Controller

Hueman Professional Recruitment; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Hueman Professional Recruitment is seeking a hands-on Controller for an established Greater Philadelphia area service provider transitioning to a professionally managed platform. The role entails leading all accounting operations, driving scalable processes, and partnering with the CEO and private equity sponsor to support growth and acquisitions.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years of progressive accounting experience in service industries, with strong GAAP, internal controls, and ERP system

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience including 3+ years in leadership roles like Controller or Assistant Controller.
• Experience in field service, facility services, HVAC-R or equipment service businesses.
• Experience with private equity-backed or lender-financed companies and sponsor reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead all accounting operations: GL, AP/AR, payroll, job costing, revenue recognition across service, installation, and parts.
• Own monthly, quarterly, and annual close with a disciplined close calendar.
• Deliver monthly reporting with division P&Ls, KPIs, and variance analysis for CEO and Board.
• Ensure integrity of chart of accounts and monthly reconciliations.
• Build margin visibility by division, service line, customer, and technician.
• Oversee lender and sponsor covenants, reporting, and audits.
• Partner with CEO on budget, forecasts, and rolling 13-week cash flow.

Skills

Leadership

GAAP knowledge

Financial reporting

Internal controls

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

Sage

BI tools

Advanced Excel

Job description

An established commercial equipment service, repair, installation, and parts provider serving Greater Philadelphia, South Jersey, and the surrounding region is seeking a hands-on, growth-minded Controller to lead its finance and accounting function. Recently acquired by a private equity sponsor, the company is transitioning from a highly profitable, metrics-driven family-owned business to a professionally managed platform positioned for organic growth and add-on acquisitions. The ideal candidate will bring service-industry accounting experience, a strong controls mindset, and the ability to build scalable financial processes, reporting, and systems in a lean, fast-moving environment. The candidate should also have a positive and collaborative attitude, be able to assimilate and have respect for, and the ability to lead, a company’s culture.

As the Controller, you will:

• Be a part of the executive leadership team
• Lead all accounting operations including general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, job costing, and revenue recognition across all divisions (service, installation, and parts) throughout the region.
• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close; continue the disciplined close calendar that delivers accurate financials on a predictable, accelerated timeline
• Elevate financial reporting to the cadence and rigor expected by a private equity sponsor and lenders, including a monthly reporting package with division-level P&Ls, KPIs, and variance analysis for the CEO and Board
• Ensure integrity of the chart of accounts and that all balance sheet accounts are reconciled monthly
• Build job costing and margin visibility by division, service line (repair, planned maintenance agreements, installation, and parts), customer, and technician
• Track, reconcile, and recover manufacturer warranty claims and reimbursements (e.g., Rational and other OEM partners)
• Manage Billing team with an eye on daily metrics
• Design, implement, and continuously improve internal controls, accounting policies, and segregation of duties to support a scalable, audit-ready environment
• Manage lender and sponsor compliance, including covenant calculations, borrowing base reporting, and other required deliverables
• Oversee external audits and quality of earnings work, and ensure timely resolution of findings
• Partner with the CEO on the annual budget, forecasts, and cash management, including a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast
• Evaluate, optimize, and integrate accounting and field service management systems to support scalability and better operational data
• Support M&A activity including due diligence, integration of acquired businesses, and purchase accounting
• Evolve and mentor a high-performing accounting team
• Handle all HR including hiring/firing responsibilities, annual performance reviews, Bamboo HR time reporting, employee handbook, enhancement of company culture (including social media), etc.

Growth Opportunity / Expanded Scope

• Take ownership of FP&A, including budgeting, rolling forecasts, pricing analysis, and capital planning
• Evolve business intelligence and KPI reporting for leadership (e.g., technician utilization and billable hours, revenue per technician, first-time fix rate, contract attach and renewal rates)
• Lead the financial and back-office integration of add-on acquisitions as the platform grows
• Assume oversight of additional administrative functions as needed, such as HR and benefits administration, insurance and risk management, and IT
• Serve as a strategic business partner to the CEO and the executive team on growth initiatives

To be successful in the role, you must possess:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA strongly preferred)
• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 3+ years in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or similar leadership role
• Experience in a field service, facility services, mechanical/HVAC-R, or equipment service and distribution business
• Experience in a private equity-backed or lender-financed company, including sponsor reporting and covenant compliance
• Hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves approach; comfortable being both strategic leader and individual contributor in a lean team
• Expertise in job costing, service contract and project-based revenue recognition, and inventory accounting
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing internal controls and improving the financial close in a growing or transitioning organization
• Experience with accounting/ERP and field service management systems, including system selection or implementation
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate financial results into actionable insights for operators
• Proven experience in adhering to and meeting deadlines

Preferred Skills

• Public accounting or audit background
• Familiarity with ASC 606 and other service-related accounting standards
• Familiarity with Sage accounting software
• M&A integration, purchase accounting, and multi-entity consolidation experience
• Experience helping a founder- or family-owned business transition to institutional ownership
• Advanced Excel capabilities; experience with BI and reporting tools (e.g., Power BI)
• Familiarity with the commercial foodservice equipment or HVAC/R service industry
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, results-driven culture with high accountability