Controller | Ag and Commodities | Confidential Opportunity

Location: Central Illinois region
Compensation: $130,000 to $150,000 base salary, commensurate with experience
Relocation Assistance: May be available for the right candidate
Employment Type: Full time, exempt

The Opportunity

We are conducting a confidential search on behalf of a privately held, family owned ag and commodities organization headquartered in central Illinois. The company is well established, financially stable, and entering a phase where stronger financial structure, clearer reporting, and enhanced forecasting are critical to continued success.

This is an opportunity for a seasoned Controller who enjoys being close to the business and influencing how decisions are made, not simply reporting outcomes. The role offers high visibility, direct access to ownership, and the ability to shape financial processes rather than inherit rigid systems.

The organization operates across grain and value added agricultural products and offers a collaborative, open, and transparent culture. The location provides a significantly lower cost of living than major metros while remaining accessible to larger regional markets.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, strengthen, and maintain financial controls, compliance structure, and accounting processes
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual close with strong ownership of balance sheet accuracy
• Translate financial results into clear, actionable insights that help leadership reduce noise in reporting and better understand performance drivers
• Develop and advance FP and A capabilities including budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling
• Partner closely with operations and commercial teams to align financial results with business activity
• Support external audits and maintain relationships with outside accounting firms and advisors
• Identify and implement process improvements while constructively challenging the status quo
• Lead and mentor a small accounting team while remaining a hands on contributor

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
  CPA preferred but not required
• Controller or senior accounting leadership experience in an operating company or closely held business
• Grain accounting experience is required
• AGRIS system experience is a significant and highly valued bonus
• Experience with commodities and derivatives accounting
• Strong balance sheet knowledge and technical accounting fundamentals
• Exposure to external audit or public accounting audit
• Advanced Excel skills including pivot tables and financial analysis
• Experience leading or mentoring a small team
• Collaborative, detail oriented, and comfortable working directly with ownership

Why This Role

• High impact role with meaningful influence over financial direction
• Privately held, family owned organization with practical decision making and minimal bureaucracy
• Opportunity to build, improve, and modernize processes rather than just maintain them
• Competitive compensation and possible relocation assistance

Confidentiality Notice

The company name and specific location will be disclosed later in the interview process. All inquiries and applications will be handled in strict confidence.