Summary
A well-established, family-owned Canadian specialty retailer is seeking an experienced Controller to join its corporate office in Calgary. With a strong presence across Western Canada, this organization serves both rural and urban communities with quality apparel, lifestyle products, and specialty merchandise. This is a key senior finance role for a hands-on accounting leader who enjoys working close to the business. The Controller will partner with the senior leadership team and oversee financial reporting, accounting operations, budgeting, inventory control, risk management, systems, and internal controls across the corporate office and retail store network. The ideal candidate brings strong technical accounting expertise, retail experience, excellent business judgment, and the ability to improve processes while supporting a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture.
Description
Accounting & Financial Reporting
- Participate as a member of the senior leadership team and contribute to the strategic direction of the business.
- Support the annual financial planning process and ensure financial plans align with business objectives.
- Oversee the month-end financial statement process, ensuring reports are completed accurately and on time.
- Prepare monthly and year-end financial statements.
- Prepare accounting working papers, including cash flow reports, bank reconciliations, trial balances, lead sheets, and journal entries.
- Manage the review engagement process, timelines, and deadlines with external advisors.
- Ensure the accuracy, integrity, and completeness of all financial records.
- Work closely with internal teams to support monthly deliverables and ensure reporting deadlines are met.
- Coordinate with external accountants on tax reviews, compliance reporting, and tax strategy.
- Manage physical inventory counts and ensure accuracy in inventory valuation.
Finance, Planning & Risk Management
- Manage the annual budgeting process.
- Coordinate the development of management reporting tools, including key metrics and KPIs.
- Analyze financial statements and present insights to senior management.
- Develop long-term capital plans based on the broader business plan.
- Manage cash flow and ensure payments are made accurately and on time.
- Anticipate borrowing needs and maintain cash flow forecasts.
- Oversee asset protection, including commercial insurance coverage.
- Review and oversee the payroll function, ensuring employees are paid accurately and government remittances are completed on time.
- Ensure compliance with contractual agreements and debt covenants.
- Ensure timely payment of tax instalments and required remittances.
- Oversee GST compliance and related processes.
- Act as the primary point of contact with CRA for taxation matters, reviews, and audits.
Systems, Technology & Process Improvement
- Participate in the development and maintenance of appropriate IT infrastructure, including software applications and hardware systems.
- Recommend improvements to policies, controls, and processes through the effective use of technology.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to streamline and automate processes across accounting, merchandising, and operations.
- Design, develop, and maintain accounting and finance procedures that comply with accounting and legal standards.
- Maintain efficient policies and systems to support strong inventory control.
- Manage workflows and technology integrations across departments.
- Protect company assets by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing internal controls.
- Perform rolling control tests across store locations, head office, eCommerce, and warehouse operations.
Requirements
Qualifications
- University degree from a recognized post-secondary institution.
- Professional accounting designation required. CPA designation preferred.
- Minimum 8 years of accounting experience.
- Minimum 5 years of management experience.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in retail, preferably within apparel, lifestyle, specialty retail, or multi-location retail.
- Progressively senior financial leadership experience within a mid-sized organization.
- Strong Microsoft 365 skills, including advanced Excel expertise.
- Experience working with external advisors, auditors, tax professionals, and senior leadership teams.
- Strong understanding of financial reporting, inventory control, payroll oversight, GST compliance, internal controls, and cash flow management.
Skills & Attributes
- Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
- Proactive, resourceful, and solutions-oriented.
- Comfortable working in a hands-on, entrepreneurial environment.
- Strong process improvement mindset.
- Able to build trust with internal stakeholders, external advisors, and leadership teams.
- Proven ability to lead, motivate, evaluate, and develop a high-performing team.
- Strong business acumen and the ability to connect financial reporting to operational performance.
Corporate Culture
- Competitive base salary.
- Bonus opportunity.
- Dental care.
- Extended health care.
- Vision care.
- Life insurance.
- Employee assistance program.
- Monday to Friday schedule.
- In-person role based in Calgary.
Position Type
Permanent