Controller — LOVE LLC
Location:
New York, NY (60 Charlton Street) — In-office Reports to: CEO (transitioning to Finance Director / CFO as team builds)
Type: Full-time
About LOVELOVE LLC is the company behind Be LOVE, a fast-growing functional beverage brand across Hydration, Energy, and Protein in 11,000+ doors, Amazon, and DTC. Founded by Kurt Seidensticker (founder of Vital Proteins, acquired by Nestlé), we are building the most meaningful beverage and the next category-defining CPG brand with a mission tied to GivePower's clean water initiative. We are at an inflection point — rapid growth, upcoming line launches, and building the financial infrastructure to support a multi-hundred-million-dollar business.
The Opportunity:
This is a ground-floor role to build the accounting function at LOVE. You will own day-to-day accounting operations, establish controls and processes, and partner directly with the CEO on financial reporting. Over the next 6–12 months, we will hire a Finance Director and CFO — but the foundation we build together will define how this company runs financially for years. The right person sees this as an opportunity to build, not just maintain.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Accounting Operations & CloseOwn the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process with a target of 10-business-day close (moving to 5 days within 12 months) Manage GL, journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and supporting schedules in NetSuiteMaintain clean, audit-ready books Prepare financial statements with channel-level (Retail, Distributors, DTC, Amazon) and product-line (Hydration, Energy, Protein) cuts Lead accounting for complex CPG-specific areas: trade spend accruals, contra-revenue, freight-in, inventory adjustments, and gross-to-net revenue bridgeAI-Enabled Accounting: Drive adoption of AI tools across the accounting function — transaction coding automation, AP invoice processing (Ramp AI, Bill.com intelligence), reconciliation automation, anomaly detection, and NetSuite AI/Suite Analytics capabilities. Evaluate and implement emerging AI tools to reduce manual effort and accelerate close. You will be a solo operator for the first 3 months processing AP/AR, with the mandate to hire a Staff Accountant under you as soon as the daily transaction volume requires it. Controls & Compliance Build and document internal controls, accounting policies, and SOPsMaintain the NetSuite chart of accounts, including class/dimension tagging by channel and product line Ensure GAAP compliance, specifically ASC 606 (revenue recognition, trade spend), ASC 330 (inventory), and ASC 705 (fulfillment election) Manage state/local tax compliance, sales tax (Avalara), Texas franchise tax, and entity-level filings Prepare workpapers and lead audit readiness for future financial audits and diligence processesAP / AR Management Oversee AP cycle through Ramp — vendor setup, bill processing, approval workflows, payment runs Manage AR, including customer deductions tracking (Target chargebacks, distributor deductions, Amazon reconciliations) Lead trade spend deduction matching — tie retailer chargebacks to promo calendar commitments and investigate leakage Cash management, bank reconciliations, and working capital tracking Systems & Infrastructure Power user and administrator of NetSuiteAdminister Ramp, Bill.com, and integrations across the finance tech stack Drive automation of manual processes; partner with IT on system enhancements Own financial data integrity across NetSuite, Shopify, Amazon Seller Central, 3PL systems, and Target EDIAI Powered accounting automation, Ramp AI, Numeric / Puzzle / Klarity (or equivalent), NetSuite AI / Suite Analytics, Workflow Automation Financial Reporting & Partnership Produce monthly P&L, balance sheet, cash flow with Budget vs. Actual variance analysis Support CEO with board-ready financial packages, KPI dashboards, and management reporting Partner with Supply Chain, Growth, and Sales leaders on budget-to-actual tracking and cost discipline Maintain trade spend tracking against 12.92% ongoing trade rate target, with channel and product-line visibility
Who You Are:- Experience8–12 years of progressive accounting experience, including 3+ years at a CPG company (beverage, food, or consumer products preferred)
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field; Masters or MBA preferred.
- CPA preferred; Big 4 or regional public accounting foundation strongly preferred
- NetSuite expertise required — deep hands-on experience as a daily user and administrator
- Ramp and Bill.com experience strongly preferred
- Experience with multi-channel CPG economics: retail trade spend, distributor programs, DTC subscription, Amazon Seller Central
- Hands-on experience closing books at a growth-stage company ($10M–$100M revenue)
- Experience supporting audits, diligence processes, or M&A transactions a plus
- Hands-on experience with AI-powered accounting tools (Ramp AI, Bill.com, NetSuite AI, Klarity, Numeric, Puzzle, or similar). Comfort learning new AI capabilities as they're released.
- Traits We're Looking ForBuilder mindset. You see gaps and fill them. You don't wait for permission to improve a process. You're energized by building from the ground up, not maintaining existing systems.
- High standards, no excuses. You care about accuracy, speed, and clean work. You own mistakes, fix them, and move forward without drama.
- Speed and ownership. Kurt works fast and expects the same. You anticipate what's needed, get ahead of problems, and don't wait to be told.
- Commercial instinct. You understand that accounting serves the business, not the other way around. You know the difference between what matters for GAAP and what matters for running a CPG brand well.
- Clean, precise communication. You explain financial concepts simply. You produce reports that are easy to read and tell a story. You don't bury the lead.
- Calm under pressure. Month-end close, launches, buyer meetings, investor diligence — the pace is high. You stay steady and deliver.
- No ego about rolling up sleeves. You'll build controls, but you'll also reconcile a bank statement yourself when needed. As the team grows, you'll lead — but the foundation is built by doing.
- AI-forward mindset. You see AI as leverage, not a threat. You actively test new tools, automate repetitive work, and build workflows that scale without adding headcount.
- What Will Make You Stand OutDirect experience with trade spend deductions, Amazon Seller Central reconciliations, or distributor (UNFI/KeHE/Pod Foods) accounting
- Experience building channel-level and SKU-level gross margin reporting
- Deep NetSuite administration, customization, and saved search expertise
- A portfolio of processes you've built and improved at prior companies
- What You'll GetCompetitive base salary (commensurate with experience)
- Full benefits, 401(k) match
- Participation in the LOVE Community Incentive Plan (quarterly revenue-linked bonus pool)
- Equity consideration at appropriate level and time
- A front-row seat to building a category-defining CPG brand
- Direct access to a repeat CPG founder and a clear runway to grow into senior finance leadership as the company scales
How to Apply:
Apply through LinkedIn. Include a cover note addressing one specific accounting challenge you built a solution for at a prior CPG company. We read every cover note. Generic applications will not be considered. LOVE LLC is an equal opportunity employer.
