Controller — West Denver Metro, CO, Colorado | Pacific Executive Search

Controller

(Job ID: 2054)

West Denver Metro, CO, Colorado

On-Site

Direct Hire

Manufacturing

$120,000 – $150,000 base

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Overview

A hands-on finance leader is needed to oversee accounting and financial operations for a manufacturer in West Denver area. This role offers direct collaboration with senior management to elevate financial reporting, controls, and analysis within a compact, multi-entity environment. The position demands a blend of detailed accounting expertise and strategic insight to guide profitable growth and operational efficiency in a manufacturing setting.

Title: Controller
Industry: Manufacturing
Location: West Denver Metro, CO

Responsibilities

Manage the full accounting cycle, including month-end close, journal entries, reconciliations, and preparation of financial statements for multiple entities.
Partner closely with leadership to develop budgets, forecasts, and long-term financial plans that align with operational goals and market conditions.
Maintain oversight of working capital components such as cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory to optimize liquidity and profitability.
Implement and enhance internal controls and compliance procedures to safeguard assets and ensure audit readiness across all finance functions.
Supervise and mentor a small accounting team, fostering accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement in financial processes.
Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, purchasing, and supply chain teams to analyze cost variances, inventory management, and production efficiencies.
Lead or support finance system enhancements, reporting automation, and special projects to improve data quality and workflow efficiency.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
- Five to seven years of progressive accounting experience, including month-end close, financial reporting, budgeting, and internal controls.
- Experience in a manufacturing or distribution environment, preferably with assembly operations and inventory management.
- Proficiency with ERP systems, ideally SAP Business One or a comparable platform, for financial and operational reporting.
- Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and financial statement preparation.
- Demonstrated ability to lead a small team and manage multiple accounting functions simultaneously.
- Advanced Excel skills and the capacity to translate financial data into actionable insights for non-financial stakeholders.
Nice-to-Have:
- Professional certifications such as CPA, CMA, or an MBA.
- Experience with multi-entity accounting, intercompany transactions, and international ownership reporting.
- Background in cost accounting, standard costing, and manufacturing variance analysis.
- Exposure to ERP implementation, reporting automation, or business intelligence tools.
- Familiarity with industries related to irrigation, agriculture, plastics, or light manufacturing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Accounting Manager hires fail?
Because companies hire for close execution when the real need is issue ownership and team leadership. Many candidates can manage a checklist. Far fewer can stabilize the function under pressure, improve weak processes, coach staff, and hold the line during audit, turnover, or reporting stress.
What are strong Accounting Manager candidates evaluating during the interview process?
They are usually trying to understand whether they are walking into a stable environment, a cleanup situation, or an under-resourced function. Strong candidates do not just evaluate title and compensation. They assess whether success is realistically achievable and whether leadership understands what the accounting team actually needs.
Why is manufacturing accounting and finance talent difficult to hire well?
Because manufacturing environments expose weak operators quickly. The work touches inventory, costing, margins, controls, operations, and often plant-level realities. Employers are not just hiring accounting knowledge. They are hiring someone who can function inside an operational business where the numbers have to connect to what is happening on the floor.
Is the CPA really required for roles like this?
Sometimes yes, and often functionally yes even when the posting says "preferred." At leadership levels especially, the CPA frequently acts as a credibility signal for hiring managers, auditors, lenders, investors, or boards. There are exceptions, but in many accounting searches it remains one of the clearest markers of technical foundation.
How do strong candidates typically evaluate opportunities like this?
Strong candidates rarely evaluate a role based on title alone. They look at what the position actually owns, how the function is viewed internally, whether the environment is stable or in transition, and what success will realistically look like in the first 6 to 12 months. Many first discover a role through a posting, but the strongest career decisions usually come from understanding the context behind the opportunity, not just the job description. In accounting and finance hiring, that level of context is often what separates a lateral move from a meaningful one. Learn more about how strategic accounting and finance searches differ from transactional recruiting.
Why do companies often prioritize SAP experience so heavily?
Because SAP environments tend to be process-intensive and operationally interconnected. Employers often prefer candidates who already understand that structure, especially when the role touches inventory, costing, plant operations, or a complex monthly close.