Company Profile:
Melfred Borzall is a modern manufacturing company based in Santa Maria, California. We design and manufacture high-quality horizontal directional drilling tools used to install underground infrastructure throughout the world. We are seeking a Controller who will bring discipline, consistency, and visibility to our accounting and finance operations while leading a capable in-house team.
Job Summary:
Reporting to the CEO and working with our external CPA firm, the Controller is responsible for the reliable daily operation of the company’s accounting and finance functions. This is a hands-on operational leadership role for someone who enjoys building and maintaining sound processes, ensuring work is completed accurately and on schedule, developing staff and creating confidence that the company’s financial activities are well controlled.
As Melfred Borzall continues to grow, an important initial focus of this position will be strengthening the systems that support our expanding business. The Controller will have the opportunity to assess current practices and design and implement clear, scalable processes, procedures, controls and organizational structures, that improve consistency, accountability, efficiency and financial visibility, across the company.
Duties / Responsibilities:
Accounting Operations and Internal Controls:
Own monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting close process, including a clear close calendar, assigned responsibilities, reconciliations, review steps and documented completion;
Build and maintain practical accounting procedures for AP, AR, cash receipts, purchasing, payroll coordination, inventory, fixed assets, expense reimbursement, credit, sales tax and GL activity;
Ensure transactions are recorded accurately, consistently and in accordance with GAAP and company policy;
Establish and monitor appropriate segregation of duties, approval limits, access controls, bank controls and other checks and balances that protect company assets and reduce the risk of error or fraud;
Maintain complete supporting documentation and an organized audit trail for significant transactions;
Coordinate effectively with external CPA firm and steadily develop the internal capability to prepare complete, accurate monthly financial statements in-house.
Finance Reporting & Budgeting:
Prepare and review timely monthly financial statements, management reports, account reconciliations and variance analyses;
Create a concise monthly financial package that explains results, significant variances, cash position, working capital, operational concerns and required actions;
Lead annual budgeting process and support periodic forecasts, department budgets and capital expenditure planning;
Maintain useful chart of accounts and reporting structure that supports management decision-making without unnecessary complexity;
Ensure required tax, regulatory, insurance, and financial filings are completed accurately and on time, including multi-state sales tax compliance.
Manufacturing Cost Accounting and Inventory Control:
Develop a strong working understanding of the plant, production processes, routings, bills of material, labor reporting, overhead, inventory movements and job costing;
Own and improve standard cost and actual cost processes so product costs are credible, explainable and useful for pricing, make-or-buy decisions, margin management and operational improvement;
Review material, labor, overhead, purchase price, usage and production variances; identify root causes and work with operations to improve data and process accuracy;
Ensure inventory valuation, cycle counting, physical inventory, work-in-process, scrap, obsolescence and inventory adjustments are properly controlled and reported;
Partner with manufacturing and engineering leaders to improve the accuracy of ERP data that affects costs, inventory and financial results.
Finance Department Leadership:
Lead, manage and hold accountable the accounting and administrative team, including clear roles, priorities, deadlines, standards and follow-up;
Develop staff through training, cross-training, documented procedures, regular feedback and appropriate delegation;
Create visibility to recurring responsibilities so important work is not dependent on memory or one individual;
Balance hands-on involvement with effective delegation; step into details when needed while building a department that operates reliably without constant executive intervention;
Coordinate with outsourced HR, payroll, IT, banking, insurance and professional service providers, as needed.
Cash Management, Security, Contracts, and Insurance:
Manage cash forecasting, banking relationships, account structure, payment processes and short-term cash needs, while keeping company funds secure;
Monitor receivables, payables, borrowing availability, working capital and cash conversion; escalate issues and recommend action promptly;
Oversee controls for ACH, wires, checks, positive pay, user access, payment approvals, vendor changes and bank account exposure;
Coordinate review, track, renew and provide administration of company insurance policies, claims, certificates, bonds and related records;
Manage the financial and commercial review of customer, vendor, lease, service and other business contracts; identify financial obligations, unusual terms, insurance requirements, renewal dates and risks requiring legal or executive review;
Maintain schedules for key contracts, insurance renewals, licenses, filings and other recurring obligations.
Expense and Business Performance Management:
Establish practical expense management processes, including budgets, purchasing controls, approval limits, vendor review, recurring expense review and variance follow-up;
Provide reporting on sales effectiveness and efficiency, including channel, territory, customer, product family, sales people, commission, discount, freight and contribution-margin analysis, where data supports it;
Develop reports to assist management understand where sales growth is profitable, where costs are increasing and where processes or resources are not producing expected returns;
Collaborate with sales, operations and leadership, to improve the quality of source data and convert reports into specific management actions.
ERP and Process Improvement:
Provide oversight of Sage 100 and related accounting workflows, ensuring the system is configured and used consistently;
Improve reporting, reconciliations, controls and workflow through better use of Sage 100, Microsoft Excel and other practical tools;
Document critical processes and eliminate unnecessary manual work, duplicate entry, uncontrolled spreadsheets and workarounds;
Participate in cross-functional process improvement, while maintaining appropriate accounting control and data integrity.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related discipline; accounting degree strongly preferred;
Minimum of 7 years of progressive accounting experience, including meaningful responsibility for close, financial reporting, internal controls, budgeting and team supervision;
Hands-on experience managing an accounting department in a small or mid-sized business environment;
Strong knowledge of GAAP, account reconciliations, financial statements, cash management and internal control practices;
Experience with an ERP system such as Sage 100 and advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel;
Proven ability to create reliable processes, manage recurring deadlines, review details and hold others accountable for completion and accuracy.
Strongly Preferred:
Manufacturing accounting experience, including standard costing, inventory, work-in-process, overhead allocation, production variances and physical inventory controls
Direct experience with Sage 100;
Experience producing monthly financial statements internally and coordinating year-end work with an outside CPA firm;
Experience with contract administration, business insurance, multi-state sales tax, fixed assets, payroll controls and banking security;
CPA or CMA credential, or equivalent depth of practical controllership experience;
Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and EOS is helpful but not required;
Clear written and verbal communication skills and the judgment to raise concerns early and explain financial matters in practical business terms.
Working Hours:
8:00AM -4:30PM, Monday – Friday
Compensation:
$140K -$170K DOE annual base salary, for this full-time exempt position.
Benefits:
Medical 85% paid for employee; 65% paid for dependents by company;
Life insurance 100% paid by company for employee;
16 days of paid time off annually (can be used for sick and/or vacation);
Week off paid between Christmas and New Year;
6 paid public holidays;
401k profit sharing plan;
Paid education reimbursement.
Location:
Santa Maria, CA – onsite position only
Pay: $140,000.00 - $170,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
Application Question(s):
- What is your highest level of education and in what discipline is your degree?
- How many years of experience do you have as a Controller in a leadership capacity?
- Do you have this relevant experience within a manufacturing company?
- Which ERP and accounting-related software applications do you have experience with?
- Do you have a CPA license or CMA certification?
- Where do you live and if outside of a reasonable commute to Santa Maria, CA, do you intend to relocate, if chosen for this role?
- The base salary range for this full-time, exempt position is $140K - $170K. What are your expectations in that regard?
Work Location: In person
