Food Manufacturing Operations Manager Jobs in California

Controller - Food Manufacturing

$150000 - $180000 per year | Costa Mesa, CA | On-site | Permanent

A bit about us:

We are a rapidly growing food manufacturing company with an exciting opportunity to join our team as Controller. As the business continues to scale, we are looking for a hands‑on finance and accounting leader who can build the infrastructure, processes, and reporting needed to support continued growth.

This is a high-impact opportunity for someone who enjoys working in a fast‑paced, entrepreneurial environment and wants to play a key role in building the financial foundation of a growing consumer products business.

Why join us?

• Opportunity to join a high-growth food/CPG company at an exciting stage of development.
• Significant ownership and visibility with executive leadership.
• Ability to build and shape the accounting function.
• Opportunity for career growth as the company scales.
• Entrepreneurial environment with the ability to make an immediate impact.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.

Job Details

The Controller will oversee the company's accounting and financial operations, ensuring accurate financial reporting while developing scalable processes and controls to support growth.

This person will be both hands‑on and strategic — managing the day-to-day accounting function while partnering closely with leadership on financial planning, cash flow management, profitability, and business decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the month-end and year-end close processes, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.
• Oversee general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, reconciliations, and cash management.
• Prepare and analyze monthly financial statements, including P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow reporting.
• Develop meaningful financial reporting and KPIs for leadership, including revenue, gross margin, inventory, working capital, and profitability.
• Lead cost accounting and inventory accounting for the manufacturing operation, including raw materials, finished goods, labor, overhead, and COGS.
• Partner with operations and supply chain teams to improve cost controls, inventory management, purchasing, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Manage and improve accounting policies, procedures, internal controls, and financial processes.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, cash‑flow planning, and financial modeling.
• Analyze product and customer profitability and provide insights to help leadership make better business decisions.
• Manage relationships with external auditors, tax advisors, banking partners, and other financial professionals.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting, tax, and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate and implement improvements to the company's ERP and accounting systems as the business scales.
• Build and develop the accounting team as the company grows.
• Serve as a key financial partner to the CEO, CFO, and broader leadership team.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, with experience at the Controller or Accounting Manager level.
• Experience within food manufacturing, CPG, consumer products, or another inventory-intensive manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of inventory, cost accounting, COGS, and manufacturing accounting.
• Experience managing the month-end close and producing accurate financial statements.
• Experience with an ERP/accounting system such as NetSuite, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to turn financial data into actionable business insights.
• Comfortable working in a startup or high‑growth environment where processes are still being built and improved.
• Hands‑on mentality - willing to roll up your sleeves and perform the work while also building scalable processes.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work cross-functionally with operations, supply chain, sales, and executive leadership.

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