I’m excited to partner with a long time candidate turned client who is the CFO of a well known retail chain looking to hire a Controller. The role is newly created and this person will own the entire accounting function (team of 15) and focused on operational accounting.
Must have retail experience and a track record of leading a team as we are looking for someone with strong leadership skills to be able to hit the ground running.
This is a stable company where there aren’t “fires to put out” and we are looking for a leader who loves collaboration as this is a fully onsite role. If you’re looking to find a long term home and be part of a well run organization I’d love to hear from you.
Accounting Manager Opportunity – Manufacturing Industry
A dynamic and rapidly growing manufacturing company (multi-billion in revenue) is hiring an Accounting Manager to join their corporate finance team. See more below:
Flexible, hybrid structure.
Company is in acquisition mode with a strong leadership team and long-term growth strategy.
This position offers exposure to multiple departments and business units — ideal for someone who thrives in a visible, collaborative environment.
This is a great next step for someone looking to move into a high-impact role with a successful, acquisitive company that values talent and rewards performance.
The ideal candidate for this role has…
4+ years of experience
Experience in public accounting (Big-4 preferred) – either sitting in public or with a foundation there
We’re partnering with a CFO we’ve known for years who has been with the business for almost a decade and built the team from scratch. They are now at a point where they’ve stabilized the business and are investing in a Controller (newly created) to take over the team he has built and lead the entire accounting function. This role is best for someone looking for a long term home with a strong team in place. No need to ‘put out fires’ and be a technical accounting expert as this is an operational accounting leadership role.
Details:
Stable, US subsidiary of a global public company
Ownership of all day-to-day Operational Accounting
Managing a team of 15 and reporting directly to the CFO
Great work/life balance – the company and team are stable, so no need to ‘put out fires’
Competitive base comp, bonus, and 401K
Located onsite in NW suburbs
Ideal Candidate:
10-15+ years accounting experience with at least 2 years of Management experience
Retail or multi-site manufacturing experience with strong inventory accounting background
American Public Media & Minnesota Public Radio | Vice President, Friends & Membership
Overview
We are proud to partner with American Public Media & Minnesota Public Radio to identify their Vice President of Friends & Membership. MPR engages an audience of millions and is stewarded by hundreds of thousands of members and friends.
The Vice President of Friends & Membership will be a visionary and entrepreneurial leader, driving the development and implementation of the “Friends of MPR” initiative as a top priority, to build meaningful relationships, deeper affiliation and significantly expand the organization’s reach. This position provides strategic direction and leadership for the Membership team while fostering cross-functional collaboration to achieve shared objectives.
Rooted in the organization’s mission and core values, the Vice President will innovate to expand the organization’s reach and execute creative strategies to grow membership, expand loyalty revenue, and amplify impact. The successful candidate will be an agile leader with a deep understanding of engaging a diverse set of community stakeholders at scale. They will possess extensive experience in managing multi-channel marketing strategies and leveraging bold experimentation to scale quickly and widely.
Our Client has one of the strongest Membership programs in the country. They serve audiences on-air, online, and in person. If you are a dynamic leader passionate about driving innovation, building meaningful relationships, advancing mission-focused initiatives, and achieving measurable results, we invite you to join our team. This role reports to our General Counsel, an entrepreneur, and this effort will be run like a startup.
Success Characteristics
Visionary Innovator: Entrepreneurial leader with a track record of driving bold, creative initiatives that align with and advance the organization’s mission and values.
Data-Driven Strategist: Skilled in leveraging analytics to inform strategy, optimize decision-making, and measure impact.
Collaborative Leader: Strong leadership experience, fostering cross-functional teamwork, empowering teams, and driving results that reflect the organization’s purpose and values
Proactive Problem-Solver: Self-starter who challenges traditional norms and pioneers’ innovative paths to achieve goals while staying true to core values.
Inspiring Communicator: Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, capable of rallying internal teams and external supporters around the mission.
Key Responsibilities
“Friends” Leadership
Pioneer a comprehensive and innovative “Friends” strategy to attract, engage, and grow new audiences across Minnesota and nationally.
Develop partnerships, events, and digital campaigns to enhance visibility, nurture prospects, and funnel them into the membership pipeline.
Collaborate across departments to drive awareness across Minnesota and establish direct relationships with a wide swath of Minnesotans.
Membership Growth & Lifecycle Management
Develop and execute a membership strategy to grow membership volume, focusing on acquisition, retention, and, ultimately, increased financial support.
Partner with content teams, Community Engagement, Philanthropic Development, Audience Development & Marketing, Communication, and Digital Product teams to create compelling member experiences. Tailor member communications and engagement opportunities that foster long-term loyalty and satisfaction.
Define and monitor key performance indicators, including growth, retention, and satisfaction, and combine data-driven insights with deep community listening to refine strategies.
Strategic Leadership
Build multi-channel strategies that leverage the organization’s content, brand and multichannel audience development teams to attract new Friends.
Strengthen a culture of audience-centricity and philanthropy across the enterprise.
Collaborate with Major Gift officers and mid-level giving officers to advance members initiatives through the donor continuum to Leadership Giving levels.
Cultivate future leaders through coaching, mentoring, and constructive feedback along with thoughtful professional development plans.
People Leadership
Translate organizational goals into actionable and measurable performance objectives, set clear execution standards, and hold leaders and teams accountable for delivering results.
Lead and cultivate a motivated, collaborative, and high-performing team committed to achieving ambitious shared goals.
Enable organizational strategy through a personal commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and access (EIDA) in workplace relationships and audience engagement.
Key Skills, Knowledge, and Mindsets
Familiar with modern tech stack including customer relationship management, data analytics, performance tracking, and digital outreach tools.
Use of artificial intelligence tools with a pointed vision towards expanded use across all job tasks.
Ability to lead teams using rapid cycle testing to take informed risks, refine strategies, and scale successful initiatives.
Audience-centric, entrepreneurial mindset to develop and manage compelling user journeys and campaigns to drive acquisition, conversion and retention.
Relentless emphasis on execution; resilient leadership that sees opportunity in every challenge.
Knowledge of local media organizations and content-driven membership or “Friends” programs.
Key Experience
This role requires demonstrated success or high potential in the following areas:
Leveraging existing owned and third-party networks to scale user acquisition.
Converting new audience and consumer segments, with a focus on expanding reach beyond core customers to drive growth and diversification.
Deploying loyalty and lifecycle marketing strategies to enhance retention, engagement, and lifetime value.
Achieving measurable results in digital revenue growth through strategic planning and execution.
Guiding multi-channel marketing strategies, including digital, email, events, and direct mail.
Building and managing complex plans across stakeholder groups, creating and monitoring budgets, and overseeing data-driven reporting and metrics.
Galvanizing populations to identify with a sense of community and shared purpose.
This role is hybrid requiring 3-4 days/week onsite in St. Paul, MN. The target annual base salary for this position is $150,000-$175,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
SkyWater Search Partners is thrilled to be retained by our client, a services company, to find a Finance Director for one of its largest divisions. This group has experienced significant growth both organically and through acquisitions. As the company continues to expand, we’re looking for a Finance Director to support that growth by leveraging technology to analyze data and drive strategic business decisions through financial analysis. The ideal candidate will be inherently curious, a strategic big-picture thinker, and someone who’s not afraid to roll up their sleeves. We’re looking for someone who’s forward-thinking and always looking for ways to improve, innovate, and stay ahead. This position is based in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and offers hybrid work flexibility.
We are seeking an experienced and proactive Purchasing Manager to lead procurement operations for a premier electrical solutions firm specializing in design, construction, and maintenance. The Purchasing Manager will be responsible for driving strategic sourcing, supplier management, and procurement processes to support construction, engineering, and service operations throughout the Upper Midwest.
SkyWater is thrilled to be partnering with an industry leading manufacturing company that is looking to add a Senior Accountant to their team. The Senior Accountant will be responsible for ensuring the accuracy and compliance of the company’s financial operations related to revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), commissions, invoicing, sales tax, and audits. This role serves as a cross-functional liaison, supporting Sales, Client Services, Finance, and external partners to ensure smooth and accurate financial reporting within the Shared Services model.
Our client is a leading provider of industrial chemicals that partners with a variety of companies across the nation. They are seeking to add a Business Development Manager primarily focused on expanding market share in the North American industrial grease and lubrication sector. This position is responsible for developing new business opportunities and managing existing accounts for their OEM products. This individual will drive revenue by leveraging deep technical expertise and market knowledge to meet the evolving demands of their customers. This role will have support from peers and sales support from the internal team to best serve the customer. This role will have the ability to work remotely and compensates well through base salary plus commission along with good benefits.
Our client is at a pivotal stage of growth and is seeking a strategic, people-first, and business-savvy leader to serve as the Vice President of People and Culture. As a key member of the executive leadership team, this role is responsible for architecting and executing an integrated people strategy that aligns with business objectives, enhances organizational culture, scales talent, and strengthens employee experience across the company. This individual will lead all facets of HR, including organizational development, talent acquisition, compensation, compliance, performance management, and employee engagement. The successful candidate will bring a proactive, data-driven approach and be passionate about developing people, building strong teams, and driving culture as a strategic asset.
Partner with senior leadership to develop and execute a comprehensive people strategy aligned with business growth.
Lead organizational design, succession planning, and talent management to build future-ready teams and leadership pipelines.
Serve as a cultural champion, reinforcing values such as integrity, accountability, collaboration, and humility.
Leverage HR analytics and KPIs to inform decisions and assess effectiveness of programs and initiatives.
Talent Acquisition & Employer Brand
Develop and execute a long-term talent acquisition strategy that aligns with business growth objectives, workforce planning, and the company’s value proposition.
Act as a trusted advisor to senior executives and business leaders, translating talent needs into actionable hiring strategies.
Enhance the employer brand and ensure a seamless and compelling candidate experience from application through onboarding.
Partner with external vendors and internal stakeholders to build scalable, effective hiring processes.
Enhance the employer brand and ensure a seamless and compelling candidate experience from application through onboarding.
Partner with external vendors and internal stakeholders to build scalable, effective hiring processes.
People Operations & Compliance
Oversee HR operations including HRIS, payroll, benefits administration, employee relations, and legal compliance.
Ensure consistent application of HR policies and legal compliance across multi-state operations.
Stay current on labor laws, regulatory changes, and HR best practices to mitigate risk and maintain operational excellence.
Manage audits, investigations, and compliance training programs.
Culture, Engagement & Communication
Drive employee engagement initiatives that reinforce purpose, increase retention, and promote a thriving workplace culture.
Embed organizational values throughout the employee lifecycle, from onboarding to career development.
Lead internal communication efforts to support change management, transparency, and alignment.
Act as a trusted advisor to leadership and a visible, approachable leader for all employees.
Learning & Performance Development
Build a culture of performance accountability and continuous improvement.
Design leadership development and high-potential training programs that support business growth and succession planning.
Hold leaders accountable for coaching, developing talent, and fostering team performance.
Establish recognition and feedback programs that reinforce desired behaviors and outcomes.
Compensation & Total Rewards
Lead the design and execution of compensation strategies that are market-competitive and performance-driven.
Conduct benchmarking, salary reviews, and incentives planning to attract and retain top talent.
Ensure pay equity, internal fairness, and compliance with applicable wage and hour laws.
Team Leadership
Lead and develop a high-performing HR team, setting clear expectations and fostering growth opportunities.
Promote a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability across the department and company.
Align HR team goals with broader business strategies and ensure HR excellence in execution.
Qualifications:
10+ years of progressive HR experience with at least 5 years in a senior or executive leadership role.
Proven experience in high-growth, entrepreneurial environments; experience in construction, energy, or manufacturing sectors strongly preferred.
Expertise across key HR disciplines: organizational development, HR operations, talent acquisition, L&D, compensation, and compliance.
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, Master’s in HR) or certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP) preferred.
Multi-state HR experience and familiarity with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) are desirable.
Demonstrated success in building high-performing, values-aligned teams and influencing at all levels of the organization.
Personal Attributes:
High emotional intelligence with outstanding communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
Strategic thinker with operational savvy and a strong bias for execution.
Inspirational, approachable leader with the ability to influence and foster trust across a diverse workforce.
Deeply committed to people development, organizational integrity, and continuous improvement.
One of our favorite clients is hiring for a staff accountant out of their St. Cloud, MN office! This is a fast-growing, PE-backed, manufacturing company with a fantastic industry reputation. As a firm, we have worked with them for years- and we cannot speak highly enough of the team, mission, and culture.
They are looking for someone with at two to three years of accounting experience, a passion for process improvement, and a proactive mindset. This is a great opportunity to join a collaborative, growth-focused environment where your ideas will be valued, and where there’s real opportunity to grow your career.
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601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305
