Accounting Manager

Controller opportunity with a growing company in Gainesville, GA

The Controller will lead all accounting across two entities, with a mandate to unify, standardize, and scale the accounting function across the organization. This is a transformation-oriented role focused on moving from a highly manual environment to scalable, efficient processes while building a team-driven accounting function. Over time, the Controller should operate primarily in leadership, oversight, and review capacity rather than performing day-to-day transactional work.

This role partners closely with Finance/FP&A leadership while maintaining full ownership of accounting operations and financial reporting integrity.

• Own the weekly, monthly, and year-end close across both entities.
• Ensure financial statements are accurate, consistent, and timely.
• Establish standardized close processes, reporting packages, and review procedures.

• Lead and develop a lean accounting team across both locations.
• Transition responsibility for reconciliations and transactional work from the Controller to the team.
• Build a shared-services mindset across both entities, reducing silos and duplicative work.
• Establish clear roles, accountability, training, and performance expectations.
• Identify and reduce manual processes across accounting workflows.
• Improve efficiency and reliability across Order-to-Cash, Procure-to-Pay, and close processes.
• Leverage and expand existing automation initiatives, including AP/AR automation tools.

• Serve as the finance lead for ERP selection and implementation, targeted over the next 6–9 months.
• Define accounting structure, workflows, data needs, and internal control requirements within the new system.
• Support testing, training, and transition to a modern ERP platform.
• Produce clean, consistent financial statements and supporting schedules.
• Maintain strong balance sheet discipline, reconciliations, and internal controls.
• Partner with FP&A leadership on reporting needs while remaining focused on accounting ownership.
• Note: This role is focused strictly on accounting. FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, cost analysis, and board/private equity reporting are managed separately.

• Coordinate with external audit and tax providers.
• Ensure the company is prepared for external reporting, audit support, and compliance requirements.

• The accounting team independently owns reconciliations and core recurring processes.
• The Controller operates primarily in review, leadership, and oversight capacity.
• Accounting is standardized across both entities rather than managed as two separate organizations.
• Manual work is significantly reduced through process redesigning and automation.
• ERP selection is completed and implementation is underway or completed.
• Financial reporting is consistent, reliable, and decision ready.

• Both entities currently operate on Quick Books Desktop Enterprise (multi-entity environment).
• Financial data is being centralized into a cloud-based SQL database to support standardized reporting.
• Aleph is being implemented as the core reporting and analytics platform, including consolidation and financial reporting.
• Hyperbots AI agents are being deployed to automate AP processes and reduce manual workload.
• The Controller will play a key role in shaping the future state systems and processes.

• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience.
• Prior Controller experience or strong #2 experience in a mid-sized organization.
• Experience building or transforming accounting teams and processes.
• Strong understanding of GAAP, close processes, and internal controls.
• Proven ERP implementation experience, ideally from selection through go live.
• Experience in multi-entity, operationally complex environments.
• Private equity-backed or high-growth environment experience is a plus.
• Manufacturing or food industry experience is helpful but not required.

• Hands‑on leader who can operate effectively in a lean, evolving environment.
• Strong communicator and team developer with an emphasis on delegation and accountability.
• Comfortable driving change and building structure where it does not yet exist.
• Able to balance strong attention to detail with scalable thinking.