Client Opportunity: Controller

Client Opportunity : Growing construction contractor is seeking a Controller in Syracuse, NY. The Controller leads the company’s accounting, financial reporting, and project accounting functions for a construction contractor. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for financial integrity, job-cost accuracy, work-in-progress reporting, cash flow management, compliance, and strategic financial planning. The position requires an active CPA with significant construction-industry experience and the ability to partner with executive leadership, project managers, and operations teams to improve profitability and support sustainable growth.

Please make sure you read the following details carefully before making any applications.

Financial Oversight & Accounting Operations

• Oversee day-to-day accounting functions, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, equipment and fixed assets, and banking.

• Direct project accounting and job-cost reporting, ensuring labor, materials, equipment, subcontractor, and overhead costs are accurately assigned to projects and cost codes.

• Lead monthly and annual close processes, including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and consolidation of related entities, as applicable.

• Prepare timely financial statements and contractor-specific reporting, including work-in-progress schedules, backlog reports, costs-to-complete, over/under billings, gross profit analysis, and cash flow forecasts.

• Review contract values, approved and pending change orders, commitments, retainage, billings, and collections for completeness and accuracy.

• Partner with project managers to evaluate project performance, forecast final costs and margins, and identify financial risks or unfavorable trends.

Audit, Compliance & Internal Controls

• Lead preparation for annual financial statement audits or reviews and serve as the primary contact for the external CPA firm.

• Maintain audit-ready support for job costs, revenue recognition, contract assets and liabilities, equipment, payroll, and related-party activity.

• Develop and maintain internal controls over purchasing, subcontractor commitments, change orders, progress billings, cash disbursements, payroll, and project closeout.

• Ensure compliance with GAAP, including the revenue recognition guidance applicable to long-term construction contracts, and with federal, state, and local tax and reporting requirements.

• Oversee applicable contractor-specific compliance matters, including certified payroll, prevailing wage requirements, sales and use taxes, subcontractor insurance certificates, and lien waivers.

• Coordinate income tax filings, property tax filings, and other regulatory submissions with external advisors.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Strategic Planning

• Partner with executive leadership and operations to develop the annual budget, project forecasts, and multi-year financial plans.

• Monitor actual results against budget and forecast, analyze project and company-level variances, and recommend corrective actions.

• Develop cash flow, overhead recovery, equipment, staffing, and capital expenditure models to support operational decisions.

• Analyze backlog, bid pipeline, bonding capacity, and project mix to evaluate future revenue, profitability, and resource needs.

• Provide financial insight for contract negotiations, project selection, equipment purchases or leases, and other strategic initiatives.

Banking & Treasury Management

• Manage banking relationships, daily cash activity, and short- and long-term liquidity planning.

• Prepare rolling cash flow forecasts that incorporate project billings, collections, retainage, payroll, subcontractor payments, equipment needs, and debt service.

• Oversee credit facilities, debt compliance, covenant reporting, and lender information requests.

• Maintain strong relationships with the company’s surety and bonding agent and provide timely financial information needed to support bonding capacity.

• Strengthen billing and collection processes and monitor aged receivables, retainage, and project-specific cash flow.

Financial Reporting & Stakeholder Support

• Prepare and present executive-level financial reports for ownership and senior leadership, including financial statements, WIP schedules, backlog, project margin trends, cash flow, and key performance indicators.

• Provide clear financial analysis and recommendations to support project and company-level decisions.

• Communicate effectively with project managers, operations leaders, lenders, sureties, external accountants, and other financial stakeholders.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Evaluate and optimize construction accounting systems, chart of accounts, job-cost structure, cost codes, reporting tools, and workflows.

• Lead implementation or upgrades of accounting, enterprise resource planning, project-management, timekeeping, and payroll systems.

• Ensure reliable integration among estimating, project management, procurement, field time, payroll, equipment, and financial systems.

• Establish consistent project setup, commitment, change-order, billing, and closeout processes.

• Identify automation and process-improvement opportunities that increase reporting accuracy, timeliness, and operational efficiency.

Payroll & Benefits Administration

• Oversee payroll processing and ensure labor hours, pay rates, burdens, union classifications, and cost codes are accurately recorded by job.

• Review timekeeping, payroll journals, PTO accruals, garnishments, and related general ledger entries.

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local payroll requirements, including certified payroll, prevailing wage, and union reporting requirements.

• Reconcile payroll liabilities, benefit invoices, workers’ compensation classifications, and retirement plan contributions.

• Ensure coordination with Human Resources with benefits administration is met and maintain accurate payroll and benefits for compliance purposes.

Education & Experience

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

• Active CPA license required.

• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including significant experience with a construction contractor, required.

• Prior experience as a Controller, Assistant Controller, or senior accounting leader in the construction industry strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated expertise in job costing, work-in-progress reporting, percentage-of-completion or cost-to-cost revenue recognition, contract assets and liabilities, retainage, change orders, and project forecasting.

• Experience working with general contractors, specialty contractors, or heavy civil contractors preferred.

• Experience supporting banking, bonding, external audits or reviews, income tax compliance, and contractor-specific regulatory requirements.

Technical Skills

• Advanced knowledge of GAAP and contractor accounting, including ASC 606 revenue recognition for long-term construction contracts.

• Strong command of job costing, WIP schedules, backlog reporting, earned revenue, over/under billings, retainage, committed costs, and project margin analysis.

• Advanced Excel skills and the ability to build financial models, project forecasts, dashboards, and management reports.

• Working knowledge of payroll, certified payroll, prevailing wage, sales and use tax, equipment accounting.

• Advanced proficiency with construction accounting or ERP platforms; experience with systems such as Sage 300 CRE, Viewpoint Vista, CMiC, Foundation, Procore, or comparable platforms is preferred.

Leadership & Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop accounting staff while remaining hands-on in core accounting and reporting activities.

• Strong business partnership skills and the ability to work effectively with owners, project executives, project managers, estimators, field leaders, and administrative teams.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with close attention to project-level detail.

• Ability to present complex financial and project information clearly to financial and non-financial audiences.

• High degree of integrity, discretion, accountability, and sound professional judgment. xzgxqkn

• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet close and reporting deadlines, and thrive in a fast-paced, project-driven environment.

Anticipated Salary Range: $100,000 - 125,000