Controller

CMES Inc.; Norcross (GA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

401(k)

Dental insurance

Job summary

CMES Inc. in Georgia is seeking a Controller to lead accounting and financial operations, ensuring timely GAAP-compliant reporting and robust internal controls.

This role partners with Operations, Risk, Fleet, HR, and IT to translate financial data into actionable insights for project profitability and strategic decisions. The ideal candidate has 8+ years of accounting experience in construction, CPA preferred, and a proven record of building scalable processes and teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience.
• Minimum 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong construction accounting and US GAAP knowledge.
• Experience with audits and tax filings.
• Advanced Excel and financial reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day accounting operations including GL, AP, AR, payroll, fixed assets, and job costing.
• Ensure monthly, quarterly, and annual closes and leadership reporting.
• Maintain GL integrity and chart of accounts.
• Oversee revenue recognition and WIP reporting for construction contracts.
• Lead budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Develop KPIs and dashboards; provide financial insights.
• Collaborate with Operations, IT, HR, Risk, and Contracts.
• Manage internal controls and coordinate audits and tax filings.
• Support capital investments and acquisitions due diligence.

Skills

Financial leadership

US GAAP expertise

Team management

Analytical skills

Cross-functional partnership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

Viewpoint Vista

Foundation

Sage

CMiC

Procore

HCSS

Job description

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Dental insurance

Construction Management Engineering Services (CMES) is a respected civil infrastructure contractor known for delivering high-impact projects across the state of Georgia with integrity, safety, and innovation. Our work supports the essential systems that rely on transportation and underground infrastructure, executed by teams who take pride in doing the job right.

At CMES, we combine the strength and stability of an established contractor with the agility of a performance-driven organization. We believe great projects are built by great people, and we invest accordingly.

Our culture is rooted in collaboration, operational excellence, and respect for the craft. Field and office teams work closely together, empowered to solve problems, make informed decisions, and continuously improve how we operate. Safety, quality, and accountability are non-negotiable, and we hold ourselves to the highest professional standards on every project.

CMES is a place for individuals who want more than a job. It's a place to build a career where your work leaves a lasting impact on the communities we serve.

Opportunity

The Controller is responsible for leading the accounting and financial operations of the Company while ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial reporting. This role provides leadership over accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, cash management, internal controls, forecasting, tax coordination, audit support, job cost accounting, payroll accounting, financial compliance, and team development.

The Controller serves as the operational leader of the Finance & Accounting department, balancing strategic financial leadership with hands-on execution in a dynamic civil construction environment. This individual partners closely with Operations, Risk Management, Fleet, HR, and IT to transform financial information into meaningful business intelligence that enables informed operational and strategic decision making across the organization.

The ideal candidate not only combines exceptional technical accounting expertise with strong business acumen, but is also a highly organized, process-oriented leader with exceptional analytical ability, and a passion for developing people while continuously improving financial processes and controls.

Primary Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Accounting

• Lead all day-to-day accounting operations, including General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll Accounting, Fixed Assets, and Job Cost Accounting
• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial closes including preparation of monthly financial statements and supporting leadership reporting packages
• Maintain the integrity of the Company's general ledger and chart of accounts
• Ensure compliance with US GAAP, industry specific standards for construction accounting, and company accounting policies
• Manage all account reconciliations monthly and balance sheet integrity
• Oversee revenue recognition and work-in-progress (WIP) reporting for construction contracts
• Ensure accurate job cost reporting and project profitability analysis

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Lead the annual budgeting process and monthly forecasting
• Analyze financial performance and identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities
• Develop meaningful KPIs and dashboards
• Partner with Operations to improve project financial performance

Cash Flow & Treasury

• Monitor daily cash position and liquidity
• Manage 13 week cash flow forecasting, performed monthly
• Optimize working capital management through receivables, payables and vendor payment schedules
• Oversee banking activities, fund disbursements, and cash controls
• Support financing requirements and lender reporting

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Develop, implement, and maintain strong internal accounting controls
• Ensure compliance with company policies and financial governance
• Coordinate and lead annual financial statement audits, and tax filing with external CPA
• Support insurance audits, sales tax reporting, payroll tax compliance, and regulatory reporting
• Ensure documentation supports internal and external audit requirements

Construction Accounting

• Oversee Work-in-Progress (WIP) schedules
• Partner with Operations on project financial reviews
• Review contract status, billings, retainage, and EACs (Estimate at Completion - i.e. executed change orders and margin analysis) leading to accurate earned revenue recognition
• Support claims documentation and contract accounting
• Ensure accurate equipment, labor, and overhead allocations

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop the Accounting team
• Establish departmental goals and performance expectations
• Develop succession plans and employee development plans
• Foster accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

Systems & Process Improvement

• Optimize ERP utilization and financial reporting capabilities
• Partner with IT on accounting system enhancements
• Standardize financial processes and documentation
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with Operations to improve project financial performance
• Support Leadership with financial analysis and strategic recommendations
• Collaborate with Fleet, HR, Risk Management, IT, and Contracts/ Procurement
• Provide financial guidance for capital investments and strategic initiatives
• Support acquisition due diligence and integration activities, as required

Qualifications, Experience & Core Competencies

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance (CPA preferred).
• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience.
• Minimum 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong construction accounting experience.
• Extensive knowledge of US GAAP.
• Experience with Work-in-Progress accounting and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition.
• Strong understanding of job costing and project accounting.
• Experience managing annual audits.
• Advanced Excel and financial reporting skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills.

Preferred

• CPA designation.
• Experience with construction ERP systems (Viewpoint Vista, Foundation, Sage, CMiC, or similar).
• Experience with Procore and HCSS.
• Experience supporting multi-entity organizations.
• Experience with acquisitions or business integration.
• Experience developing dashboards and business intelligence reporting.

Core Competencies

• Financial Leadership
• Technical Accounting
• Construction Accounting
• Internal Controls
• Budgeting & Forecasting
• Cash Flow Management
• Financial Analysis
• Job Cost Accounting
• Business Partnership
• Team Development
• Strategic Thinking
• Continuous Improvement
• Integrity & Accountability
• Executive Communication
• Decision Making

Success in This Role

The successful Controller will:

• Deliver timely, accurate, and reliable financial reporting.
• Strengthen internal controls and financial governance.
• Improve visibility into project financial performance.
• Develop scalable accounting processes that support company growth.
• Build a high-performing accounting team.
• Partner effectively across departments to improve business performance.
• Provide financial insights that enable better strategic decisions.
• Protect company assets while supporting operational excellence.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and service.