Operations Controller

Mainroad Group; Surrey; Hybrid; CAD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Mainroad Group is seeking an experienced and hands-on Operations Controller to lead finance operations across its highway maintenance and infrastructure services businesses in BC and AB.

Reporting to the CFO, the role emphasizes operational efficiency, controls, and business partnership, with responsibility for payroll, AP, AR, collections, and working capital in a multi-company, multi-location setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field.
• 8–10 years of progressive finance experience with leadership responsibility.
• Strong payroll, AP, AR, collections, working capital, and financial controls experience.
• Experience in highway maintenance/construction or contract-based industry preferred.
• Experience supporting multiple companies/locations/operating teams.
• Knowledge of project accounting, work-in-progress forecasting, and cost analysis.
• Experience with unionized payroll and collective agreements; ERP systems and process improvement is an asset.
• Mentor, coach and develop employees; strong business judgment, analytical capabilities, communication skills, and practical leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll, accounts payable, collections, and related finance operations.
• Develop Payroll Supervisor and AP/AR Supervisor.
• Provide complete and timely operational finance information for reporting and close.
• Partner with Operational Directors and General Managers on contract planning and forecasting.
• Monitor working capital, cash flow, aged receivables, and collection risk.
• Oversee centralized payroll across multiple companies and jurisdictions.
• Ensure compliance with policies, approvals, collective agreements and laws.
• Identify opportunities to standardize and automate finance processes.
• Establish meaningful performance measures for payroll, AP, AR, and working capital.
• Mentor and develop employees; build a high-performing team.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Analytical skills

Communication

Financial controls

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance/business

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Mainroad Lower Mainland Contracting LP
Surrey, BC V3S1C3, CAN

• Pay or shift range: $140,000 CAD to $175,000 CAD
  The estimated range is the budgeted amount for this position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications and other job-related reasons.
• Mainroad Group is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We welcome and respect people of all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. We are committed to creating a fair and equitable work environment where everyone can thrive and succeed.

Description

Mainroad Group is seeking an experienced and hands-on Operations Controller to join our leadership team and oversee finance operations across our employee-owned group of highway maintenance and infrastructure services companies throughout British Columbia and Alberta.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Operations Controller will play a key leadership role in ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of our day-to-day financial operations. This position will lead payroll, accounts payable, collections, working capital, operational cash flow, and support for accounts receivable, with a strong focus on operational efficiency, financial controls, service excellence, and business partnership.

Working closely with our Corporate Controller, who oversees accounting policies, consolidated financial reporting, and the month-end and year-end close processes, the Operations Controller will bring a practical, business-focused approach to the organization’s financial operations.

This is an opportunity for a finance leader who enjoys being close to the business and making a tangible impact. The successful candidate will thrive in a complex, multi-company and multi-location environment and will build strong, collaborative relationships with Operational Directors, General Managers, and teams across the organization.

We are looking for someone who combines strong financial expertise with leadership, sound judgment, operational curiosity, and a solutions-oriented mindset— someone who can improve processes, strengthen controls, develop people, and help our operational teams succeed.

What You'll Do:

• Lead payroll, accounts payable, collections, support accounts receivable, and related finance operations.
• Lead and develop the Payroll Supervisor and AP/AR Supervisor.
• Provide complete and timely operational finance information, reconciliations, and supporting schedules to the Corporate Controller for financial reporting and the month-end and year-end close.
• Partner with Operational Directors, General Managers on contract and project planning, work-in-progress reviews, forecasting, and operational performance.
• Monitor working capital, cash flow, aged receivables, holdbacks, and collection risks.
• Oversee centralized payroll for hourly, salaried, seasonal, unionized, and non-union employees across multiple companies and jurisdictions.
• Ensure operational finance activities comply with internal policies, delegated approval authorities, collective agreements, applicable legislation and established control procedures.
• Identify opportunities to standardize, automate, and improve finance processes, controls, reporting and service delivery.
• Establish meaningful performance measures for payroll, AP, AR, collections, and working capital.
• Mentor, coach, and develop employees, creating opportunities for growth and preparing team members to take on broader responsibilities.
• Build a capable, accountable, collaborative, and high-performing finance operations team.

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
• At least 8–10 years of progressive finance experience, including leadership responsibility.
• Strong experience in payroll, AP, AR, collections, working capital and financial controls.
• Experience in highway maintenance, construction, infrastructure, transportation, utilities, field services or another contract-based industry is preferred.
• Experience supporting multiple companies, locations and operating teams.
• Knowledge of project accounting work in progress forecasting and cost analysis.
• Experience with unionized payroll, collective agreements, ERP systems and process improvement is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach and develop employees for broader responsibilities and career growth.
• Strong business judgment analytical capabilities communication skills and a practical leadership style.

Qualifications

Behaviors

Required

Detail Oriented

: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Leader

: Inspires teammates to follow them

Functional Expert

: Considered a thought leader on a subject

Education

Required

Bachelor's Degree or better in Accounting or related field.