Controller
Ripple Foods
Accounting & Finance
St Charles, IL, USA
USD 125k-130k / year
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.