Assistant Controller

The Assistant Controller serves as a hands on partner to the Controller and supports the full accounting function for Petrotech's project based engineering and industrial services business. This role requires recent, substantial hands on experience with project cost accounting and project billing in a construction, engineering, industrial services, energy, EPC, manufacturing, or comparable project based environment. The successful candidate must be able to independently manage project financial activity, including work in progress reporting, cost to complete analysis, milestone and progress billing, backlog reconciliation, project margin analysis, and related financial reconciliations. The Assistant Controller also supports financial close, reporting, cash flow, internal controls, and day to day accounting operations and must be prepared to assume broader Controller responsibilities when the Controller is unavailable.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the primary operational backup to the Controller and assume day-to-day accounting leadership when the Controller is unavailable.
• Lead and maintain project cost accounting for active jobs, including project budgets, actual costs, commitments, change orders, cost-to-complete estimates, work-in-progress reporting, backlog reconciliation, revenue and cost alignment, margin analysis, billing status, and project closeout.
• Partner with Project Management and operational leaders to review project financial performance, identify cost, billing, backlog, and margin variances, and support timely corrective action.
• Independently manage and reconcile project and contract billing requirements, including time and materials, milestone billing, progress billing, retainage where applicable, unbilled amounts, and change orders.
• Ensure billing, revenue recognition, project costs, work in progress, and backlog remain accurately aligned with contractual terms and project status.
• Support and lead month-end and year-end close activities, including journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, general ledger review, and financial statement preparation.
• Prepare and review financial reports, project profitability reports, work-in-progress schedules, backlog and unbilled reporting, cash flow information, accounts receivable aging, and other management reporting used to support business decisions.
• Manage accounts receivable, unbilled balances, collections, project billing reconciliations, and cash conversion while coordinating with project and customer-facing teams to resolve issues promptly.
• Maintain strong internal controls, accounting procedures, documentation standards, and system data integrity while supporting audits, tax reporting, banking requests, insurance requests, and other Controller responsibilities as assigned.
• Provide day-to-day guidance, prioritization, and accountability to accounting teammates, particularly during close periods, deadlines, and Controller absences.

What We're Looking For

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive accounting experience , including recent hands-on responsibility for project cost accounting and project billing.
• Demonstrated experience with work-in-progress reporting, cost-to-complete analysis, milestone or progress billing, backlog reconciliation, project margin analysis, and related project account reconciliations is required.
• Experience in a construction, engineering, industrial services, energy, EPC, manufacturing, or other project-based environment involving complex project costing and construction-type project billing is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience independently supporting or leading month-end close, general ledger accounting, financial reporting, reconciliations, and project financial analysis, with the ability to step into broader Controller responsibilities when needed.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, general ledger accounting, financial statements, accruals, and account reconciliations.
• Strong project cost accounting knowledge, including work-in-progress reporting, cost-to-complete analysis, backlog reconciliation, revenue and cost alignment, project margin analysis, milestone and progress billing reconciliation, unbilled revenue, and variance investigation.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, formulas, and financial data analysis.
• Experience with ERP, accounting, and job-cost systems with the ability to maintain accurate project and financial data.
• Ability to translate project cost, billing, backlog, margin, and financial information into clear, practical information for operational and executive leadership.

Professional Skills

• Strong ownership, accountability, follow-through, and sound judgment with the ability to work independently and escalate appropriately.
• Confident leadership presence with the ability to establish priorities and maintain accountability within the accounting team.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across Finance, Project Management, Engineering, Sales, Service, and Operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA designation, CPA candidate status, or advanced accounting education preferred.
• Previous Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, Senior Accountant, or comparable experience with broad accounting responsibility, financial controls, process improvement, and management reporting.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate accounting team activities as assigned and provide operational leadership when the Controller is unavailable.

Work Environment & Schedule

This is an onsite position in New Orleans, Louisiana within a fast-paced project environment requiring accuracy, responsiveness, and effective management of multiple deadlines. This position is not eligible for remote or hybrid work.

The schedule is full-time, Monday through Friday, with flexibility as needed for closing periods, reporting deadlines, audits, and business needs.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience
• Performance-based incentive bonuses
• 401(k) matching
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• Professional development opportunities

This job is part of LinkedIn’s Full-Service Hiring beta program. Eligibility is limited to candidates located in and performing services in the United States, excluding those based in Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, South Carolina, or West Virginia.

We’re committed to making our hiring process as smooth and timely as possible, and we understand that waiting to hear back can add to the anticipation. If you’re a potential fit, our team will reach out within two weeks to progress you to the next stage. If you don’t hear from us in that time, we encourage you to explore other opportunities with our team in the future, and we wish you the very best in your job search.