Assistant Controller

About the role

Reformation is in search of a skilled and operationally focused Assistant Controller to join our finance leadership team. This position is pivotal, with a strong emphasis on cost and inventory accounting. The successful candidate will take charge of our global inventory valuation, standard costing, and gross margin accuracy, while also contributing to broader controllership responsibilities. This role is perfect for an experienced accounting professional who thrives in a dynamic environment and possesses deep technical expertise in cost and inventory accounting.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Oversee the global standard costing methodology, ensuring accuracy in cost rolls, Bill of Materials (BOM) governance, and integrity across all product categories.
• Lead the inventory valuation process, encompassing raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), finished goods, retail, and in-transit inventory, ensuring proper capitalization of landed costs across multiple countries.
• Conduct advanced financial analysis to provide insights into purchase price variances (PPV), production variances, freight variances, and working capital management, along with clear gross margin analysis for leadership.
• Manage the Allowance for Inventory Reserve process, implementing robust controls around obsolescence and inventory aging.
• Oversee the month-end close process for inventory and cost accounting, which includes complex journal entries, reconciliations from subsidiary ledgers to general ledger, and cost of goods sold (COGS) reporting with variance explanations.
• Support broader controllership activities to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting.
• Act as the primary contact for cost and inventory accounting during external audits, ensuring compliance and accuracy.
• Identify and streamline manual processes within costing and inventory workflows, utilizing ERP functionality and automation tools.
• Lead initiatives for ERP optimization, preferably in NetSuite, and develop reporting dashboards and key performance indicators (KPIs) to enhance decision-making efficiency.
• Implement stronger controls and standardized processes across global supply chain accounting to improve operational efficiency.
• Collaborate closely with Supply Chain, Production, Planning, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), and Distribution Center Operations to ensure financial accuracy and operational insight.
• Mentor and develop the cost and inventory accounting team, fostering a high-performing function that scales with the business.
• Support new market launches and evolving distribution models by establishing scalable cost structures.

Requirements

• A minimum of 8-10 years of experience in cost and inventory accounting within retail, apparel, e-commerce, or consumer packaged goods (CPG), with at least 3-5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Strong technical expertise in standard costing, variance analysis, landed cost accounting, and comprehensive knowledge of the inventory lifecycle from receipt through COGS recognition.
• Proven experience in high-growth, multi-entity environments, particularly with international manufacturing and cross-border inventory flows.
• Advanced experience with ERP systems is essential, with a strong preference for NetSuite, and the ability to leverage system capabilities to minimize manual processes.
• Exceptional proficiency in Excel, with experience in building complex financial models and automated tools for managing large datasets.
• Proven leadership skills, with a track record of developing accounting teams and achieving cross-functional alignment.
• A blend of public accounting experience (Big 4 or mid-tier firm) and private industry experience is highly desirable; experience in public companies or supporting audit-ready, SOX-compliant environments is a plus.
• A Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance is required; a CPA or MBA is highly preferred.

Nice to have

• Experience in the fashion or retail industry.
• Familiarity with sustainability practices in accounting and finance.
• Knowledge of advanced financial modeling techniques.
• Previous experience in a rapidly scaling organization.

Skills & tools

• Proficiency in ERP systems, particularly NetSuite.
• Advanced Excel skills for financial modeling and data analysis.
• Strong analytical skills for financial reporting and variance analysis.
• Excellent communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.

Practical notes

This role offers a unique opportunity to take on significant responsibilities within a high-impact leadership position. You will gain executive visibility and play a crucial role in shaping gross margin and operational strategies. For the right individual, this position presents a chance to make a lasting impact on a rapidly growing global brand at an exciting stage in its development.