Controller

Banza

$175K — $215K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of progressive experience in corporate finance and accounting, with strong Controller-level expertise.
  • Public accounting audit experience is strongly preferred.
  • Deep understanding of cash generation and business run-rates; proactive insights without being prompted.
  • Accountability for financial accuracy; ability to certify correct figures and identify discrepancies.
  • Expertise in embedding accounting processes seamlessly into operational systems.
  • Skills to provide decision-ready information that supports business operations.
  • CPA certification preferred; strong knowledge of GAAP is essential.
  • Experience in manufacturing or consumer packaged goods cost accounting including inventory and COGS.

Responsibilities

  • Oversee cash management and working capital processes including inventory and accounts receivable/payable.
  • Ensure the integrity of accounting inputs for accurate forecasting and financial statements.
  • Manage the monthly close process and maintain GAAP compliance with well-controlled financial records.
  • Lead inventory valuation, reserves, and cost accounting activities.
  • Supervise accounts payable and receivable, customer credit, and related processes.
  • Handle debt compliance, covenant reporting, and banking documentation accurately and timely.
  • Own audit relationships and manage tax compliance, ensuring timely coordination with external partners.
  • Enhance systems and controls to support scaling operations while minimizing risk.

Benefits

  • Equity in Banza.
  • Annual bonus structure.
  • Healthcare benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance starting on day one.
  • Covered membership for One Medical.
  • Flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts available.
  • Commuter benefits and a 401(k) plan.
  • Generous paid time off policy including 20 vacation days and additional personal leave.
  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave with flexible arrangements for returning to work.
  • Stipends for fitness, internet, and home office setup, along with a lunch stipend to encourage team bonding.
  • Quarterly events and regular remote engagement opportunities.
Full Job Description
Your Mission: Reporting to our Co-Founder, Banza's Controller will lead our accounting function at a pivotal moment in Banza's growth. This is a highly visible, cross-functional role, where you will own the integrity of our books, our controls, and our close. Just as importantly, you connect them to how Banza generates and manages cash. You give leadership a clear, proactive view of where our run-rate and cash are heading, not just a record of what already happened. You are our accounting subject-matter expert and the owner of the accuracy of the numbers the rest of the business builds on. You help build accounting into how we operate so our books are accurate, current, and grounded in how the business runs. The way this function works is going to change as more gets automated, and you'll help define what it becomes.

What You'll Do

Cash & Forward Visibility - Own how we manage cash and working capital. Inventory, A/R, A/P, trade accruals. Proactively translate our results and run-rate into what they mean for cash over the coming months.

Accuracy of the Numbers We Build On - Own the integrity of the actuals and accounting inputs that feed our forecast and Operating Buildup. Certify what's right, flag what isn't, and be the accountable party for the accounting truth.

Accounting Integrity & Control - Own the monthly close, the control environment, and GAAP compliance. Maintain an accurate, timely, well-controlled set of books as the single source of truth for what happened.

Inventory, Cost Accounting & COGS - Own inventory valuation, reserves, standard cost setting, and cycle counts. Be our subject-matter expert on COGS accounting, co-manufacturing and tolling, freight, spoilage and obsolescence, revenue recognition, and trade/deduction accounting.

A/P, A/R, Credit & Deductions - Own accounts payable, accounts receivable, customer credit, and the deduction/chargeback process. Maintain accuracy, controls, and timely resolution.

Debt & Covenant Compliance - Own debt compliance and banking reporting. Prepare borrowing base certificates, track covenant compliance across our credit facilities, and deliver all required lender reporting accurately and on time. Monitor headroom, flag risks proactively, and maintain clean, audit-ready documentation supporting our credit agreements

Audit & Tax - Own the audit relationship and deliver an efficient, timely annual audit. Manage tax compliance (such as Nexus, sales and use tax, K-1 processes) and coordinate with our external tax partner.

Foundation for Scale - Strengthen the controls, systems (e.g., NetSuite), and processes that let Banza grow while mitigating risk. Deploy automation and AI in accounting workflows, with accountability for verifying what they produce, and partner with our Strategy & Analytics team on what accounting needs from the platform we're building.

Close Gaps at the Source - Monitor gaps against actual charges, maintain the gap list, and partner with the Strategy & Analytics team and department heads to make reconciliations and accruals automatic outputs of upstream processes to ensure accounting is the last line of defense, not the manual engine.

Team Leadership - Lead and develop the accounting team, including direct reports and external contractor support. Set clear expectations, grow capability, and build the function Banza needs as it scales

Collaboration - FP&A sits with our Strategy & Analytics team. You'll partner day to day with the head of that team, who owns the forecast and the Operating Buildup, while you own the actuals and the view on cash their work depends on. The two of you will work in lock step across the close and the planning cycle.

Who you are
  • At least 10 years of progressive experience in corporate finance and accounting roles currently operating at a strong Controller level.
  • Public-accounting audit experience strongly preferred
  • Connects the close to cash - You can explain how the business generates cash, what run-rate implies, and you say it before you're asked.
  • Owns the numbers - You're the accountable party for the actuals other teams build on, and certify what's right and flag what isn't.
  • Embeds accounting at the source - You understand accounting deeply enough to design it into systems and processes, not just reconcile after the fact.
  • Enables decisions - You give people accurate, decision-ready information so they can move
  • CPA strongly preferred; strong GAAP depth required.
  • Manufacturing or CPG cost-accounting experience required - inventory, standard cost/COGS, trade accruals, and deductions.
  • Track record of strengthening controls and deploying or scaling finance systems.
  • Executive presence - You're the top of our accounting function, you communicate clearly and exercise independent judgment.


To Apply: Write a cover letter describing why you want to join Banza and why you would be an excellent fit for this role (yes, we actually read every cover letter!) and then apply directly to this posting. If you have any questions, please email [redacted].

We're aware of the research showing that historically underrepresented groups are less likely to apply for a job if they don't believe that they meet all of the criteria. Do you hesitate to submit an application because you believe you need to check every box? Please apply anyway with a thoughtful cover letter! We would love to hear from you to discuss how you can help us build a great team at Banza.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $175-$215K. The range is for the expectations as laid out in the job description; however, we are often open to a wide variety of profiles and locations. Any updates to the salary range or considerations based on your experience and location will be communicated to you as a candidate.

Our salary ranges are based on verified market data and our philosophy of paying competitively for our size and industry. Individual pay rate decisions are based on several factors, including qualifications for the role, experience level, skillset, geographical location, and balancing internal equity relative to peers at the company. We expect the majority of the candidates who are offered roles at our company to fall within the range based on these factors.

Perks and Benefits
  • Equity in Banza
  • Annual Bonus
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance starting day 1: Banza pays 80% of the monthly premiums for employees and 70% for dependents
  • One Medical Membership
  • Short Term Disability and Life Insurance
  • Flexible Spending Account / Health Savings Account
  • Commuter Benefits
  • 401(k)
  • Paid Time Off: 20 vacation days, 10 holidays, 6 sick days, 2 personal days, and a birthday day off
  • Extended Leave: Short-Term Disability, Parental Leave, and other Paid Family Leave. Support provided by our end-to-end leave management partner, Sparrow
  • New Parents: 12 weeks of paid parental leave plus additional optional leave time to add, and 4 weeks of flexible return to work arrangements.
  • Breast milk shipping service for traveling team members provided by Milk Stork
  • Monthly fitness, internet and phone stipends
  • Monthly lunch stipend to encourage team member connection
  • Annual education stipend
  • Home office set-up stipend
  • Unlimited Pasta, Rice & Mac
  • $500 annual stipend to purchase our pizza and waffles, wherever they're sold
  • Quarterly snack box for remote employees
  • Lively NYC office stocked with snacks and beverages
  • Quarterly in-person and remote events


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