Job Description

Fahrenheit Advisors has been retained to assist our confidential client in their search for a Corporate Controller. The role is based in a suburban New Jersey location just outside a major East Coast metropolitan area. Our client is a private equity–backed distributor serving life sciences, healthcare, and laboratory markets across North America. The business is in an accelerated growth phase, driven by organic initiatives and strategic acquisitions, and is focused on operational excellence, scalable infrastructure, and long-term value creation.

The Corporate Controller is a critical leadership role responsible for owning and transforming the accounting function across multiple affiliated entities in a complex, distribution-based business. Reporting directly to the CFO, this role goes beyond managing the close—it is designed for a controller who wants to build, standardize, and elevate a legacy accounting organization into a best-in-class finance operation.

This role is ideal for a hands-on controller with private equity experience who is eager to expand scope, increase visibility, and position themselves for future advancement into broader finance leadership roles (e.g., VP Finance, Chief Accounting Officer).

What This Role Offers

• Meaningful scope across multiple affiliates and legal entities
• Direct exposure to CFO, CEO, lenders, auditors, and PE stakeholders
• Opportunity to modernize processes, systems, and controls
• A platform to prove readiness for the next level of finance leadership
• The chance to build something better, not just maintain the status quo

Key Responsibilities

Accounting Leadership & Close Ownership

• Own and continuously improve the monthly close process, driving simplification, accuracy, and reduced cycle time
• Lead the general ledger, account reconciliations, and close execution in partnership with the Assistant Controller and accounting team
• Ensure high-quality, timely financial statements across all entities

Financial Insight & Business Partnership

• Partner closely with FP&A to analyze variances vs. forecast and prior year
• Proactively surface real-time insights on balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow trends
• Identify emerging risks, control gaps, and improvement opportunities before they become issues

External Reporting & PE Discipline

• Prepare and own monthly lender reporting, including EBITDA reconciliations and liquidity metrics
• Serve as a key accounting interface for private equity stakeholders
• Lead the annual audit process end-to-end, including preparation, coordination, and issue resolution

Systems, Process & Controls Transformation

• Become a subject matter expert in EPICOR and drive improved system utilization
• Standardize accounting practices and controls across affiliates
• Develop, document, and continuously enhance SOPs to support scalability and consistency
• Strengthen internal controls and audit readiness

Tax, Compliance & Technical Oversight

• Oversee sales tax reporting in coordination with third-party providers
• Manage 1099 reporting and partner with external tax advisors on K-1 preparation
• Maintain fixed asset accounting and related depreciation schedules
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards and company policies

Team Leadership & Development

• Directly manage the Assistant Controller and provide leadership across the accounting team
• Coach and develop staff accountants with an emphasis on accountability, ownership, and growth
• Set a higher performance bar while creating a clear development path for the team

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field (CPA strongly preferred)
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, ideally in distribution, manufacturing, or multi-entity environments
• Private equity–backed company experience strongly preferred
• Experience leading month-end close, audits, and external reporting
• Systems-savvy with ERP experience (EPICOR a strong plus)
• Strong communicator who can operate comfortably with executives, lenders, and auditors
• Detail-oriented, disciplined, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment