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.

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.

• 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