Interim Controller

Contract: 6+ Months Compensation: $100-120/hour, with flexibility for an exceptional candidate Medical, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) options Weekly pay through Brilliant About Us Brilliant® is an award-winning contract and consulting practice headquartered in Chicago, specializing in accounting, finance, technology, and business solutions across the Midwest and Southeast U.S. labor market About the Opportunity Our client is a growing, acquisition-driven organization in the commercial HVAC, mechanical, construction, and building services industry. They are seeking a highly experienced Interim Controller to lead the accounting and financial integration of a newly acquired business representing approximately $115 million in revenue. This is a high-visibility acquisition and the largest acquisition the organization has completed to date, making this a critical assignment for an experienced accounting leader who can immediately establish financial discipline, improve reporting, and help ensure a clean year-end audit. This is not a typical interim Controller assignment. The acquired operation is in the process of transitioning into the larger organization, and the accounting function requires significant hands-on attention. The current close process is substantially delayed, systems and processes are highly manual, and there is considerable data and accounting cleanup required. The ideal candidate has been through this before — someone who has successfully stepped into a complex acquisition, assessed what needs to be fixed, and worked hands-on to stabilize the accounting operation. What You'll Do Take immediate ownership of the accounting function and help stabilize the financial reporting and close process. Lead accounting integration activities associated with a $115M acquisition and work closely with corporate leadership throughout the transition. Assess existing accounting processes, identify gaps, and establish priorities for cleanup and integration. Work through a significantly delayed month-end close and develop a path toward a timely, accurate, and sustainable close. Perform and oversee hands-on accounting cleanup, including reconciliations, journal entries, account analysis, supporting documentation, and other transactional activities as needed. Lead Percentage of Completion (POC) accounting for a project-based construction environment. Review project financial performance, costs, margins, billing, accruals, and variances. Partner with operational leadership to understand project and service activity and translate results into meaningful financial reporting. Oversee general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, fixed assets, cash management, and related accounting activities. Work within a highly manual environment involving work tickets, timesheets, project data, and a high volume of construction and service activity. Utilize and improve processes within StarBuilder, the organization's construction-focused ERP system. Identify and implement improvements to accounting processes, internal controls, reporting, and workflow. Prepare financial statements, operational reporting, variance analysis, budgets, and forecasts. Support audit preparation and year-end reporting, with a strong focus on establishing accurate and well-supported financial records. Provide leadership, guidance, and hands-on support to the existing accounting and administrative team. Serve as a key financial partner during the acquisition integration and help establish processes that can be sustained after the transition. What We're Looking For This assignment requires a senior-level accounting professional who can operate strategically while being completely comfortable getting into the details. Required experience: Controller, Division Controller, CFO, VP Finance, or comparable senior accounting leadership experience. Direct experience leading or supporting a significant acquisition integration. Experience managing financial operations for a business or division with $100M+ in revenue. Direct construction, HVAC, mechanical contracting, engineering, or other project-based industry experience. Strong, hands-on Percentage of Completion (POC) accounting experience — required. Demonstrated experience working through accounting cleanup, delayed closes, system/process deficiencies, or other complex transition environments. Strong understanding of project accounting, financial reporting, reconciliations, accruals, variance analysis, and internal controls. Experience improving accounting processes and implementing stronger controls and procedures. Strong systems aptitude and the ability to work effectively in highly manual or imperfect system environments. Experience with construction/project accounting systems; StarBuilder experience is a plus. Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field. CPA is preferred. The Right Person The successful candidate will be a hands-on, highly experienced accounting leader who knows how to walk into a complicated situation and get it under control. You should be comfortable moving between high-level financial leadership and detailed accounting work. This may include reviewing financial information, identifying discrepancies, working through reconciliations, helping clean up transactional data, and building better processes. Because this is an acquisition integration with multiple stakeholders, strong communication skills, executive presence, sound judgment, and diplomacy are essential. The ability to build relationships and influence others while navigating change will be critical. The right person will: Roll up their sleeves and get into the details when necessary Work effectively in an environment where not everything is clean or established Quickly identify priorities and create structure Communicate issues and solutions clearly Navigate change and differing viewpoints professionally Establish accountability without creating unnecessary friction Balance immediate accounting cleanup with longer-term integration goals Work independently and make sound decisions in a fast-moving environment Work Arrangement & Location 100% onsite Local candidates preferred Travel or relocation will be considered for an exceptional candidate Convenient access to the airport Why This Assignment This is an opportunity to play a critical role in one of the organization's most significant acquisitions, with substantial visibility across both the acquired operation and corporate leadership. The consultant will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact by stabilizing the accounting function, improving financial reporting, strengthening processes and controls, and helping successfully integrate a $115M business Equal Opportunity Statement Brilliant Staffing, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or veteran status. #J-18808-Ljbffr