
• Improve accounting policies, internal controls, ERP processes, and reporting efficiency.

Skills

Leadership

GAAP knowledge

Close & reporting

ERP systems

Manufacturing accounting

Internal controls

Team development

Audit liaison

Inventory & cost accounting

Strategic operating sense

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA preferred

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

• Direct CFO partnership with broad ownership of accounting and reporting.
• High-impact mandate to improve the close, controls, systems, and processes.
• Hybrid remote from the Salinas Valley, CA, offering $180K+ base salary

This is a high-impact opportunity for a hands-on accounting leader to partner directly with the CFO and take ownership of the day-to-day accounting function for a dynamic manufacturing organization. The Corporate Controller will lead the close process, strengthen balance sheet and income statement controls, deliver accurate financial statement roll-ups, and manage the external audit relationship. The role offers meaningful scope to improve processes, elevate the quality and timeliness of financial reporting, and coach and develop an established three-person accounting team.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close. Improve processes to streamline the close and enable timely financial analysis.
• Maintain a proactive close calendar, establish clear accountability, and identify bottlenecks before deadlines are at risk.
• Strengthen balance sheet and income statement reconciliation practices, including self-attesting reconciliations that clearly document ownership, supporting detail, rationale, and resolution of reconciling items.
• Prepare accurate consolidated financial statements, disclosures, and cash flow statements; ensure parent and operating-company accounts and statements tie out correctly.
• Manage the day-to-day external audit relationship, coordinate audit schedules and supporting documentation, and resolve audit findings promptly.
• Serve as the technical authority for complex transactions, including system, reporting, balance sheet, and P&L implications.
• Lead, coach, and develop the accounting team through effective delegation, career development, cross-training, and clear performance expectations.
• Oversee general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash, banking, and other accounting operations.
• Own borrowing-base reporting involving inventory and accounts receivable collateral, proactively identifying issues that could affect collateral availability.
• Build sufficient treasury knowledge to support cash management, debt reporting, lender requirements, and borrowing-base activities.
• Partner with operational finance leaders to ensure inventory, manufacturing costs, reserves, and related accounting activity are accurately reflected in the financial statements.
• Improve accounting policies, internal controls, ERP processes, documentation, and reporting efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including meaningful leadership responsibility.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, three-statement financial reporting, consolidations, cash flow preparation, internal controls, and general ledger accounting.
• Demonstrated success leading financial closes and serving as a primary contact for external auditors.
• Manufacturing accounting experience strongly preferred; experience with inventory and cost accounting is important.
• Strong ERP capabilities and experience improving accounting processes, controls, and systems.
• Proven ability to develop teams, establish accountability, solve complex accounting issues, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Hands-on leadership style with the ability to operate strategically while remaining close enough to the details to ensure accuracy and control.