Controller in Moorhead, Minnesota at Spaulding Stone

About Spaulding Stone

Spaulding Stone is a growing wholesale countertop fabricator based in Moorhead, Minnesota, serving dealer partners throughout the region. Our work brings together skilled craftsmanship, modern technology, and a team committed to quality and dependable service. Every position contributes to our success, from fabrication and installation to office operations and leadership. As we grow, we seek people who take pride in their work, value teamwork, and are eager to learn and help improve the way we do business.

The opportunity. Spaulding Stone is a growing wholesale countertop fabricator serving dealer partners throughout the region. We are seeking a hands-on Controller to lead our accounting function, develop our team, strengthen financial and payroll controls, and build systems that support future growth. The Controller will lead the accounting function for Spaulding Stone and provide financial oversight for a small number of affiliated entities. This includes accurate financial reporting, timely closing procedures, internal controls, and development of the accounting team.

Financial accounting, close & reporting

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and year-end close; establish deadlines, supporting schedules, journal entries, accruals, cutoff and review procedures.

• Deliver timely, accurate GAAP-based financial statements and maintain integrity of the general ledger, chart of accounts, and all material balance-sheet reconciliations.

• Oversee cash and bank reconciliations, accounting for debt, leases, fixed assets, depreciation, capital expenditures and other complex transactions.

• Prepare cash-flow reporting, maintain short-term cash forecasts, and support working-capital, liquidity and financing decisions with the CFO.

• Coordinate with external CPAs, auditors, tax preparers and lenders; prepare schedules and respond to financial information requests.

• Oversee & file sales/use tax filings, financial compliance calendars, tax accruals and other accounting-related regulatory reporting.

• Oversee monthly and year-end financial close, account reconciliations, and financial reporting for Spaulding Stone and a small number of affiliated holding companies with limited transaction activity.

Manufacturing, inventory & profitability

• Own financial inventory valuation and reconciliation between ERP, inventory records and the general ledger; investigate receiving, consumption, scrap, adjustments and cutoff.

• Oversee cost of goods sold, manufacturing cost accounting and accurate job costing; work with Purchasing, Inventory and Operations to resolve discrepancies.

• Develop reliable profitability reporting by product, branch, department, job/project, and hard-surface versus soft-surface operations.

• Analyze gross-margin, labor, material, overhead and job-cost variances; translate findings into actionable financial information for leaders.

Budgeting, forecasts & business partnership

• Coordinate the annual operating budget and periodic forecasts with the CFO and department leaders, including expense, revenue and capital plans.

• Produce regular financial analyses, operating variances, cash-flow trends and management reports that support pricing, capacity and profitability decisions.

Payroll, benefits & financial controls

• Own the financial control and approval framework for payroll and benefits. Partner with the HR/Payroll Specialist, who performs day-to-day payroll processing and employee administration.

• Perform final payroll review and approval within established authorization limits, including reasonableness of gross-to-net pay, changes, deductions, exceptions and funding before release.

• Ensure each payroll reconciles to the general ledger, including payroll clearing, accrued payroll and associated liability accounts; resolve differences promptly.

• Compare payroll tax withdrawals and deposits with filed returns and payroll reports; monitor filing/payment exceptions and coordinate corrections.

• Review employee deductions and employer contributions, including 401(k), HSA, health and other benefit deductions, and garnishments; verify related remittances and funding.

• Oversee benefit-invoice reconciliation to enrollment and payroll deductions, with documented follow-up on discrepancies.

• Review workers' compensation payroll classifications, reported wages, premiums and audit adjustments in coordination with HR, insurance representatives and Operations.

• Coordinate control issues and accounting reconciliations with Rippling, the benefits broker, external CPA, retirement-plan provider and insurance carriers.

• Monitor payroll bank permissions, direct-deposit change controls, approval segregation, access reviews and audit trails; escalate unusual activity.

• Establish and maintain a trained payroll backup, documented processing procedures and continuity plans, while retaining appropriate segregation of duties.

Accounting team, AP/AR & internal controls

• Lead, coach and develop the accounting team; oversee accounts payable and receivable, assign close responsibilities and establish performance expectations.

• Build cross-training, backup coverage, reconciliations, approval controls and segregation of duties appropriate for a growing organization.

• Maintain documented accounting policies, internal controls and financial compliance routines; remediate control deficiencies and review exceptions.

• Assess accounting capacity and staffing needs, delegate effectively and reduce recurring CFO dependence for routine decisions.

Technology, AI & financial systems

• Administer accounting-system controls, mappings, integrations and financial data quality; partner with system owners on ERP/finance process improvements.

• Identify useful automation opportunities through advanced Excel, Power Query, reporting tools, workflow platforms and approved AI-assisted tools.

• Apply sound controls to AI and automation: protect confidential data, independently verify outputs, retain audit trails and preserve human authorization for financial decisions.

• Document and continuously improve procedures so processes remain reliable and scalable as the company grows.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or closely related field with substantial accounting coursework; at least five years of progressive accounting experience.

• Demonstrated independent ownership of close, financial statements, accrual accounting, GL control and balance-sheet reconciliations.

• Strong computer and Excel skills, familiarity with modern accounting/ERP software, and the ability to analyze and troubleshoot financial data.

• Practical familiarity with AI tools, willingness to learn new technologies, and sound judgment on data privacy, verification and controls.

• Demonstrated ability to lead, train or review other accounting employees, communicate clearly and work with non-financial managers.

Preferred qualifications

• Manufacturing, fabrication, distribution or inventory-intensive accounting; hands-on inventory valuation, COGS and job-costing experience.

• Prior Controller, Assistant Controller or Accounting Manager experience; CPA or CMA credential.

• Experience overseeing payroll financial controls and benefit reconciliations, particularly in a payroll/HRIS transition.

• Power BI, Power Query, workflow automation, QuickBooks, AI-assisted analysis and experience improving accounting systems or reporting.

What success looks like

• First 90 days: Learn the systems, accounting processes and post-PEO controls; establish close ownership, clear account assignments and a control improvement plan.

• Within six months: Lead a reliable close and routine financial decisions independently, oversee payroll reconciliations and funding reviews, and provide consistent management reporting.

• Within 12 months: Deliver improved close timeliness, documented controls and reliable inventory/job-profitability reporting; present an accounting staffing and systems roadmap supporting growth.

Scope & operating model

The Controller is accountable for oversight, control design, review, approvals and financial integrity; routine payroll processing, employee benefit administration and HR recruiting remain with the designated HR/Payroll function. Delegation, dual controls and appropriate review authority will be established by the CFO.

Compensation & benefits

Annual salary: $85,000 - $105,000, based on qualifications and experience.

Benefits: Health, dental and vision coverage; paid time off and holidays; employer-sponsored retirement plan; and available insurance and spending-account options, subject to eligibility and current plan terms. HR will provide plan-specific details.

Equal opportunity. Spaulding Stone is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on job-related qualifications without unlawful discrimination. Reasonable accommodations are available in the hiring process.