Import Account Manager Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

CONTROLLER

West Michigan | Full Time, Onsite | Exempt

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

An established international manufacturer and distributor is hiring a Controller to lead the accounting function for its U.S. business. This search is being conducted confidentially. The employer will be identified to candidates during the interview process.

The team is lean and the scope is wide. This is the senior finance position in the U.S., with end to end ownership of the accounting function and a seat on the U.S. leadership team. The company is actively investing in strengthening its finance function, and this role leads that work rather than inheriting it finished.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Controller owns the U.S. accounting function: monthly close, U.S. GAAP financial statements, internal controls, inventory and cost accounting, cash management, payroll oversight, accounts payable and receivable, and the recurring reporting package delivered to the parent company. The role also serves as the finance voice to U.S. leadership, providing budgeting, forecasting, margin analysis, and decision support to commercial and operational leaders.

This is a working Controller position. The person in this seat performs the work as well as owning it.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounting and Close

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close, including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and preparation of financial statements under U.S. GAAP
• Maintain the general ledger and chart of accounts; ensure intercompany transactions are recorded, reconciled, and supported
• Prepare and deliver the recurring reporting package to the parent company on the group reporting calendar, including data required for global consolidation
• Own the fixed asset ledger, depreciation schedules, and prepaid and accrual schedules

Inventory and Cost Accounting

• Own inventory valuation, standard cost development, and variance analysis in a combined manufacturing and distribution environment
• Account for imported inventory, including landed cost, freight, duties, and tariff impacts
• Partner with operations on cycle counts, physical inventory, and obsolescence and reserve analysis
• Provide product-level and customer-level margin analysis to support pricing decisions

Controls and Compliance

• Design, document, and maintain internal controls, segregation of duties, and written accounting policies and procedures
• Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP and with federal, state, and local tax filing obligations, including sales and use, income, property, and annual reporting
• Coordinate external audit, tax preparation, and banking and insurance relationships
• Maintain financial records supporting customs and trade compliance in coordination with operations

Planning and Business Partnership

• Lead the annual budget and periodic reforecast in coordination with U.S. leadership and the parent company
• Build and maintain rolling cash flow forecasting; manage working capital, receivables collection, and vendor payment timing
• Translate financial results into plain-language insight for leaders who are not accountants
• Serve as the finance and accounting representative on the U.S. leadership team, contributing to strategic and operational decisions

Systems and Team

• Own the finance side of the ERP system, including data integrity, reporting, and process improvement
• Supervise or directly perform accounts payable, accounts receivable, general accounting, and payroll processing oversight
• Build the accounting function's capability as the business grows

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN YEAR ONE

• A monthly close that runs on a predictable calendar and produces statements leadership and the parent company trust without rework
• Documented accounting procedures and internal controls where undocumented practice exists today
• Inventory and cost accounting that ties cleanly and explains margin movement
• A cash forecast used to make decisions

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressive accounting experience, including three (3) or more in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or equivalent senior accounting role
• Demonstrated ownership of a full monthly close and preparation of U.S. GAAP financial statements
• Inventory and cost accounting experience in manufacturing, distribution, or both
• Hands-on ERP experience, including month-end processing and building reports without IT support
• Advanced Excel
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a small accounting function without a large support staff
• High personal integrity and sound judgment handling confidential financial and personnel information

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• CPA or MBA
• SAP or comparable mid-market ERP
• Experience with imported goods: landed cost, customs duties, and tariff classification impacts
• Experience formalizing accounting processes in an organization where they were previously informal
• Experience supporting an external audit, ideally a first-time or newly expanded audit
• Cross-cultural communication skills and comfort working across time zones

WORK ARRANGEMENT

• Full time, onsite, West Michigan. This is not a remote or hybrid-primary role.
• Exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act
• Periodic early-morning meetings to align with the parent company's time zone
• Occasional international travel

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, height, weight, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal law or by the Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, MCL 37.2202. Reasonable accommodation is available to applicants with disabilities upon request.