Controller - Farming

Job description

GHJ Search & Staffing is working with a well-established, large-scale agricultural organization who is seeking an experienced Controller to lead accounting and financial operations supporting its farming business. This is a key leadership position for an accounting professional who understands the complexities of cost accounting, inventory tracking, and operational finance within agriculture, manufacturing, or another inventory-intensive environment. The Controller will oversee the farming accounting function while partnering closely with finance and operational leadership to improve financial visibility, analyze operating performance, strengthen controls, and provide meaningful information to support business decisions. This opportunity is ideal for someone who enjoys being close to the operations and can balance hands-on technical accounting expertise with leadership, analytics, and strategic partnership. ### Key Responsibilities: - Lead and develop the farm accounting team, ensuring timely and accurate accounting and financial reporting across a multi-entity environment. - Oversee crop and farm cost accounting, including cost accumulation, allocations, standard rates, raw product entries, inventory tracking, and planting/listing activities. - Oversee and review inventory accounting and reconciliations, ensuring accurate tracking, valuation, balance sheet reporting, and financial integrity. - Monitor and analyze financial information related to harvesting and packout operations to ensure accurate cost allocations. - Analyze financial and operational results, identify trends, explain variances, and forecast costs. - Partner with operations and finance leadership on budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and strategic decision support. - Develop and utilize ERP reports, data queries, dashboards, and reporting tools to improve operational and financial visibility. - Strengthen internal controls, accounting processes, and procedures while identifying opportunities for greater efficiency. - Participate in budgeting and planning for farming operations. - Ensure compliance with GAAP and company accounting policies and support financial audits. - Lead special projects focused on improving financial reporting, operational transparency, and accounting processes. - Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and staff development. ### What They're Looking For: - Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance. - 5+ years of directly related accounting or finance experience within agriculture, manufacturing, or another inventory-intensive environment. - Cost accounting experience is required, including cost accumulation, allocations, and cost forecasting. - Inventory accounting and tracking experience is required, including reconciliations, valuation, tracking, and related financial reporting. - Strong understanding of operational accounting and the ability to translate financial information into actionable business insights. - Demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, and developing accounting professionals. - Strong budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and financial reporting capabilities. - Experience working with ERP systems and developing reports or data queries for financial and operational analysis. - Advanced Microsoft Excel skills. - Exposure to data visualization and analytics tools such as Power BI or Tableau is highly desirable. - Strong knowledge of GAAP, internal controls, and accounting best practices. - Excellent communication, critical-thinking, problem-solving, and organizational skills. - Ability to succeed in a fast-paced, changing, operationally focused environment. - Ability to work fully onsite in Shafter, CA and travel to regional facilities as needed.