Job: Controller (Fashion Jewelry)

Company Description

Our client is a growing jewelry distribution business specializing in commodity-based gold and silver jewelry supplied to major big box retail accounts, including Walmart and Target. The company operates in a lean, owner-led environment in which the finance function sits close to daily commercial decision-making. The position is based in northern New Jersey and is performed on site five days per week.

Objective of the Role

Our client is seeking a Controller to assume ownership of the accounting function and of the accuracy and timeliness of the company’s financial reporting. The Controller will manage the monthly close, produce the reporting required under the company’s asset-based lending facility, and lead the accounting and finance team. The role is intentionally hands-on, combining direct responsibility for the company’s books with the analytical work required to keep ownership and the management team properly informed of financial and operational performance. The appointment follows the forthcoming retirement of the long-tenured incumbent, and the successful candidate will therefore assume stewardship of a finance function that has been led by the same individual for many years.

Ideal Profile

The successful candidate will be an experienced Controller drawn from a distribution, manufacturing or otherwise commodity-driven business, accustomed to an environment in which inventory and accounts receivable carry significant weight in both reporting and lender relationships. Exposure to precious metals or a comparable commodity-linked category would be a distinct advantage. The candidate will be comfortable operating without an extensive support structure, capable of moving between detailed transactional work and management-level analysis, and confident communicating financial matters directly to ownership. Candidates are expected to be operating today at Controller or Accounting Director level.

Responsibilities

• Own the monthly financial close process and ensure timely, accurate financial reporting.
• Prepare and manage monthly borrowing base reporting for the company’s asset-based lending facility, including inventory and accounts receivable calculations.
• Support banking and lender communications, acting as the day-to-day point of contact for reporting requirements.
• Maintain the accounting treatment and reporting of the company’s commodity hedging positions, coordinating with external hedging consultants.
• Manage, evaluate and develop the accounting and finance team, including workload distribution, performance standards and staffing recommendations.
• Analyze financial and operational performance across the business to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Bring areas of concern to the attention of ownership and the management team on a timely basis.
• Support overhead efficiency and cost control initiatives through analysis of labor and resource utilization.

Requirements

• Prior experience as a Controller or Assistant Controller, ideally within a commodity-driven or distribution business.
• Direct experience with asset-based lending facilities and monthly borrowing base reporting, including inventory and receivables calculations.
• Familiarity with commodity hedging arrangements; gold or precious metals experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing an accounting team.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to translate financial data into clear guidance for non-financial stakeholders.
• Availability to work on site five days per week in northern New Jersey.