Controller

  • Location: Eagan, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51612

We’re partnering with a Private Equity backed manufacturing company to find their next Controller. This is a highly visible role supporting a growing business unit and partnering with leaders across the broader organization.

If you’re a hands on manufacturing accounting leader who enjoys shaping processes, leading the close, and partnering with different divisions, apply today! 

Manufacturing Engineer

  • Location: Hayfield, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51560

We’re excited to a partner with a new family-owned industrial manufacturer in Southern Minnesota. We’re looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to join their team. This company suppliers engineering components for multiple industries like mining, agriculture, industrial equipment, and commercial cleaning sectors—making them a trusted partner.

In this role, you will work directly with an experienced engineering manager and cross-functional teams to design, improve, and scale production processes. You will lead continuous improvement initiatives, enhance safety and quality performance, support automation opportunities, and create the engineering documentation that drives efficiency across the plant.

M&A Accounting Manager

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51535

We’ve been engaged by a dynamic construction organization with a top-tier finance and accounting team to identify a newly added accounting manager – but this isn’t your typical accounting manager role. This person will be a “corporate mercenary” involved in operational accounting, M&A integrations, FP&A and operational cross-functional work, and special projects focused on value creation/process improvement.

The organization is growing quickly both organically and through acquisitions and there is tons of interesting work to be done. This is a fantastic role to build leadership skillsets, take ownership over significant parts of the business, and see/do a variety of things in a short amount of time. The role reports to a Controller we’ve known for years who is a high-EQ leader with a track record of developing talent, and also has a Big 4 & top-tier consulting background.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years of exeprience, ideally a Big 4 accounting foundation, and experience with M&A integration and complex accounting issues. CPA preferred.

Director-Institutional Sales

  • Location: Madison, Wisconsin
  • Remote: Remote
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51527

We are working with a $1B Midwestern asset manager who is seeking its first dedicated Institutional Sales Director to accelerate the firm’s expansion into the consultant and institutional investor market. This is a rare ground-floor opportunity to build an institutional presence for a respected, performance-driven investment firm with long-standing PM leadership and a strong retail foundation.

As the inaugural salesperson, you will shape the go-to-market strategy, develop consultant and allocator relationships, and drive new mandates across the U.S. You’ll partner closely with senior portfolio managers, gain deep insight into high-quality core equity strategies and play a pivotal role in elevating the firm’s institutional visibility.

What Sets This Apart:
Wide-open territory. Direct PM access. Thoughtful compensation with strong performance upside. Meaningful runway to build something lasting.

***We are looking for Mid-West based candidates only at this time

If interested, please apply or send your details to: jamende@skywatersearch.com

Python Engineer

  • Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51495

SkyWater Search Partners has partnered with a growing tech consulting firm to hire a Senior Python Engineer for a critical project with one of the largest banks in the U.S., focused on optimizing costs across key areas of the company.

This highly visible role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on an enterprise system using Python, big data tools (e.g., Spark, PySpark), support automated deployments, and leverage modern cloud technologies.

The position is fully onsite in Jersey City, NJ through 2025 (no relocation assistance), transitioning to fully remote afterward as you continue contributing to other projects.

Sponsorship is not provided.

Senior Manager/ Director, M&A

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51427

Senior Manager / Director, M&A 
A rapidly expanding, multi-billion-dollar public company is seeking a Senior Manager/Director of M&A to lead post-acquisition integration efforts across its growing portfolio. This newly created role offers high visibility, direct collaboration with the C-Suite, and the opportunity to shape the organization’s long-term M&A strategy. You’ll partner closely with Corporate Development and Accounting leadership to ensure seamless integration, strong financial controls, and alignment with enterprise objectives.

If this is something you’d be interested in learning more about, please apply today!


Why Join:

Play a key leadership role in the integration of newly acquired businesses across a rapidly growing organization.

Work directly with the C-Suite, Corporate Controller, and Corporate Development teams on high-impact M&A initiatives.

Join a company with strong financial performance, continuous acquisitive activity, and long-term growth opportunities.

Competitive compensation package including base salary, performance bonus, comprehensive benefits, and hybrid schedule.


The ideal candidate has…

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

Significant experience in post-acquisition integration, ideally within a large, complex corporate environment.

Strong project management capabilities and the ability to operate in a fast-paced, evolving setting.

Executive presence with the confidence to partner directly with senior leadership.

High initiative, strong communication skills, and a track record of driving results.

Controller

  • Location: Joliet, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51426

Controller Opportunity – Manufacturing Industry

A growing, publicly traded manufacturing organization is seeking a Controller to lead financial operations for one of its largest business units. This role offers high visibility, strategic involvement with leadership, and the opportunity to drive financial performance across a dynamic and expanding business. The Controller will oversee all aspects of the finance and accounting functions, providing insights that directly impact operational decision-making, profitability, and strategic growth.

If this is something you would be interested in learning more about, please apply today! 

Why Join:
Play a pivotal role in the financial leadership of a growing, high-impact business unit.
Collaborate directly with senior executives and influence key business decisions.
Opportunities for long-term career growth within a stable, growing company.
Competitive compensation package including base salary, performance bonus, and comprehensive benefits.

The ideal candidate for this role has… 
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
9+ years of accounting experience, including 5+ years in manufacturing.
Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills.

Vice President of People & Culture

  • Location: Edina , Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51408

SkyWater Executive Leadership is proud to partner once again with Portico Benefit Services on a search for their Vice President of People & Culture. Over the past few years, SkyWater has partnered with the Board of Directors and has helped Portico build out key members of their senior leadership team, including most of the C-suite (CEO, COO, CIO, etc.). The result has been a period of strong cultural alignment, refreshed leadership, and meaningful organizational momentum.

The newly created role of Vice President of People & Culture provides strategic and operational leadership for all aspects of Portico’s people and culture function. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and serving as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, this role ensures that Portico is positioned to attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent while cultivating a mission-driven, high-performance culture that reflects the organization’s faith-based values and commitment to service.

Leading a team of 10, this leader will modernize HR operations, strengthen core programs, and champion an integrated people strategy aligned with Portico’s Five Diamond Strategy and Service Model 2.0. Areas of responsibility include talent acquisition and retention, leadership and workforce development, total rewards, employee engagement and culture, HR systems and analytics, and organizational effectiveness.

Service Operations Manager

  • Location: Sauk Rapids , Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51315

Oversee service office operations, customer relations, communicate product improvements with Project Managers and purchasing, responsible for growth of department.

Plant Manager

  • Location: Wood Dale, Illinois
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #51225

Skywater Search Partners is partnering with a leading manufacturer seeking a proven Plant Manager to lead a multi-shift operation of 400+ employees and drive production, continuous improvement, delivery, safety, quality, delivery, and cost initiatives in a high volume manufacturing setting. This individual will be a hands-on, strategic leader with the capability to advance into higher operational leadership roles in the future.


Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a high-performing team of direct and indirect reports across production, maintenance, and CI functions.

  • Drive a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

  • Implement and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to improve operational visibility and results.

  • Collaborate across engineering, quality, and supply chain in a matrix environment to align goals and processes.

  • Manage P&L performance ($150M+), optimizing labor, materials, and expenses to meet budget targets.

  • Lead transformation from reactive to proactive operations, building systemic consistency and process discipline.

  • Serve as a strategic business partner with potential to assume broader leadership responsibilities over time.


Qualifications

  • 8+ years of manufacturing leadership experience, including multi-shift plant management.

  • Background in industrial engineering, plant leadership, and high-volume manufacturing preferred.

  • Experience leading leaders, not just direct production teams.

  • Strong grasp of Lean, CI, and KPI-based management systems.

  • Excellent communication, collaboration, and team-development skills.

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