Controller – Manufacturing / Cost Accounting Leadership

St. Charles, IL | Direct Hire | $125,000–$130,000

A growing custom manufacturing company is seeking a hands-on Controller to lead accounting operations, support strategic growth initiatives, and help drive process improvements across the business. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and enjoys both rolling up their sleeves and developing a strong team.

This organization is investing heavily in growth, including facility expansion, new equipment, technology upgrades, and a major ERP implementation. The Controller will play a critical role in supporting these initiatives while ensuring accurate financial reporting and operational insight.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all day-to-day accounting and finance functions, including:
• Month-end close (targeting 3-day close)
• Journal entries and account reconciliations
• Financial reporting
• Job costing and variance analysis
• Oversee cost accounting for:
• Material costs
• Direct labor
• Manufacturing overhead
• Standard vs. actual cost analysis
• Manage and mentor a team of 3 direct reports:
• Accounts Payable
• Accounts Receivable
• Payroll / HR support
• Train and develop staff on accounting best practices, month-end processes, and journal entries
• Improve processes and internal controls to support company growth
• Partner with leadership on budgeting, forecasting, and business planning
• Support transition of outsourced functions in-house, including payroll and tax filings
• Help lead ERP go-live and optimization efforts (Epicor experience strongly preferred)

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting required
• 7+ years of progressive accounting / finance experience
• 5+ years of hands-on leadership experience managing a small accounting team preferred
• Strong manufacturing accounting experience required
• Job shop, custom manufacturing, or machine builder environment highly preferred
• Deep understanding of:
• Cost accounting
• Inventory
• Labor and overhead analysis
• Financial reporting in a manufacturing setting
• Proven experience with month-end close and daily accounting operations
• Strong leadership, communication, and training / development skills
• ERP implementation or system conversion experience a plus
• CPA preferred, but not required
• Payroll / tax filing experience is a plus

Ideal Candidate:

• Hands-on, accountable leader who leads by example
• Comfortable working in a small to mid-sized business environment
• Sense of urgency and strong follow-through
• Process-minded and solutions-oriented
• Enjoys building teams and improving systems

Why This Opportunity?

• Join a stable, growing manufacturing organization investing in its future
• Lead a well-established accounting team
• Opportunity to make a visible impact on operations and growth initiatives
• Collaborative culture with long-term leadership vision

If you have strong manufacturing accounting experience and enjoy building teams while driving process improvements, we’d love to hear from you.