Controller

RRM Design Group; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee-owned culture

Job summary

RRM Design Group, a 100% employee-owned multidiscipline design firm along the California coast, seeks an experienced Controller to guide financial operations, lead the accounting team, and support sustainable growth. Reporting to the COO, this role shapes strategy, strengthens systems, and helps cultivate a culture of excellence.

You’ll mentor staff across Project Accounting, Payroll, AP/AR, and Collections, partner with leadership to execute plans, and own budgets and month-end close.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance required.
• 10 years of accounting/finance experience, with 5–6 years as a controller.
• Experience with project accounting.
• Proven mentoring of high-performing teams.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and develop the accounting team (Project Accounting, Payroll, AP/AR, and Collections).
• Collaborate with workgroup principals, market sector leaders, and management to support and execute strategic plan goals.
• Develop and oversee budgets and business planning structures.
• Prepare month-end and year-end close financial statements.
• Manage cash flow analysis and forecasting.
• Drive continuous improvement of software, processes, and best practices.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Mentoring

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance

Tools

Unanet

Job description

Are you a strategic financial leader ready to make a meaningful impact? RRM Design Group is seeking an experienced Controller to help guide our financial operations, lead the accounting team, and support long-term, sustainable growth.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the Controller will oversee all accounting functions while leading and mentoring a high-performing accounting team. This role is central to our organization and offers the opportunity to influence company strategy, strengthen financial systems, and help shape our culture. It’s truly a career-defining opportunity for the right leader.

At RRM Design Group, we’re more than a design firm—we’re a purpose-driven, employee-owned company that values collaboration, innovation, and people. Join us in creating environments people enjoy, while helping build the financial foundation that supports our future.

Why RRM Design Group?

• Employee-owned firm with a collaborative, respectful, and innovative culture.
• Direct partnership with the COO and leadership team to influence company-wide strategy.
• Flexible work environment, support for professional growth, and a people-first mindset.

YOUR ROLE LOOKS LIKE:

• Leading, managing, and developing the accounting team, including Project Accounting, Payroll, AP/AR, and Collections.
• Collaborating with workgroup principals, market sector leaders, and management to support and execute strategic plan goals.
• Developing, maintaining, and overseeing annual budgets and business planning structures.
• Preparing accurate and timely month-end and year-end close financial statements.
• Managing cash flow analysis and forecasting.
• Drive continuous improvement through research and enhancement of software, processes, efficiency, and best practices.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TABLE:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required.
• 10 years of experience working in accounting and finance, 5-6 of those years working as a controller.
• Experience with project accounting.
• Demonstrated track record for mentoring and building high-performing teams.
• Strong leadership, analytical, and communication skills.

ABOVE & BEYOND:

• Experience using Unanet.
• Experience in ESOP, AEC, FAR, or prevailing wage environments is a big plus.
• CPA – Preferred.

ABOUT US:

Ensuring the health and happiness of our RRMers is paramount to how we run our business. RRM Design Group is a 100% employee-owned multidiscipline design firm with a full spectrum of services including architecture, landscape architecture, planning, civil and structural engineering, and surveying. Our offices are located along the California coast from Orange County to the Bay Area. Over one-third of our workforce has been with us for a decade or more and we work on engaging projects in several diverse markets throughout the state.

We value the diversity of intersecting identities and strive to maintain an environment that is equitable, respectful, and inclusive. We expect our work environments to be places of diverse engagement and informed discourse. Ultimately, we acknowledge that our standards of excellence as a multidiscipline design firm are not separate from the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.