Controller (Raw Sugar)

Careers with WM Partners' Portfolio Companies

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Controller will lead Raw Sugar’s accounting operations, financial reporting, internal controls, compliance, and key financial processes. This individual will serve as a strategic partner to the General Manager and executive leadership team, ensuring the company has accurate financial reporting, disciplined controls, meaningful insights, and scalable processes to support continued growth. This is a hands-on leadership role for a thoughtful, operationally minded finance executive who understands consumer products, mass retail, ecommerce, Amazon, inventory, trade spend, and the pace of a high-growth environment. The ideal candidate brings strong technical accounting expertise, a continuous-improvement mindset, and the ability to develop people, systems, and processes that create clarity, accountability, and better decision-making across the business.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field; CPA or MBA preferred.
10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including leadership experience in a Controller, Senior Director, or equivalent role.
Experience in consumer packaged goods, beauty, personal care, food, beverage, wellness, or another inventory-based consumer products business strongly preferred.
Experience working with mass market retailers, digital commerce platforms, direct-to-consumer channels, and Amazon strongly preferred.
Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial reporting, accounting operations, internal controls, tax compliance, and audit processes.
Demonstrated experience with trade spend, customer deductions, channel margin analysis, inventory accounting, multi-location inventory, working capital, and cash flow management.
Experience in a private equity-backed, high-growth, or transformation-oriented environment highly desirable.
Advanced technology skills, including strong Excel skills and experience with accounting systems, ERP platforms, reporting tools, and Power BI or similar BI platforms.
Ability to leverage AI, automation, and data analytics to improve reporting, forecasting, close processes, controls, and business decision-making.
Strong analytical, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Ability to prioritize, communicate expectations clearly, meet deadlines, and manage multiple initiatives with limited supervision.
Exceptional communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence across functions and build trust with stakeholders.
A compassionate, hands-on leadership style with a passion for developing people and creating transformational change through process, measurement, and collaboration.

Nice To Haves

CPA or MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead all accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, inventory accounting, and financial reporting.
Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, with a focus on accuracy, timeliness, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
Prepare and present financial statements, reporting packages, and business insights for internal leadership, investors, lenders, and other key stakeholders.
Ensure accounting records, policies, and reporting practices are maintained in accordance with GAAP and company requirements.
Partner with external auditors and tax advisors to ensure successful audits, reviews, and compliance processes.
Serve as a key partner to the CFO and executive leadership team, providing financial insights, recommendations, and analysis to support strategic decision-making.
Support budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, and financial modeling across channels, customers, brands, products, and major business initiatives.
Lead analysis related to channel profitability, customer margins, product margins, trade spend, inventory performance, working capital, and cash flow.
Provide financial leadership for new business opportunities, operational initiatives, capital projects, and potential M&A or integration activities.
Improve measurement and reporting around trade spend, customer deductions, accruals, promotions, chargebacks, and retailer-related financial activity.
Develop better visibility into multi-location inventory, cost of goods sold, gross margin, and supply chain-related financial performance.
Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Ecommerce to strengthen financial behaviors, accountability, and transparency across the company.
Develop, implement, and maintain strong financial controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, local, payroll, sales, property, and corporate tax requirements.
Oversee cash flow, working capital management, banking relationships, and liquidity planning.
Support risk management practices, including insurance, internal controls, compliance, and process governance.
Lead the evolution of Raw Sugar’s accounting and finance systems, reporting tools, data quality, and process automation.
Own finance-related data governance, KPI definitions, and reporting standards to ensure consistent, accurate, and timely business insights.
Partner with leadership to expand the use of Power BI, dashboards, AI-enabled analytics, and automation tools that improve forecasting, reporting, variance analysis, close efficiency, and decision support.
Identify and implement process improvements that reduce cycle time, increase accuracy, strengthen controls, and allow the finance team to scale.
Use data collection, analysis, interpretation, and testing to create a fact-based culture of learning and operational improvement.
Build, lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing accounting and finance team.
Provide day-to-day leadership to accounting managers and staff, including hiring, training, performance management, coaching, and professional development.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, compassion, continuous improvement, and excellence.
Develop the capabilities of the team to meet the company’s emerging needs as Raw Sugar continues to grow.