Controller, Accounting, Financial Reporting

Location: Grand Forks, ND

Job Type: Full-Time Salaried

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: General Manager

Are you an experienced accounting and finance professional looking to take full ownership of a financial function and make a tangible impact? We are seeking a hands‑on Controller to oversee and drive the day‑to‑day accounting, financial reporting, cash flow visibility, and process improvement efforts for APGI.

As a key individual contributor with no direct reports (currently), you will manage the full-cycle accounting process. This role plays a critical part in our grower accounting and settlement workflows within the produce industry, helping to strengthen and modernize the financial systems that support our business and our growers.

• Full‑Cycle Accounting: Own the day‑to‑day accounting functions, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger activity, journal entries (including monthly accruals), reconciliations, and the month‑end close process.
• Multi‑Facility Expense Management: Partner directly with wash plant managers across our three locations to streamline the accounts payable workflow, ensure all necessary operational expenditure approvals are secured, and communicate localized financial performance and budget insights back to plant leadership.
• Financial Reporting: Prepare timely and accurate monthly financial statements and supporting analysis for the General Manager to support strategic decision‑making and monthly board meetings.
• Grower Accounting: Oversee produce‑industry reporting and grower accounting workflows within our specialized ERP system, including accurate tracking of grower transactions, charges, advances, storage, and final settlement‑related activity.
• Cash & Budgeting: Maintain sharp cash flow visibility, monitor working capital, and support budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.
• Payroll & Compliance: Oversee payroll‑related accounting, including payroll journal entries, reconciliations, and related compliance filings, while collaborating with our managed third‑party payroll provider.
• Tax Compliance & Reporting: Manage timely monthly and quarterly tax filings and compliance reporting, while serving as the primary liaison for the outside audit firm handling the annual tax returns.
• Inventory Control & Audit Support: Oversee accounting controls for potato bag and packaging inventory, ensuring accurate ledger tracking and supporting the outside auditors during regular sample inventory verifications.
• Audit & Partnership: Serve as the primary accounting contact for the outside audit firm; prepare all necessary schedules, reconciliations, and documentation for the annual audit. Work directly with banks, vendors, and insurance partners as part of normal financial operations.
• HR Administration: Support core HR functions including employee onboarding, benefits coordination, personnel record‑keeping, policy administration, and coordination with outside HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance partners as needed.
• Process Modernization: Help modernize internal workflows, including accelerating the transition to ACH, electronic invoice receipt, and reduced manual data entry/paper‑based processes.
• Internal Controls: Strengthen internal controls, consistency, data visibility, and documentation across all accounting and operational cost structures.
• Operational Agility: Maintain a "roll‑up‑your‑sleeves" mindset, taking on administrative, operational, or ad‑hoc financial tasks as assigned to ensure smooth business operations.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years of progressive accounting experience, demonstrating the ability to handle full‑cycle accounting independently.
• Core Competencies: Deep understanding of GAAP, financial statement preparation, reconciliations, and month‑end close.
• Software
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong Excel and systems skills, with a proven ability to learn new software platforms quickly and analyze financial data efficiently.
• Work Style: Comfortable working in a highly hands‑on, autonomous environment. Ability to partner closely with operational leadership.