Construction Controller - Lead Finance & Project Costing

Benefits: 401(k) Employee discounts Health insurance Paid time off 401(k) matching Bonus based on performance Company parties Competitive salary Dental insurance Free food & snacks Profit sharing Training & development Vision insurance Position Summary McGuire Builders, Inc. is seeking an experienced Construction Controller to lead the company’s accounting and financial operations. This position is responsible for managing the accounting department, overseeing construction accounting, maintaining financial controls, supporting project financial reporting, reviewing contracts, coordinating insurance and risk management matters, and supporting certain internal HR operations in coordination with the company’s third-party HR provider. This role reports directly to the President and Chief Financial Officer and manages a team that includes the Accounting Manager, Senior Project Accountant, and Accounting Clerk. The ideal candidate will have strong construction accounting experience, hands-on knowledge of Sage 100 Contractor, the ability to lead a small accounting team, and the judgment to work closely with company leadership, project managers, superintendents, subcontractors, insurance brokers, outside CPAs, attorneys, and third-party HR partners. Key Responsibilities Accounting Department Leadership Lead the day-to-day operations of the accounting department. Manage, support, and develop the Accounting Manager, Senior Project Accountant, and Accounting Clerk. Establish clear accounting processes, deadlines, workflows, and accountability. Ensure accurate and timely completion of monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting functions. Maintain internal controls over cash, billing, collections, accounts payable, payroll coordination, job costing, financial reporting, and compliance documentation. Serve as the primary accounting and financial operations resource for company leadership and project teams. Identify opportunities to improve accounting workflows, reporting accuracy, internal controls, and overall department efficiency. Financial Reporting and Controls Prepare, review, and maintain financial statements, management reports, and supporting schedules. Lead the month-end and year-end close processes. Monitor company cash flow, working capital, project financial exposure, and general financial performance. Coordinate with the outside CPA firm on tax planning, year-end reporting, and financial statement preparation. Support banking, bonding, insurance, and other external financial reporting requirements. Maintain accounting policies, procedures, reconciliations, and internal control practices. Provide leadership with timely, accurate, and useful financial reporting. Construction Accounting and Project Financial Management Oversee construction accounting functions, including job costing, project billing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, subcontractor payments, retention, change orders, and cost tracking. Prepare, review, and maintain WIP schedules and project financial reports. Monitor project budgets, committed costs, cost-to-complete forecasts, over/under billings, project margins, pending change orders, and financial exposures. Work with project managers and executives to review project financial status, billing, costs, margin trends, and cash-flow needs. Ensure accurate and timely owner billings, subcontractor billings, retention tracking, lien releases, and collections. Support project accounting meetings and provide clear financial insight to project teams and leadership. Help identify project financial risks early and communicate them clearly to the appropriate stakeholders. Sage 100 Contractor Serve as the company’s internal accounting leader for Sage 100 Contractor. Ensure proper use of Sage 100 Contractor for general ledger, job costing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, payroll coordination, reporting, and project accounting. Improve consistency, accuracy, and reporting discipline within Sage 100 Contractor. Troubleshoot accounting system issues and coordinate with outside Sage support or consultants as needed. Train and support accounting staff on Sage-related processes and best practices. Use Sage reporting to improve visibility into job costs, project status, financial performance, and accounting workflows. Contract Review and Administration Review owner contracts, subcontract agreements, purchase orders, change orders, and related documents from a financial, billing, insurance, and risk-management perspective. Identify key contract requirements related to payment terms, retention, billing procedures, insurance, indemnity, notice requirements, change orders, lien releases, and compliance obligations. Coordinate with executives, project managers, legal counsel, insurance brokers, and subcontractors as needed. Ensure contract terms are properly reflected in billing, accounting, insurance, compliance, and project administration workflows. Support tracking of contract values, approved change orders, pending change orders, T&M work, and potential project exposures. Insurance, Risk Management, and Compliance Manage company insurance administration in coordination with brokers, carriers, executives, and internal stakeholders. Oversee certificates of insurance, additional insured endorsements, subcontractor insurance compliance, and project-specific insurance requirements. Support insurance renewals, audits, claims, incident documentation, workers’ compensation coordination, and risk-management processes. Assist with bonding, prequalification packages, client/vendor compliance requests, and related financial documentation. Maintain organized records for contracts, insurance, claims, audits, compliance requests, and risk-management matters. Help ensure subcontractor and project documentation is complete, accurate, and aligned with company requirements. HR Administration and Third-Party HR Coordination Coordinate with the company’s third-party HR provider on payroll, benefits, compliance, onboarding, employee changes, and HR documentation. Support internal HR operations to the extent handled by the accounting and finance function. Assist with employee onboarding, personnel documentation, payroll coordination, benefits administration support, and compliance-related recordkeeping. Work with executives and third-party HR resources on employee policies, wage/hour compliance, workers’ compensation, leaves, and employment documentation. Maintain confidentiality and professionalism when handling payroll, personnel, and employee-related matters. Executive and Cross-Functional Support Provide financial insight and reporting to the President, CFO, and leadership team. Work closely with project managers, superintendents, and office staff to support billing, cost control, cash-flow visibility, project financial accountability, and compliance. Participate in executive, accounting, and project financial meetings as needed. Communicate financial issues, risks, and recommendations clearly and professionally. Support company-wide process improvements related to accounting, contracts, insurance, HR administration, compliance, and reporting. Required Qualifications 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, preferably in the construction industry. 3+ years in a Controller, Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, or senior construction accounting leadership role. Strong experience with Sage 100 Contractor required. Strong understanding of construction accounting, including job costing, WIP reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, retention, change orders, committed costs, cost-to-complete forecasting, and over/under billings. Experience managing accounting staff. Experience with owner billings, subcontractor payments, lien releases, insurance compliance, and construction contract administration. Strong knowledge of GAAP and internal accounting controls. Ability to review contracts and identify financial, billing, insurance, risk, and compliance issues. Experience coordinating with outside CPAs, insurance brokers, banks, bonding companies, attorneys, and HR/payroll providers. Strong Excel, financial reporting, reconciliation, and analytical skills. Strong communication, organization, follow-through, and problem-solving skills. Ability to work hands-on while also leading and improving the accounting department. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field. CPA, CMA, CCIFP, or similar credential a plus but not required. Experience in commercial construction, hospitality construction, tenant improvement, renovation, or general contracting. Experience supporting insurance renewals, audits, claims, and subcontractor compliance. Experience working with third-party HR, payroll, or benefits providers. Experience improving accounting systems, procedures, reporting, controls, and team performance. Key Competencies Construction accounting expertise Financial accuracy and attention to detail Leadership and accountability Contract and risk awareness Strong judgment and discretion Clear communication with executives and project teams Confidentiality and professionalism Process improvement mindset Ability to balance hands-on work with department leadership Strong follow-through and ownership About McGuire Builders McGuire Builders, Inc. is a commercial construction company based in Torrance, California, specializing in hospitality construction and renovation. The company is focused on strong execution, cost control, clear communication, client satisfaction, and disciplined project delivery. Equal Employment Opportunity McGuire Builders, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. #J-18808-Ljbffr McGuire Builders