Overview
Location: Calistoga, CA 94515. The Assistant Controller role offers a leadership opportunity at a premier Napa Valley wine estate. The successful candidate will bring advanced financial expertise, leadership, and initiative to advance the finance and accounting functions. This position suits a strong communicator who thrives in a hands-on environment and can operate with both strategic and practical focus within a small, highly collaborative team. The culture values finance leaders who contribute to team cohesion and the broader business, while rigorously managing financial operations. Reporting to the CFO within a four-person Finance and Operations team, the Assistant Controller will engage with all departments across the Company. The winery is family-owned, with a refined understanding of the wine business, committed to quality and excellence, professionally led and well capitalized, and managed with discipline and prudent spending controls. A high standard of excellence is expected in every aspect of the role. The Assistant Controller will work closely with the CFO to support and achieve the organization’s goals, and will execute proper business planning along with sound analysis and advisory support.
The Assistant Controller serves in a leadership capacity, directing the company’s financial planning and budget management activities and ensuring accounting procedures and reporting comply with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
Role scope and leadership
This role is part of a four-person Finance and Operations team reporting directly to the CFO. The Assistant Controller will interact with all departments within the Company and contribute to maintaining precise financial controls and robust reporting to guide decision-making.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Oversee daily finance and accounting operations including bank reconciliation and cash management
- Manage accounts payable and accounts receivable
- Oversee inventory management and costing
- Maintain fixed assets records and related activities
- Process payroll
- Post, process, and reconcile all financial transactions
- Ensure the quality and continuity of operations (inventory, warehousing) and client-facing processes (DTC platform, invoicing, and fulfillment for retail and wholesale channels)
- Collaborate with the Estate Director to develop yearly budgets and reforecasts
- Deliver timely, accurate, and effective analysis and reporting of financials while monitoring operating results against budget
- Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal tax requirements, including but not limited to sales & use tax, excise tax, winegrowers, and annual/quarterly surveys
- Support the third-party IT company with all information and technology-related services
- Maintain continuous communication, keeping the CFO informed of all critical issues
- Maintain an appropriate system of policies, internal controls, accounting standards, and procedures to safeguard assets
- Contribute to and continue to build a collaborative culture
Qualifications and Experience
The ideal candidate will bring wine company financial and operations experience as a disciplined, entrepreneurial, and commercially oriented financial leader. Success will be measured by a track record of progressively responsible leadership roles and strong operational knowledge.
- Proven management experience across financial reporting, accounting, and administration
- 3–5 years of experience in a mid to senior level finance or accounting position; CPA designation preferred
- Wine industry experience is ideal, with familiarity in a boutique winery environment
- Hands-on expertise in accounting, financial controls, cash management, financial planning, budgeting, reporting, analysis, and resolution; knowledge of financial information systems, risk management, licensing, contract negotiations, and legal compliance
- Knowledge of federal and state financial regulations
