Senior Controller

Custom Control Sensors•Phoenix, AZ

14h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Controller plays a pivotal leadership role in CCS’ accounting and finance department, overseeing all financial reporting, cost control, compliance, strategic financial support and long-term fiscal stability of CCS operations in Phoenix and Mexico. Reporting directly to the Treasurer and collaborating closely with the executive team (including family owners), this position ensures the accuracy, integrity, and strategic use of financial data to support business growth, cost control, and risk management in the high-stakes aerospace sector. The ideal candidate is a proactive, detail-oriented accounting and finance expert who thrives in a hands-on, family-oriented setting, balancing day-to-day accounting with forward-looking financial planning. This role offers the opportunity to influence key decisions in a stable, growing company while enjoying the autonomy and impact of a senior position.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration required; Master's degree (MBA or MAcc) or CPA/CMA certification strongly preferred.
Experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive accounting/finance experience, with at least 5 years in aerospace/defense manufacturing. Proven track record in a controller or senior finance role within a mid-sized (100-200 employee) organization. Strong working knowledge of GAAP, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting best practices. Familiarity with government contracting and cost accounting standards (e.g., FAR/DFARS) is preferred.
Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and financial modeling), ERP systems (e.g., Syteline, Epicor, NetSuite, or QuickBooks Enterprise), and financial software tools. Experience with Power BI or Tableau for dash boarding is a plus.
Soft Skills: Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities with a keen eye for detail. Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to build trust in a family-owned culture. Ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-finance stakeholders. High integrity, discretion, and adaptability in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
Other: Must qualify as a “U.S. Person” under 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 (ITAR). Verification required prior to employment.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree (MBA or MAcc) or CPA/CMA certification strongly preferred.
Familiarity with government contracting and cost accounting standards (e.g., FAR/DFARS) is preferred.
Experience with Power BI or Tableau for dash boarding is a plus.

Responsibilities

Financial Reporting and Analysis: Lead the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in compliance with GAAP and aerospace-specific standards (e.g., AS9100 quality management). Provide in-depth variance analysis, forecasting, and budgeting support to executive leadership, highlighting key KPI metrics such as cost of goods sold (COGS), inventory turnover, Days Sales Receipts Outstanding (DSO), and project profitability for engineering and manufacturing programs.
Accounting Oversight: Supervise a team of 3-5 accounting professionals, including AP/AR, payroll, and general ledger functions. Manage all aspects of accounts payable, receivable, fixed assets, and cost accounting, ensuring timely month-end close processes (target: 5 business days).
Cash Management: Forecast regular 13-week cash flow tied to AR schedule and supplier AP terms. Oversee AR and AP to ensure timely payments. Manage cash flow, wire transfers, liquidity and working capital to support operational needs.
Cost Accounting & Program Profitability: Maintain ERP standard cost system for active BOMs, including raw material, purchased, machined, subassembly and final assembled parts. Oversee BOM vs. actual labor, material and overhead variances to standard costs; drive root-cause corrective actions with operations to improve margins in manufacturing processes and supply-chain. Provide spot, annual and multi-year pricing to Sales on RFQ’s and long-term commercial or government contracts. Maintain historical pricing data and price lists.
Compliance and Risk Management: Ensure adherence to federal regulations including ITAR, EAR, and DCAA requirements for government contracts. Oversee internal audits, tax filings, and SOX-like controls tailored to family-owned structure. Mitigate financial risks related to supply chain disruptions, raw material pricing volatility, and currency fluctuations in international sourcing.
Tax, Banking & External Relationships: Coordinate with external CPA firm for timely Federal/State tax returns, Shareholder reporting, R&D tax credits (Form 6765), and Arizona tax apportionment. Prepare work papers in support of tax filings (ref. 2022 work papers).
File tax returns in other states where CCS does business. Oversee all banking relationships.
Budgeting and Forecasting: Develop and maintain annual operating budgets and multi-year financial models, incorporating aerospace-specific factors like program milestones, labor hour projections, and material cost escalations. Collaborate with operations and engineering teams to align financial plans with production schedules and R&D initiatives.
Internal Controls: Oversee annual physical inventory with <0.5% variance. Review monthly inventory cycle counting KPIs for both Phoenix and Mexico facilities. Manage obsolete and excess inventory annual reviews and actions with leadership. Manage fixed asset reporting. Review shop-floor data collection and time studies to ensure accurate real-time labor and material capture.
Strategic Financial Leadership: Partner with family owners and senior management on capital expenditure decisions (e.g., new CNC machinery or facility expansions), and cash flow optimization. Provide ad-hoc financial modeling for scenario planning, such as bid pricing for new contracts or impact assessments of regulatory changes.
Process Improvement: Drive efficiency in financial systems (e.g., ERP software like Syteline, Epicor or SAP) and implement best practices for inventory valuation, BOM and job costing, and overhead allocation in a manufacturing environment. Monitor and lead financial KPI improvement initiatives for labor efficiencies, inventory accuracy, turnover, obsolescence, and other metrics. Lead initiatives to automate reporting and reduce manual processes.
Team Development: Mentor and develop the accounting team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and cross-functional collaboration. Maintain accounting desk top work instructions. Conduct performance evaluations, training on aerospace finance nuances, and succession planning.
Stakeholder Communication: Present financial insights to the board of directors (family-led) and external auditors/partners. Act as the primary liaison for banking relationships, insurance providers, and government contract compliance officers.