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Controller at Employee Owned Brands in Hiawatha, IA
Job Description
Controller
Location: Hiawatha, IA
Job Description:
Job Title: Controller
Reports to: Vice President, Finance
Department: Accounting
Work Model: Full-time, On-site – No Travel Required
Schedule: Monday – Friday 8am-5pm
Company & Benefit Information
At Crystal Group, we do hard things – designing and building rugged tech and tech solutions that provide predictable performance in the world’s most unforgiving environments. As a 100% employee-owned company, here you take extreme ownership of your role and work and invest in your own success and that of your teammates. Together we use a zero limits approach to wow our customers.
Crystal Group offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Medical/dental/vision insurance
- Paid time off
- Tuition reimbursement
- Wellness programs
- Participation in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
- On-Site Gym
Job Summary
This position will lead a small team of employee-owners to deliver accurate, timely, and transparent financial reports that support both business performance and long-term value creation for the ESOP. This role is ideal for a finance professional who not only brings strong technical expertise but also thrives in a culture of ownership, collaboration, and accountability. The Controller will serve as a trusted partner to senior leadership, providing financial insights that guide strategic decisions and strengthen employee-owner understanding of company performance. With a balance of operational excellence and strategic perspective, this role offers an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the business and the prosperity of every employee-owner.
Essential Functions
- Provide enterprise financial leadership by monitoring company financial performance, identifying risks and opportunities, supporting long-range planning, and partnering on strategic business decisions.
- Ownership of cash flow forecasting, liquidity planning, inventory management, receivables, payables, and overall working capital performance.
- Establish accountability for relationships with auditors, tax advisors, banking partners, and other financial service providers, including leading annual audit activities.
- Partner with Operations, Engineering, Sales, and Program Management leaders to improve profitability, resource allocation, pricing decisions, and overall business performance.
- Responsible for financial systems optimization, reporting enhancements, KPI development, and process improvements that support organizational growth.
- Provide strategic leadership to the accounting function, guiding a small team of employee-owners and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and shared success.
- Direct financial close and reporting processes, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with GAAP, regulatory standards, and ESOP requirements
- Serve as a trusted financial partner to senior leadership, delivering insights and recommendations that influence strategic decisions and support long-term employee-owner value creation
- Oversee accounting operations and internal controls, maintaining the integrity of financial information that drives both business performance and employee-owner trust
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities to align resources with organizational objectives and sustainable growth
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging technology, best practices, and employee-owner input to enhance efficiency and reporting capabilities
- Build strong cross-functional relationships, promoting transparency and financial literacy to help employee-owners understand and contribute to company performance
- Demonstrate leadership capacity with the ability to take on broader responsibilities as the company grows, ensuring the financial health of the ESOP and the prosperity of its employee-owners
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strong understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting, internal controls, and ESOP-related compliance requirements.
- Ability to connect financial performance with employee-owner value creation, fostering a culture of ownership and shared accountability.
- Proven leadership and people development skills, with the ability to mentor and inspire employee-owners to grow professionally and contribute to company success.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of translating complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for all levels of the organization.
- High degree of integrity and trustworthiness, with a commitment to transparency and stewardship of employee-owner resources.
- Strategic and analytical thinker who can balance day-to-day operational excellence with long-term financial sustainability.
- Collaborative mindset with the ability to build cross-functional relationships and engage employee-owners in achieving shared business objectives.
- Continuous improvement orientation, leveraging technology, process optimization, and team input to drive efficiency and scalability.
Required Qualifications
- Must be a US Person (US Citizen, person granted US Permanent Resident Card or any individual who is granted status as a "protected person”)
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting with 10+ years progressive accounting experience, including team leadership and full-cycle accounting responsibilities
- Proven track record of success in financial reporting, accounting operations, and compliance
- Experience managing or mentoring small teams in a collaborative, high-growth environment
Preferred Qualifications
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Advanced degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration (MBA or master's in accounting)
- Experience in strategic finance planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
- Exposure to process improvement initiatives, systems implementation, or transformation projects
- Demonstrated capability and interest in developing toward broader leadership responsibilities within finance
Working Conditions
Work is primarily performed in an office environment. Occasional exposure to manufacturing floors and testing environments. May require lifting to 25 lbs., standing for extended periods during product testing.
EEO Statement
Crystal Group, Inc, maintains a program of equal employment opportunity designed to ensure that employment and advancement opportunities are made available to all employees and applicants on the basis of individual qualifications and without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, disability, age, sex, genetic information, military status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Offer Contingency
All job offers are contingent on the applicant successfully completing the background check and drug screen.
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other responsibilities as necessary. Employment with Crystal Group remains at-will.