Controller

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Our client is a private equity-backed landscape design and construction company generating approximately $70 million in annual revenue, with an underwritten growth plan targeting $250–300 million in revenue. The company has recently taken on debt financing and is establishing bank covenant compliance, lender reporting, and its first-ever financial statement audit. Growth plan includes expanding geographically into Texas, Florida, and California while continuing to grow its footprint in the Phoenix, Arizona market.

POSITION OVERVIEW

This is a newly created role reporting directly to the CFO, designed to add critical finance capability as the business scales. The Controller will own the monthly close process, work-in-progress (WIP) and percentage-of-completion accounting, audit preparation, and bank reporting, while also establishing accounting policies and internal controls, overseeing the cash cycle and banking relationships, and contributing to FP&A, financial analytics, and the annual budgeting process as the company grows. This is a ground-floor opportunity to help build out the finance function of a fast-scaling, private equity-backed platform, with the potential to take on broader finance leadership responsibility — including managing and developing the accounting team — over time.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own and manage the monthly and period-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial statements.
• Manage WIP schedules and percentage-of-completion, project-based accounting; lead efforts to streamline and automate a currently manual, Excel-based WIP process.
• Lead preparation for the company's first financial statement audit, including the opening balance sheet audit and purchase accounting.
• Prepare and deliver accurate, timely financial reporting to banks and lenders, supporting ongoing covenant compliance.
• Partner with the CFO on FP&A, financial analytics, and management reporting as the company scales.
• Support the finance function's ability to provide financial information for geographic expansion and potential M&A activity.
• Collaborate closely with the AP, AR, and bookkeeping team, along with operational and commercial leadership, to strengthen finance processes across the business.
• Oversee the cash cycle — billing, collections, and progress billings — including preparation of monthly 13-week cash flow forecasts, and coordinate banking activities and relationships.
• Establish and maintain the company's accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls, and own the financial systems supporting the business, including evaluation of new accounting technology.
• Manage tax compliance and the optimization of tax strategies.
• Support preparation of the annual financial budget in partnership with the CFO.
• Manage and develop the accounting team, including recruitment, development, and performance management, as the finance function scales.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

Required:

• Bachelor's degree with at least 5 years of experience in the construction industry
• Construction accounting experience
• Percentage-of-completion accounting experience
• Project-based or job-costing accounting experience
• Demonstrated proficiency closing the books
• Audit experience
• WIP accounting experience
• Experience preparing financial and bank/lender reporting
• Fluency and in-depth understanding of U.S. GAAP
• Demonstrated capacity and desire to grow into a broader finance role over time
• Ability and willingness to work 100% on-site in Tempe, Arizona

Preferred:

• FP&A or financial analytics experience
• Exposure to compliance certificates and credit agreements
• Prior experience with Sage 300 CRE and Procore
• Experience managing and developing an accounting team
• Outstanding leadership and communication skills
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills; deadline- and detail-oriented

WHY THIS OPPORTUNITY

• Ground-floor opportunity with a private equity-backed platform positioned to scale from approximately $70 million to $250–300 million in revenue.
• Direct exposure to a leveraged finance environment: bank covenants, credit agreements, and lender reporting.
• Hands-on involvement in the company's first audit and purchase accounting process.
• Multi-state expansion into Texas, Florida, and California creates an expanding scope of responsibility.
• Clear runway to grow into broader finance leadership as the company and finance function mature.