Controller & Business Analytics Manager

Controller & Business Analytics Manager

Schaefer Farms is a large, diversified, family-owned agricultural operation in western Minnesota and South Dakota. The business spans corn, soybeans, sugar beets, carrots, and edible beans, along with value-added businesses in processing, storage, and marketing. With a diverse and growing operation, Schaefer Farms combines the entrepreneurial mindset of a family-owned business with the complexity of a sophisticated agricultural enterprise.

Schaefer Farms offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Schaefer Farms is seeking a Controller & Business Analytics Manager to lead accounting and financial reporting while strengthening the organization's business analytics and decision-support capabilities.

This is more than a traditional accounting role. The Controller will partner closely with ownership and operational leaders to understand business performance, improve processes, develop meaningful KPIs, and turn financial and operational data into actionable insights.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on financial leader who enjoys both working with the numbers and understanding the business behind them.

• Lead the general ledger, month-end close, reconciliations, financial statements, and management reporting.
• Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting across multiple business entities and operations.
• Oversee accounting for crops, inventory, fixed assets, debt, leases, intercompany activity, and other significant accounts.
• Establish and maintain strong internal controls and financial processes.
• Coordinate year‑end activities with external accountants, tax advisors, lenders, and other professional partners.

• Develop financial and operational KPIs that help managers understand and improve performance.
• Build budgets, forecasts, cash‑flow projections, dashboards, and financial models.
• Analyze profitability, costs, working capital, equipment utilization, labor efficiency, yield trends, and other key business drivers.
• Identify trends, variances, risks, and opportunities and communicate findings to ownership and management.
• Support capital investment, equipment replacement, and other strategic business decisions.

• Evaluate and improve accounting, payroll, ERP, invoicing, reporting, and spreadsheet processes.
• Strengthen AP, AR, invoicing, payroll, purchasing, approvals, and cost‑allocation processes.
• Improve data flow between operating and financial systems while reducing unnecessary manual work.
• Develop standardized procedures, reporting processes, and documentation.

• Serve as a trusted financial partner to ownership and operational leadership.
• Communicate financial information clearly to both accounting and non‑financial managers.
• Lead and develop accounting and administrative personnel.
• Maintain high standards of accuracy, confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Agricultural Economics, or a related field; accounting degree strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in accounting, controllership, financial analysis, or a related function.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, reconciliations, month-end close, internal controls, and GAAP.
• Experience with cash‑and accrual‑basis accounting and book‑to‑tax reporting.
• Strong Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Experience with accounting/ERP systems and reporting or business intelligence tools;
  Power BI is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to improve financial processes, reporting, and systems.
• Strong analytical, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• CPA or CMA is a plus, but not required.

The successful candidate will combine strong accounting fundamentals, analytical ability, business curiosity, and practical leadership. They will be comfortable moving between detailed accounting work and higher-level business analysis—from reviewing a reconciliation or forecast to evaluating an equipment investment or helping an operating manager understand financial results.

Most importantly, Schaefer Farms is looking for someone who doesn't simply report the numbers, but understands what is driving them and helps the business improve.

This is an opportunity to take on a highly visible financial leadership role within a diversified, growing family‑owned agricultural business. The Controller will work directly with ownership and operational leadership and have a meaningful opportunity to strengthen financial reporting, analytics, systems, and business performance.

Hancock, Minnesota

Full-Time, On-Site

CEO / Owner