Controller, Finance
About The Position
Purdys Chocolatier is looking for a Controller to join their Finance team. This role is responsible for leading the company’s accounting operations, financial reporting, internal controls, and compliance activities across a large-scale retail, manufacturing, and distribution environment. The Controller ensures the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial information while supporting operational leaders with meaningful analysis and practical business insights. This position oversees period-end and year-end close, financial statement preparation, inventory and cost accounting, tax and audit support, cash management, and accounting process improvements. As a key member of the Finance leadership team, the Controller partners closely with the CFO and cross-functional leaders in Retail Operations, Digital Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Distribution, Information Technology, and People & Culture to strengthen financial discipline, improve processes, and support profitable growth.
Requirements
- Professional accounting designation CPA required.
- Minimum 8-10 years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including experience in a Controller, Assistant Controller, Senior Accounting Manager, or equivalent leadership role.
- Experience in a complex retail, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, food production, or distribution environment.
- Strong technical accounting knowledge, including financial reporting, internal controls, inventory accounting, cost accounting, revenue recognition, leases, and accruals.
- Experience leading or supporting ERP modernization initiatives, including cloud migration, financial reporting enhancements, workflow automation, and close management improvements.
- Demonstrated ability to lead month-end and year-end close processes and prepare accurate financial statements and management reporting.
- Strong understanding of inventory flows, manufacturing costs, distribution costs, standard costing, margin analysis, and operational KPIs.
- Experience leading external audits, tax compliance support, and internal control improvements.
- Advanced Excel skills and strong working knowledge of ERP/accounting systems, reporting tools, and process automation opportunities.
- Proven people leadership experience, including coaching, performance management, workload planning, and team development.
- Excellent judgment, attention to detail, communication skills, and ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in a multi-location retail business with seasonal sales patterns and high-volume transaction activity.
- Experience in food manufacturing, confectionery, or other regulated consumer goods environments.
- Experience with vertically integrated operations that include production, warehousing, distribution, and retail stores.
- Experience supporting pricing, gross margin, shrink, labour, freight, and store-level profitability analysis.
- Bilingual or multi-jurisdictional business experience is an asset.
Responsibilities
- Lead the accounting function, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory accounting, fixed assets, leases, payroll accounting, and financial reporting.
- Oversee the period, quarterly, and annual close processes, ensuring timely, accurate, and well-supported financial statements and reporting packages.
- Maintain strong financial controls, accounting policies, and business processes to safeguard company assets and support reliable reporting.
- Partner with other departmental teams to provide insight into cost drivers, operational performance, gross margin, labour efficiency, waste, freight, and store profitability.
- Coordinate annual external reviews, tax filings, and other compliance requirements, acting as a key contact for auditors, tax advisors, and internal stakeholders.
- Support budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes by providing accurate historical data, variance analysis, and operational finance insight.
- Monitor cash flow, working capital, capital expenditures, and balance sheet accounts, ensuring appropriate review, reconciliation, and follow-up.
- Drive continuous improvement in accounting systems, reporting tools, internal controls, reconciliations, and close timelines.
- Lead, coach, and develop the accounting team, setting clear expectations, supporting professional growth, and fostering a culture of accountability, accuracy, and service.
- Provide practical recommendations to the CFO and senior leadership on accounting matters, financial risks, operational controls, and process improvements.
Benefits
- Flexible Work Arrangement Policy
- Possibility to work from home two days per week
- Extended Health & Dental Plan
- Health Spending Account
- Sickness and Disability Plans
- RRSP/TFSA Matching Program
- Profit Sharing depending on achieving the business goals
- Purdys Perks (Personal Spending Account, Tuition Reimbursement, Employee discount, and much more)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
