Financial Controller

Position: Financial Controller (clear path to CFO)
Location: Mundelein, IL
Reports to: Owner
Duration & Type: Full-Time, Monday – Friday; Onsite (5 days per week)

Chamberlain Advisors is seeking a Controller for their client Blu Petroleum, a fuel distribution business based in Mundelein, Illinois. The company is in a strong growth phase, and the next Controller will step in as the company's senior internal finance leader. The role carries a deliberate, time-bound path to a formal Chief Financial Officer title over the next 12-36 months. As the candidate proves out, the role formalizes into CFO.

This is a hands-on seat with senior scope. The Controller / CFO is the day-to-day owner of the accounting and finance function, personally executes the multi-state tax filing cycle that anchors the monthly workload, supervises the AR/AP team, and partners with the Owner on banking, lender reporting, and the financial side of acquisitions. Reporting directly to the Owner and working alongside the GM of Operations on the leadership team, this is a top-of-house finance role at a fast-growing, owner-led business – for a leader who values ownership over hierarchy.

Summary of most suitable profile
The ideal candidate is a seasoned controller (or Director of Finance, or VP of Finance, or returning CFO) who has spent the bulk of their career in operationally complex, owner-led business environments. They have the technical depth to own a multi-state tax cycle, the operational discipline to run a clean close, and the leadership presence to be the right-hand finance partner to ownership.

Strong candidates often come from one of two backgrounds: a tenured Controller at a similar-sized owner-led business who has hit the ceiling of their current employer and is looking for a seat with greater ownership and a clear CFO path; or a returning Controller / CFO who took a step back from full-time work and is re-entering at a level commensurate with their experience. In both cases, the candidate is energized by being the most senior finance person in the building – and equally energized by personally doing the tax returns, the borrowing-base certificates, and the audit prep that come with the seat.

Differentiators – these will set you apart in the selection process

• Owner's Right-Hand on Finance: The most successful candidates will have direct experience operating as the senior finance partner to a founder or owner – comfortable making the call, comfortable being on the hook, and comfortable being in the room when the big decisions get made.
• Built to Grow into the CFO Seat: The 1-3 year path to CFO is real and deliberate. Candidates should be able to articulate what they want to grow into – supporting acquisitions, expanding banking relationships, building forecasting and FP&A capability – while staying hands-on with the controllership work that anchors the role.
• Detail-Driven Operator: Candidates who can demonstrate concrete examples of SOPs they have built, folder/documentation systems that allow their work to be picked up by someone else, and a track record of zero or near-zero filing errors will stand out.
• Multi-State Tax Return Experience: Experience in filing sales tax returns across multiple states is invaluable. Motor fuel tax familiarity is a plus.
• Tech Curiosity: Blu has just completed an ERP migration. The Controller will be the finance-side superuser. We are looking for candidates who pick up new systems quickly, ask good questions, and accept that some fuel-industry workflows can't be automated, while still pushing to improve what can be.

What you will be accountable for accomplishing
Accounting Operations & General Ledger

• Maintain the general ledger via chart of accounts and journal entries; serve as superuser of ERP for general ledger administration.
• Add new GL accounts, manage the Financial Report Builder, add company locations, assign access and segments, and create new item numbers with associated GL coding.
• Manage I-Rely testing in WIP 87, report and manage production tickets, and partner with the vendor on issue resolution.
• Process weekly and monthly journal entries for payroll, depreciation, prepaids, and accruals.
• Lead a timely month-end close process; prepare balance sheets, income statements, forecasts, and ad-hoc reports for ownership.
• Manage all account reconciliations, including daily bank reconciliations, cash application, and customer drafts.
• Report budget variances to department heads and partner with operational leaders on financial outcomes.

AR / AP Supervision

• Supervise the accounts payable and accounts receivable team (two direct reports), providing oversight, coaching, and process discipline.
• Create NACHA files for new AR customers from whom Blu will pull payment.
• Ensure AP invoices are coded to the correct accounts and AR aging is actively managed.

Multi-State Tax Compliance
Blu operates across multiple states with a high volume of recurring fuel- and sales-tax filings. This is approximately 50% of the role's monthly workload.

• Prepare and file local, state, and federal tax returns. Maintain the monthly tax spreadsheet.
• Update the Indiana Gas Use Tax monthly rate in I-Rely; support annual rate changes across all states of operation.
• File or amend Motor Fuel and Sales Tax returns across all jurisdictions.
• Monthly returns include (representative list, not exhaustive):
  • Quarterly Sales Tax Payments (4 per month)
  • GT-103 IN Gas Use Tax Breakout; MF-360 IN Gas Excise; SF-401 IN Transporter; SF-900 IN Special Fuel
  • MF-02 WI Motor Fuel; ST-12 WI Sales & Use Tax
  • Form 5080 MI Sales & Use Tax
  • CMFT-1 IL – Lake & McHenry County; PST-1 IL Prepaid Sales Tax; ST-1 IL Sales & Use Tax; City of Chicago Vehicle Tax
  • TN Sales & Use Tax
• Quarterly: Federal Form 8849.
• Annual: SF-IVP IN Fuel Inventory (6/30); ST-103MP Sales Tax (12/31); City of Chicago Recap Vehicle Tax.

Audit & Lender Reporting

• Lead internal and external audit cycles; serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors and accounting advisors.
• Prepare and submit the monthly Borrowing Base Certificate and quarterly Covenant reporting to the bank.
• Maintain banking relationships at the operational level; partner with ownership on strategic banking decisions.

Internal Controls, Inventory & Cost Accounting

• Build, document, and improve internal controls and accounting workflows across the function.
• Own inventory accounting and cost of goods sold, including margin reconciliation, freight, surcharges, and product margin reporting.
• Manage fixed asset additions, disposals, and depreciation schedules.

ERP & Systems Ownership

• Act as the finance-side owner of Blu's I-Rely ERP – managing customer master data, product setup, tax setup, pricing, billing, AR/AP, inventory, and reporting configurations.
• Identify process improvements and reduce manual work by leveraging ERP and BI tooling (I-Rely for ERP and Zenfleet for fleet/financial reporting).

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as one of two senior leaders reporting directly to the Owner (alongside the GM of Operations); contribute to weekly leadership team discussions.
• Partner closely with the GM of Operations on financial implications of fleet, dispatch, and pricing decisions.
• Over time, take ownership of the Billing function as it consolidates into the finance team.

Scope That Expands into the CFO Role
Over the first 12-36 months, as the candidate proves out the controllership function, the role is expected to expand into the formal CFO title with added scope across the following:

• Strategic banking and lender relationships – full ownership of credit facility renewals, covenant negotiation, and ABL audit cycles.
• Financial diligence and integration support for planned acquisitions.
• Forecasting, budgeting, and FP&A capability build-out as Blu's operations grow.
• Direct partnership with the Owner on capital allocation, distribution policy, and growth-stage strategic decisions.

What qualifications you will need
Education

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related discipline. MBA or advanced finance credential is a plus but not required.
• CPA is a plus but not required. Active continuing education in tax compliance is highly valued.

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive accounting and finance leadership experience.
• Prior role as Controller, Director of Finance, VP of Finance, or CFO.
• Multi-state sales tax filing experience required. Motor fuel tax or fuel excise tax experience a strong plus.
• Direct supervisory experience required: AR/AP, accounting clerks, or a small accounting team.
• Borrowing-base / asset-based-lending reporting and audit-cycle ownership required.
• Prior experience at a small or mid-sized owner-led business strongly preferred. Comfortable being the most senior finance person in the building.
• Banking and lender relationship management experience required.

Technical Skills

• Experience with mid-market ERP systems beyond QuickBooks — Sage 100 / MAS 90, Oracle, PeopleSoft, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, or comparable. ERP implementation or migration experience a strong plus.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, cost of goods sold, margin reconciliation, freight, and surcharges. Fuel-industry experience — rack pricing or fuel margin accounting — a plus.
• Demonstrated experience building internal controls, documenting accounting procedures, and improving accounting workflows across an organization.
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP.

Systems & Technology

• Advanced Microsoft Excel and financial reporting capability.
• Comfort picking up new systems quickly; interest in modern financial tools, automation, and continuous process improvement.

Why join now
Blu Petroleum is in a strong growth phase, with active plans to add operations through acquisition, creating a chance to step into a key role where your work has real visibility and impact across the business. This is not a maintenance-mode finance role; the right person will help shape how the finance function supports the next stage of the company. The organization has a strong customer base, a growing platform, and leadership that is investing in technology, reporting, and scalable infrastructure. This is a chance to join a practical, entrepreneurial team where finance is expected to be a strategic partner – not a back-office function. There is direct line of sight to formalize the role into the CFO seat over the next 12-36 months as Blu grows.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Blu Petroleum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodation will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.

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