Controller (AZALEA WANG)

Controller – Wholesale Footwear & Fashion At Azalea Wang, we move fast, think big, and work collaboratively. Everyone has a voice here, ideas are encouraged, and self-starters thrive. We’re a tight-knit, high-energy team that shows up every day ready to push product forward together.

The Position: Controller (Wholesale Footwear & Fashion) Location: Chicago, IL- Full-time Onsite

Position Overview Azalea Wang is seeking an experienced Controller to lead the accounting function and serve as the primary finance leader for the business. This is a full-ownership role: you will be responsible for the complete accounting cycle, from daily transactional operations through month-end close, financial reporting, and audit readiness.

The right candidate has deep experience in fast-fashion, wholesale apparel or footwear, or a similarly high-velocity inventory-driven environment. You have led a close, built processes from scratch, managed a team, and understand the full scope of what it means to be the top accounting resource in a fast-moving wholesale business.

Key Responsibilities

Month-End Close & Financial Reporting

• Own and execute the full monthly, quarterly, and annual close cycle end-to-end
• Prepare and review financial statements, supporting schedules, and variance analysis
• Ensure timely and accurate revenue recognition, inventory accounting, and expense accruals
• Maintain general ledger integrity and manage the chart of accounts
• Deliver clean, audit-ready financials to leadership on a consistent close calendar
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow planning

Wholesale AR & Retailer Reconciliation

• Manage accounts receivable for wholesale retail accounts including department stores and specialty retailers
• Reconcile retailer remittances against open invoices — identify, dispute, and resolve deductions and short payments
• Maintain deduction aging reports and track recovery on disputed retailer deductions
• Partner with sales and operations on retailer compliance requirements and EDI-related billing issues
• Develop and document AR processes to reduce deduction exposure and improve cash application accuracy

Accounts Payable & Vendor Management

• Oversee AP operations including high-volume invoice processing, vendor reconciliation, and payment management across a large domestic and international vendor base
• Manage payment runs, vendor statement reconciliations, and dispute resolution
• Work directly with international and domestic vendors on payment timing, invoice discrepancies, and account cleanup
• Ensure accurate three-way matching and proper cut-off for accruals

Inventory & Cost Accounting

• Ensure accurate inventory accounting across wholesale channels and product categories
• Manage inventory reconciliations, reserves, and shrink/write-off analysis
• Oversee COGS accounting and gross margin reporting by channel and category
• Partner with merchandising and operations on inventory controls, costing, and landed cost accuracy
• Support seasonal inventory roll-forwards and physical count reconciliation

Systems, Controls & Process Improvement

• Serve as the accounting owner of the ERP system (NetSuite preferred) — including saved searches, reporting, and workflow optimization
• Lead or support system implementations, upgrades, or integrations as needed
• Build and maintain strong internal controls and process documentation
• Identify and drive process improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency, and scalability
• Partner with IT/admin on system configuration, data integrity, and automation opportunities

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Manage, review, and develop accounting team members
• Collaborate with operations, sales, merchandising, and logistics on financial reporting and planning
• Serve as a key finance partner to leadership on ad hoc analysis, business decisions, and strategic initiatives
• Support annual audit preparation and act as primary contact for external auditors

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA preferred but not required
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience in wholesale apparel, footwear, fast fashion, or retail, with at least 2 years in a Controller or senior accounting leadership role
• Demonstrated ownership of the full month-end close cycle
• Hands-on experience with wholesale AR — retailer deductions, remittance reconciliation, and high-volume vendor management
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, COGS, and cost of goods in a wholesale environment
• NetSuite experience strongly preferred; proficiency in other ERP systems considered
• Advanced Excel skills — comfortable building and maintaining complex reconciliation workbooks
• Experience managing direct reports and building team capacity
• Proven ability to build, improve, and document accounting processes in a fast-moving environment
• Strong communicator with the ability to work cross-functionally and present to senior leadership

Benefits & Perks We offer competitive benefits for full-time employees, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet Insurance, Life, LTD, FSA/HSA/Dependent Care FSA, Flex Transit (CTA), 401(k), and a generous employee discount. We’re committed to internal growth, providing meaningful development and career advancement opportunities.

Job Type: Full-Time

We are committed to fair and transparent compensation practices. Compensation for this position will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors. Additional compensation and benefits may also apply and will be discussed during the hiring process.

We may utilize AI-assisted and automated tools as part of the recruiting and hiring process. All employment decisions are made in compliance with applicable laws and without discrimination.

At AKIRA, we believe in breaking down the barriers of the traditional retail experience and embracing the individuality of both our team and our clients. We’re on the lookout for extraordinary individuals who thrive on creativity, innovation, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

Join our team and become part of a culture that values diversity, fosters personal growth, and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.