Financial Controller

Corporate Controller Private-equity-backed structural steel platform | South Central Indiana Industry: Structural steel fabrication Ownership: Private equity sponsor, post-platform-acquisition Stage: Early operational transformation Location: South Central Indiana, on-site Reports to: President and PE sponsor, with Board exposure Scope: HoldCo with three operating companies THE COMPANY A structural steel fabricator headquartered in central Indiana, backed by an experienced private family office sponsor and is in the early stages of a multi-year operational transformation. The Controller will own the day-to-day accounting and finance function across the group of operating companies. This is a hands‑on role. The right candidate is comfortable doing the work, not just supervising it. A CFO will be added later as the platform grows into M&A and exit preparation. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Accounting and Monthly Close Own the general ledger across both legal entities. Maintain a clean trial balance and reconciled balance sheet. Lead the monthly close. Target business-day‑15 in the first 90 days, business-day‑10 within six months, and business-day‑7 by year‑end. Perform or supervise account reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, and intercompany eliminations between the operating companies. Oversee AP and AR processes, vendor onboarding, customer billing, and collections in coordination with the accounting team. Job‑Cost and Work‑In‑Process Accounting Own job‑cost accounting across all active fabrication projects. Track estimated cost, actual cost, and estimate‑to‑actual variance by job. Maintain work‑in‑process accounting and percentage‑of‑completion revenue recognition. Reconcile WIP monthly with full over and under billings analysis. Coordinate with project managers and operations leadership to ensure shop‑floor data (PowerFab production status, outside‑processor costs, station throughput) and field data (ProjectSite) is captured accurately in financial reporting. Track inventory across raw steel, in‑process, and finished goods. Run cycle counts and physical inventory procedures. Lender and Sponsor Reporting Own all lender deliverables: monthly financial reporting packages, covenant compliance certificates, borrowing‑base certificates, and audit and field‑exam coordination. Prepare the monthly sponsor reporting package including P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, KPIs, and 13‑week cash forecast. Maintain the borrowing‑base calculation. Accuracy here is non‑negotiable. Borrowing‑base errors put the credit facility at risk. Serve as the primary point of contact for the annual financial statement audit, working with outside auditors on requests, schedules, and adjustments. Cash and Treasury Manage daily cash positioning across operating and real‑estate entity bank accounts. Maintain the 13‑week cash flow forecast. Manage benefits accruals and employer tax filings. Coordinate with outside tax advisors on federal, state, and local tax compliance, including multi‑state nexus, sales and use tax on fabricated materials, and any applicable credits or incentives. Systems and Process Maintain the current accounting system and own data integrity across the GL, job‑cost ledger, and AP/AR subledgers. Participate actively in the evaluation and implementation of a manufacturing‑grade ERP. The Controller will be the finance lead on the ERP project, working alongside operations and the eventual CFO. Document accounting policies, close procedures, and internal controls. Build the playbook a successor or expanding team can follow. Maintain clean separation between the operating companies, including intercompany journal entries and consolidated reporting. CANDIDATE PROFILE Required Experience 10+ years of progressive accounting experience in a manufacturing, construction, or project‑based business, including at least 3 years as a Controller or Assistant Controller. Hands‑on expertise in job‑cost accounting, WIP, and percentage‑of‑completion revenue recognition. Structural steel, heavy fabrication, machining, or industrial construction experience strongly preferred. Direct experience with lender reporting, covenant compliance, borrowing‑base certificates, and annual audits. Track record of running a monthly close on a tight cadence, including WIP reconciliation and over and under billings analysis. Comfortable owning the work, not just reviewing it. This role does not have a large staff to delegate to. The Controller will personally touch journal entries, reconciliations, and reports. Strongly Preferred CPA QuickBooks and Vista ERP experience Prior exposure to Tekla, PowerFab, or comparable structural steel detailing and production systems. Experience operating across multiple legal entities (operating company plus real, sister subs, or post‑acquisition integration). Experience as part of an ERP implementation, especially in a manufacturing setting. Prior experience reporting to a private equity sponsor or institutional lender. Personal Attributes Detail‑oriented. Comfortable closing the month while also fielding a lender request and reconciling an inventory variance. Direct communicator. Surfaces problems early. Does not paper over reconciliation issues. Operationally curious. Willing to walk the shop floor to understand why job costs are running over. Builder mindset. Comfortable in an environment where systems and processes are still being put in place. Team player/leader; ability to coach finance staff on process improvements and internal controls CAREER PATH This role has a defined upward path. The platform's growth thesis includes add‑on acquisitions and an eventual exit, which will require a CFO. The Controller who succeeds in this seat is well‑positioned to grow into VP Finance or CFO as the platform scales, or to become a senior member of the finance team under an incoming CFO. COMPENSATION AND PROCESS Competitive base salary and performance‑based annual bonus tied to platform value creation. Specific compensation will be calibrated to the candidate's experience. Equal Opportunity Employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr