Controller

CONTROLLER MONTGOMERY, AL Position Summary: The Controller is responsible for the financial management, accounting operations, reporting, and internal controls of the company. This position plays a key role in ensuring accurate job costing, timely financial reporting, effective cash management, and strong financial controls while supporting the President/CEO and operational leadership in making informed business decisions. Because the company operates in the commercial construction industry, the Controller must understand construction accounting, including work-in-progress (WIP) reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, job costing, retainage, contract billing, change orders, subcontractor management, and project profitability. The Controller will oversee the day-to-day accounting function and work closely with project managers, estimators, operations, payroll, and executive leadership. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required. Minimum 5–10 years of progressive accounting experience, preferably within construction or specialty contracting. Strong knowledge of construction accounting and job costing. Experience preparing and managing WIP schedules and percentage-of-completion accounting. Strong understanding of GAAP and financial statement preparation. Experience managing accounting personnel and financial processes. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to communicate financial information effectively to non-financial managers. Advanced Excel skills and strong experience with accounting/ERP systems. Experience with Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (Timberline) is highly desirable. Experience with payroll/timekeeping systems such as HH2 is a plus. Key Responsibilities: Financial Reporting & Accounting Manage all accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, fixed assets, and cash management. Prepare accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements. Manage the monthly and year-end closing processes and establish appropriate closing deadlines. Maintain the company's chart of accounts and ensure consistent accounting practices across departments and divisions. Prepare financial reporting packages for executive leadership. Analyze actual financial performance against budget, forecast, and prior-year results. Identify significant financial trends, variances, risks, and opportunities and communicate them clearly to management. Coordinate annual financial statement reviews, audits, and tax preparation with outside CPA firms. Construction Accounting & Job Cost Maintain accurate job-cost accounting for all active projects. Prepare and review monthly WIP schedules. Monitor estimated costs to complete, earned revenue, over/under billings, gross profit, and projected final margins. Work with project managers to ensure cost projections are updated accurately and consistently. Review job profitability and identify projects experiencing margin deterioration. Monitor labor, material, subcontractor, equipment, and other project costs. Ensure approved change orders are properly reflected in contract values, billing, and job-cost projections. Reconcile job-cost reports to the general ledger. Monitor retainage receivable and payable. Assist management in analyzing completed-job profitability and historical estimating performance. Billing, Accounts Receivable & Cash Flow Oversee contract billing, including progress billings and AIA-style applications for payment. Monitor accounts receivable aging and coordinate collection efforts. Maintain visibility into expected cash receipts and significant upcoming cash requirements. Prepare short-term cash-flow forecasts for executive management. Monitor customer payment trends and identify collection risks. Ensure lien waivers, releases, and required billing documentation are properly maintained. Monitor retainage and ensure timely collection following project completion. Accounts Payable & Subcontractor Controls Oversee accounts payable processes and payment controls. Ensure vendor and subcontractor invoices are properly coded and assigned to the correct projects and cost codes. Maintain appropriate approval processes for purchases and payments. Monitor subcontractor documentation, including W-9s, certificates of insurance, contracts, lien waivers, and other required compliance documentation. Coordinate subcontractor payments with project billing and cash-flow requirements. Payroll & Labor Cost Oversee payroll accounting and reconciliation. Ensure payroll expenses are accurately allocated to projects, departments, and overhead. Monitor labor-cost reporting and provide management with information regarding labor efficiency and overtime. Coordinate with payroll and HR personnel regarding payroll taxes, employee deductions, benefits, and reporting requirements. Budgeting, Forecasting & Management Reporting Lead the annual budgeting process. Develop rolling forecasts for revenue, gross profit, overhead, operating income, and cash flow. Maintain company and divisional financial scorecards. Provide management with meaningful KPIs, including: Revenue and gross profit Gross margin percentage Backlog and expected backlog margin WIP and over/under billings Accounts receivable and DSO Cash position and projected cash flow Overhead as a percentage of revenue Job profitability and margin fade/gain Labor and production cost trends Assist executive leadership with scenario planning and financial modeling. Internal Controls & Risk Management Develop and maintain effective accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls. Maintain appropriate separation of duties and approval authority. Protect company assets through strong cash, purchasing, payroll, and payment controls. Monitor compliance with contractual, financial, tax, licensing, and reporting requirements. Assist with bonding-company financial reporting and information requests. Coordinate financial information required by banks, sureties, insurance providers, and other external partners. Maintain appropriate financial records and documentation. Systems & Process Improvement Maintain the integrity of the company's accounting and construction-management systems. Improve accounting workflows and reduce unnecessary manual processes. Establish consistent procedures for job setup, cost coding, purchasing, billing, change orders, and job closeout. Work with operations and project management to improve the accuracy and timeliness of project financial information. Develop dashboards and reporting tools that provide management with actionable financial information. Leadership Responsibilities Manage and develop accounting department personnel. Establish clear responsibilities, deadlines, and performance expectations for the accounting team. Promote accuracy, accountability, confidentiality, and continuous improvement. Build strong working relationships with project managers, estimators, operations personnel, and executive leadership. Serve as a financial resource to managers while maintaining appropriate financial controls.