Financial Controller Jobs in Milwaukee, WI (NOW HIRING)

The Controller oversees the Finance and IT departments, responsible for overseeing all day-to-day transactional work and process improvement, while ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of financial operations. This role oversees accounting, financial reporting, cost accounting, ERP systems, and internal controls to support compliance and effective decision-making.The Controller partners with operations to manage budgeting, forecasting, inventory, and cost performance, translating financial and operational data into actionable insights by identifying trends, drivers, and opportunities. This position also leads cost savings initiatives and ERP optimization efforts to support both current performance and long-term business objectives.This role directs core accounting functions, including establishing and maintaining accounting principles, practices, and procedures, such as financial analytics, expenses and budgeting, operating reporting, inventory control, variance reporting, general ledgers, month and year end closings.PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:1. Lead and oversee all daily operations of the finance, accounting and information technology (IT) functions, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and alignment with organizational goals including providing leadership, guidance, and development to staff.2. Direct and continuously improve accounting processes, policies, and internal controls to ensure compliance with GAAP and regulatory requirements.3. Manage the month-end and year-end close processes, including general ledger oversight and timely preparation of financial statements, analysis, and reports.4. Direct preparation of budgets and forecasts, reviews budget proposals, and prepare necessary supporting documentation and justification.5. Maintain relationships and direct as needed our Commercial Insurance, Auditor & Tax firm(s), IT consultants, and legal representation. Serve as primary liaison to resolve conflicts and foster collaboration.6. Oversee and optimize the organization?s ERP systems including Nav (soon BC) and Vicinity and other related software, including user setup and security, implementations, and reporting improvements. Act as the bridge between business processes and ERP, to ensure training and systems procedures efficiently meet company needs. Continuously seek cost saving measures within Technology.7. Oversee cost accounting activities, including standard costing, inventory valuation, and variance analysis and pricing files both annual and project files.8. Analyze gross margin performance, including the impact of new products, product changes, raw materials, and manufacturing methods and services to determine effects on cost.9. Oversee inventory control processes, directing cost account to ensure accurate reporting and valuation, with a focus on improving internal controls and controlling cost adjustments and scrap. Advise operational and purchasing teams on trends.10. Analyze manufacturing costs comparing standard target costs and expected target costs to actual production costs (daily, weekly and monthly). Evaluate production yields, costs, and labor efficiencies. Advise operational leadership on trends.11 .Build strong cross-functional partnerships to support business objectives and drive results. Partner with other departments through key insights including Ad Hoc Reporting, trend analysis, and KPIs to drive financial health and operational efficiencies.12. Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations as well as GAAP.13. Adhere to all GMP, including sanitary requirements, Safety, Food Safety, and Standardized Work procedures.14. Perform other special projects or tasks as assigned.REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE): Bachelor?s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA or CMA preferred). 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 3+ leadership responsibility. Experience in manufacturing required, food production environments preferred. Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; knowledge of automated financial and accounting reporting systems; Knowledge of federal and state financial regulations. Experience in manufacturing, batch manufacturing preferred. Experience with ERP systems, required. Deep technical knowledge of Vicinity, Nav or BC required.SKILLS & ABILITIES: Strong decision-making, problem-solving and time management skills able to work in a fast-paced environment. Able to maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail while maintaining confidentiality where required. Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial data and translate it into actionable business insights. Ability to identify trends, risks, and opportunities and proactively recommend solutions Ability to develop, plan, and implement short- and long-range goals. Ability to quickly learn new technologies and unfamiliar processes, as well as adapt to changes in a dynamic work environment. Ability to work cross-functionally with different departments and company leadership. Advanced interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to interact with all levels of staff.PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear, and/or use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and/or sit and may occasionally be required to reach above shoulders, climb, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds while moving paperwork or materials. The employee may rarely lift or move up to 50 pounds, i.e. boxes of copy paper. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Prolonged sitting, typing while at a desk combined with standing, walking, stairs, squatting kneeling as needed. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.This document describes general information about the position however should not be considered as comprehensive. The company reserves the right to modify job duties or descriptions at any time. This document is not an employment contract.