Vice President of Finance & Controller

Livework; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Livework is seeking a Vice President of Finance & Controller to provide executive financial leadership, oversee accounting operations, and partner with the CFO to drive profitability and visibility across multiple locations. This hands-on leader will align strategic financial planning with day-to-day accounting, purchasing, inventory, and branch operations.

The role requires a strong background in GAAP, internal controls, and cash flow management, with a track record of building scalable

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 12-15+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience with senior leadership.
• Experience as VP of Finance, Corporate Controller, Senior Controller, Finance Director, or comparable role.
• Strong command of GAAP, financial reporting, internal controls, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.
• Experience leading both accounting operations and strategic financial planning.
• Experience in distribution, wholesale, manufacturing, or inventory-intensive multi-location environments.
• Experience with ERP systems, financial reporting platforms, and advanced Excel-based analysis.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute financial strategies aligning with growth and profitability.
• Provide financial analysis and insights for strategic decisions and investments.
• Lead budgeting, rolling forecasts, modeling, and scenario planning.
• Oversee accounting operations, reporting, and controllership functions.
• Ensure timely monthly, quarterly, and annual closes and GAAP compliance.
• Strengthen internal controls and financial governance across locations.
• Coach and develop finance staff and collaborate with operations and branches.

Skills

Executive leadership

GAAP knowledge

Financial planning

ERP systems

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance

CPA or CMA designation

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Compensation: $250,000 Base Salary + Bonus Potential (DOE)

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

About the Role

A large, established electrical distribution company is seeking an accomplished Vice President of Finance & Controller to provide executive-level financial leadership while maintaining strong oversight of the organization's accounting and financial operations.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a finance executive who combines strong technical accounting expertise with strategic financial planning, operational business acumen, and a proven ability to improve profitability and financial performance.

Reporting directly to the CFO, this individual will play a critical role in strengthening the company's financial infrastructure, optimizing working capital, improving financial visibility, and supporting continued growth across a multi-location distribution environment.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on financial leader who can operate both strategically and tactically - someone equally comfortable advising executive leadership on financial strategy and working directly with accounting, purchasing, inventory, and branch operations to improve business performance.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Financial Leadership & Strategy

• Partner closely with the CFO and executive leadership to develop and execute financial strategies supporting organizational growth and profitability.
• Provide financial analysis, recommendations, and insights to support strategic business decisions, operational investments, and expansion initiatives.
• Lead financial planning and analysis, including annual budgets, rolling forecasts, financial modeling, and scenario planning.
• Evaluate business performance, identify financial risks and opportunities, and recommend actionable improvements.
• Establish financial KPIs and reporting frameworks that drive accountability across the organization.
• Support long-term financial planning, capital investment decisions, and strategic initiatives.
• Provide executive oversight of all accounting operations, financial reporting, and controllership functions.
• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes.
• Oversee financial statements, general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, fixed assets, and inventory accounting.
• Strengthen internal controls, accounting policies, financial governance, and compliance procedures.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Coordinate with external auditors, tax advisors, financial institutions, and other professional partners.
• Improve reporting accuracy, financial transparency, and the effectiveness of accounting operations.

Operational Finance, Inventory & Profitability

• Partner with Operations, Purchasing, and executive leadership to improve financial performance across multiple distribution branches.
• Develop financial strategies to optimize inventory investment, inventory turns, and working capital.
• Monitor and analyze aged inventory, slow-moving and obsolete stock, and Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO).
• Evaluate gross margins, purchasing performance, operating expenses, and branch-level profitability.
• Identify opportunities to improve cash conversion, reduce financial inefficiencies, and strengthen return on invested capital.
• Provide financial guidance to operational leaders to support pricing, purchasing, inventory management, and resource allocation decisions.
• Develop meaningful financial and operational dashboards that support data-driven decision-making.

Cash Flow & Working Capital Management

• Lead cash flow forecasting and working capital analysis.
• Evaluate accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory performance to identify opportunities to improve liquidity.
• Partner with leadership to establish strategies that improve cash conversion and strengthen the company's financial position.
• Support banking relationships, financing requirements, and capital planning in coordination with the CFO.

Systems, Process Improvement & Leadership

• Identify opportunities to improve and automate financial reporting, accounting workflows, and ERP processes.
• Develop scalable financial systems and processes to support business growth and operational complexity.
• Lead, mentor, and develop accounting and finance personnel while building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear performance expectations and strengthen collaboration between Finance, Operations, Purchasing, and branch leadership.
• Support organizational change initiatives and financial process standardization across multiple locations.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 12-15+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including significant senior leadership responsibility.
• Previous experience as a Vice President of Finance, Corporate Controller, Senior Controller, Finance Director, or comparable financial executive.
• Strong command of GAAP, financial reporting, internal controls, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead both accounting operations and strategic financial planning.
• Experience in distribution, wholesale, manufacturing, or another inventory-intensive, multi-location business environment.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, cost management, gross margins, working capital, and operational profitability.
• Proven success implementing financial process improvements, reporting enhancements, and scalable internal controls.
• Experience with ERP systems, financial reporting platforms, and advanced Excel-based financial analysis.
• Strong executive communication skills and the ability to translate complex financial information into actionable business recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop accounting and finance teams.
• Willingness to remain hands-on and actively involved in financial and operational challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA or CMA designation.
• Experience in electrical distribution, industrial distribution, or related wholesale markets.
• Experience supporting a multi-branch organization with significant inventory investment.
• Experience with ERP implementations, integrations, financial automation, or business intelligence tools.
• Demonstrated experience improving working capital, inventory performance, cash conversion, and branch-level profitability.
• Experience partnering directly with a CFO, CEO, President, or ownership group on financial strategy.

What Success Looks Like

• Accurate, timely, and reliable financial reporting across the organization.
• Improved visibility into branch-level financial and operational performance.
• Stronger cash flow forecasting and working capital management.
• Measurable improvements in inventory efficiency, margin performance, and financial accountability.
• A scalable accounting and finance infrastructure capable of supporting continued expansion.
• Strong internal controls, financial governance, and audit readiness.
• A high-performing accounting and finance team with clear ownership and accountability.
• A trusted partnership with the CFO and executive leadership that supports sound financial decision-making.

Why Join

• Executive-level leadership opportunity within a large, established electrical distribution organization.
• Direct partnership with the CFO and senior executive leadership.
• Meaningful influence over financial strategy, operational performance, and long-term growth.
• Opportunity to modernize financial processes, strengthen financial infrastructure, and drive measurable business improvements.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial, and fast-paced environment.
• Competitive executive compensation package, including a $250,000 base salary, bonus potential, and benefits.