Aerospace Controller

Saved job description

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.

We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities, creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future.

Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. 

Aerospace Controller    

Locations: Fort Collins, Colorado or Rockford, Illinois

The Aerospace Controller serves as the financial co-pilot and accounting leader for the Aerospace operating segment of Woodward. In this role, you will hold full ownership over the segment's financial statements, closing processes, and accounting controls. You will bridge the gap between technical accounting precision and strategic business partnership. By providing deep financial visibility, maintaining a rigorous control environment, and collaborating closely with segment leadership, you will safeguard company assets while identifying opportunities to optimize the accounting process and controls and contributing to the profitability and cash flow of the segment. 

The Segment Controller serves as the senior finance and accounting leader for a business segment, providing financial oversight, accounting governance, reporting accuracy, internal control compliance, and business partnership. This role is responsible for ensuring the integrity of financial results, supporting strategic decision-making, driving operational performance, and leading all accounting and financial activities within the segment.

The Segment Controller partners closely with segment leadership, operations, corporate finance, FP&A, tax, treasury, and external auditors to deliver timely, accurate, and actionable financial information while supporting growth and profitability objectives

Estimated annual base pay: $178,000-$220,000

All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity. 

401(k) match (4.5%)

Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%)

Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members  

12 paid holidays,

Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire

Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave. 

Paid parental leave.

Adoption Assistance  

Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits. 

Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life 

Member referral bonus 

Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending 

Voluntary benefits, including:  

Whole Life/Home/Auto Insurance discounts e Insurance

Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave 

Key Responsibilities  

Accounting & Financial Reporting 

Lead all accounting activities for the segment, ensuring compliance with U.S. GAAP, local GAAP, company policies, and internal controls. 

Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, including review of journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial statements. 

Ensure accurate revenue recognition, inventory accounting, cost accounting, reserves, accruals, and other key accounting judgments. 

Partner with the Aerospace Operations Finance team to review and analyze segment financial results, identify trends, and communicate performance drivers to leadership. 

Coordinate with corporate accounting to support consolidated financial reporting requirements and quarterly and annual SEC reporting requirements. 

Ensure all local, statutory, and tax requirements are accurately and timely complied with, including conformance with new guidance and regulations as required 

Partner with the Government Accounting team to ensure compliance with government accounting and reporting requirements, while optimizing Woodward’s ability to recover costs from its government contracts. 

Business Partnership 

Partner with the Aerospace Operations Finance team to act as cohesive finance partner to the Segment President and leadership team. 

Provide insight into business performance, profitability, working capital, cash flow, and operational metrics. 

Support strategic initiatives, capital investments, acquisitions, restructurings, and growth opportunities by providing guidance on potential accounting implications. 

Translate financial data into actionable recommendations for business leaders. 

Digital Transformation & Process Optimization 

Evaluate, implement, and optimize new and existing technologies to support improved operational efficiency and process enhancements. 

Reduce operational friction by standardizing workflows and eliminating redundant, manual processes, and identifying use cases for AI process optimizations. 

Support the SAP S4 HANA implementations for the Aerospace segment locations. 

Internal Controls and SOX Compliance 

Ensure compliance with SOX requirements and maintain a strong internal control environment. 

Lead remediation efforts related to control deficiencies and audit findings. 

Coordinate internal and external audits and serve as the primary segment contact. 

Ensure adherence to corporate accounting policies and regulatory requirements. 

Identify opportunities to streamline and enhance our existing control structure and documentation to reduce risk of control deficiencies, while optimizing the time spent on control documentation. 

Leadership & Team Development 

Lead, mentor, and develop accounting and finance personnel within the segment. 

Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. 

Build organizational capabilities to support current and future business needs. 

Develop the leadership capabilities at all levels of the Aerospace accounting organization. 

·        

Qualifications  

Education 

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field required 

CPA, CMA, MBA, or equivalent advanced certification preferred 

Preferred Additional Experience 

General: 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with experience leading accounting functions within a manufacturing, industrial, aerospace, technology, or multi-site operating environment. 

Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, internal controls, and financial reporting. 

Experience working with executive leadership teams. 

Proven people leadership and team development experience. 

Experience supporting a publicly traded company. 

Technical Skills: Strong background in revenue accounting, cost accounting, and inventory accounting. 

Strong knowledge of enterprise ERP systems (specifically, SAP S4 HANA). 

Skills and Competencies 

Strong leadership and team development skills 

Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision support, and business partnering skills 

Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills 

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment 

Executive presence and business acumen 

Working Conditions 

Hybrid or office-based role 

May require occasional travel to Woodward sites, plants, or project locations 

Application window is anticipated to close 10 days from original posting date.

This information is provided in compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and is the company’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation range and benefits offered for this position. The compensation offered to the successful applicant may vary based on factors including experience, skills, education, location, and other job-related reasons.

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).   All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee).

Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws.

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