Mergers & Acquisitions Controller

Vessco Water•Chanhassen, MN

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Vessco Water is seeking a Mergers and Acquisitions Controller to oversee the accounting due diligence and integration of newly acquired businesses. With more than 45 subsidiaries and approximately eight acquisitions annually, this role is a key liaison among Corporate Accounting, M&A, acquired-company leadership, Regional Controllers, and external advisors throughout the acquisition lifecycle. The position oversees accounting due diligence support, opening balance sheets, purchase accounting, financial reporting integration, accounting policy alignment, internal controls, and the transition of acquired companies into Vessco Water’s ongoing accounting and reporting processes. It requires strong technical accounting knowledge, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple acquisitions and integrations at different stages. The M&A Controller leads acquisition accounting implementation, including ASC 805 purchase accounting and purchase price allocation activities, preparation of opening balance sheets, valuation coordination, and documentation for audit requirements. The role also develops and manages accounting integration plans, aligns acquired businesses with company policies and reporting processes, supports ERP and financial-system integrations, and coordinates with teams across the organization. It provides transition-period accounting oversight and ultimately transitions ongoing responsibility to the appropriate Regional Controller and operating-company accounting team. Travel is approximately 20% of the time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Six or more years of progressive accounting experience, including significant experience with acquisitions, integrations, audit, controllership, or multi-entity accounting.
Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and financial reporting, including purchase accounting and business combinations.
Experience working in a multi-entity or decentralized organization.
Strong understanding of month-end close, balance sheet reconciliations, financial controls, and consolidation.
Ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines.
Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work effectively across all organizational levels, adapting communication and support for audiences ranging from small-company Presidents and accounting staff or bookkeepers with varying levels of formal training to Vessco Water corporate leadership.
Ability to travel approximately 20% of the time.

Nice To Haves

CPA certification and public accounting experience.
Experience with ASC 805 purchase accounting and purchase price allocations.
Percentage of Completion accounting experience.
Experience integrating acquired companies into a larger organization.
Experience with ERP implementations, conversions, or financial system integrations.
Experience in a private equity-backed, highly acquisitive, distribution, manufacturing, or industrial organization.

Responsibilities

Partner with M&A, Finance, and external advisors during financial due diligence and the acquisition process.
Review historical financial statements, trial balances, working capital, debt, leases, accruals, reserves, and other significant balance sheet accounts before acquisition close.
Identify accounting issues, unusual transactions, reporting inconsistencies, and potential integration risks before close, and plan post-close remediation.
Assist with net working capital calculations, the closing balance sheet, and other financial contractual items.
Coordinate accounting information requests with sellers, acquired-company management, and external advisors.
Evaluate acquired businesses’ accounting practices, identify differences from Vessco Water policies and U.S. GAAP, and create post-close action plans.
Lead accounting implementation of completed acquisitions, including purchase accounting and purchase price allocation activities in accordance with ASC 805.
Establish and document opening balance sheets for newly acquired entities.
Coordinate valuation of acquired intangible assets, goodwill, property and equipment, and other acquired assets and liabilities.
Review and account for transaction costs, contingent consideration, seller notes, earnouts, and other acquisition-related items.
Maintain supporting documentation for acquisition accounting and external audit requirements, and monitor and document measurement-period adjustments.
Develop and manage an accounting integration plan for each acquisition.
Assist in transitioning acquired companies into Vessco Water’s month-end close, consolidation, and financial reporting processes.
Align acquired businesses with Vessco Water’s chart of accounts, accounting policies, reporting requirements, and close calendar.
Establish appropriate balance sheet reconciliations, review procedures, and financial controls.
Partner with local Controllers and accounting teams to standardize accounting processes while considering operational requirements.
Coordinate integration of accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, inventory, payroll, banking, and other accounting functions.
Partner with the Enterprise Business Applications team on ERP and financial-system conversions and integrations.
Assist in validating accounting processes, reporting requirements, internal controls, and compliance considerations within ERP solutions.
Ensure acquired entities are appropriately incorporated into consolidated financial reporting.
Research and document technical accounting matters related to acquisitions and integrations, including preparation of accounting memoranda for significant conclusions.
Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, including applicable guidance under ASC 805, ASC 842, ASC 606, and other relevant accounting standards.
Partner with Corporate Accounting and external auditors on acquisition accounting, purchase price allocations, opening balance sheets, and related audit requests.
Identify opportunities to strengthen internal controls as businesses transition into Vessco Water processes.
Maintain an accounting integration roadmap and status tracker across concurrent acquisitions.
Establish milestones for Day 1, first close, 30-, 60-, and 90-day, and longer-term accounting integration activities.
Coordinate accounting integration across Corporate Accounting, Regional Controllers, IT, Treasury, Tax, Payroll, HR, Operations, and acquired-company teams.
Identify integration risks, dependencies, and resource constraints and escalate issues appropriately.
Develop repeatable acquisition accounting processes, templates, checklists, and best practices; track lessons learned and improve the integration process.
Provide additional accounting oversight to newly acquired companies during the transition period.
Work with Regional Controllers to support local Controllers and accounting teams through their first several month-end closes.
Review balance sheets and financial results to identify unusual items or accounting issues following acquisition.
Transition ongoing responsibility to the appropriate Regional Controller and operating-company accounting team.
Serve as a resource for acquisition-related accounting questions across the organization.