Controller

Brooklyn, NY

$130,000 - $185,000

Our client is a third- and fourth-generation, family-owned plumbing supply importer and distributor that has proudly operated since 1935. Over the past five years, the company has delivered significant year-over-year growth, outpacing industry trends and weathering challenging market conditions. That trajectory has created the opportunity for a key leader to step in at a pivotal moment: someone who can not only take full ownership of their function but also play an influential role in shaping the direction of the entire business as it continues on an aggressive path of expansion.

With two warehouses serving the Tri-State area, they import plumbing products from all over the world and distributes them to a loyal customer base that relies on its hallmark reputation for quality, reliability, and deep product expertise. The company’s specialized approach to global sourcing and distribution has distinguished it in the market, making them a place where the right leader can step into a proven platform and make an outsized impact.

Responsibilities:

Accounting Leadership

• Manage the full accounting cycle, ensuring every transaction is recorded properly and on time. At the company’s current scale, even small errors can compound into hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Transition of the company from cash-basis to accrual-basis accounting.
• Oversee AR and AP functions, providing structure and leadership to the existing team.

Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Prepare timely and accurate P&Ls, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to give leadership real-time visibility into the business.
• Establish internal controls around cash handling, approvals, and reconciliations to reduce the risk of error or fraud.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, tax, and reporting requirements.

Payroll & Operations

• Oversee payroll to ensure accuracy, compliance, and timeliness, protecting both employee trust and company integrity.
• Partner with the COO and ownership on budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis to support growth while maintaining profitability.
• Provide purchasing support, recognizing that the company’s largest expense is inventory and profitability is often determined at the point of purchase.

Procurement Support

·       Provide company owners with reporting and analysis specific to product sourcing and vendor management

·       Execute some high trust/high touch functions of purchasing on an as needed basis

Culture & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and structure the AR and AP functions so they operate consistently and scale with the business.
• Be a culture-builder: personable, collaborative, and engaged with employees across the organization.
• Play an active role in shaping a more structured, professionalized finance function while maintaining the company’s entrepreneurial spirit.

Qualifications:

• 10–15+ years of accounting/finance experience, with progression into a Controller-level role.
• Strong foundation in GAAP and accrual accounting.
• Experience building or restructuring accounting functions within a growing business.
• Background in inventory, distribution, import/export, or wholesale a strong plus.
• Proficiency in ERP/accounting systems; DDI Inform experience helpful.
• Hands-on operator with the ability to both get into the weeds and influence leadership strategy.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to earn trust across a family-owned business environment.