Controller

Pegasus Building Services Company, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Pegasus Building Services Company, Inc. is seeking an experienced Controller to lead accounting and financial operations in San Diego, reporting directly to the CEO.

The role oversees general ledger, AP, AR, payroll, cash management, and internal controls, with accountability for timely, accurate financial reporting. The ideal candidate combines strong technical accounting knowledge with an operational mindset and the ability to lead a team while hands-on with core close activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• CPA or equivalent professional accounting designation preferred but not required.
• 8–15+ years of progressive accounting experience, including meaningful Controller or leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes.
• Maintain the general ledger and ensure accuracy of financial records.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, payroll, and cash management.
• Coordinate with external auditors, banks, and tax professionals.
• Establish and monitor internal controls and accounting policies.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical

Communication

Hands-on accounting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA or equivalent preferred

Tools

WinTeam

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

About Us

Pegasus leads the way in comprehensive cleaning and maintenance solutions. We leverage cutting-edge technology to create and maintain clean, healthy, and safe indoor environments for commercial, industrial, and manufacturing facilities.

Pegasus was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the "Fastest Growing Private Companies in America".

When a customer picks up the phone or sees a Pegasus representative at their facility, they know that they are dealing directly with an owner of the company. Everyone has one overriding goal: do whatever it takes to guarantee our customer’s satisfaction. It is our goal to deliver “WOW” experiences through exceeding our customer’s and employee’s expectations. We are quick to respond with care, compassion, and attention to detail. Working as a part of a world-class team to achieve great things together, if our customers and employees don’t rave about Pegasus, then we have failed.

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Department: Finance & Accounting

Position: Full-Time

Position Summary

Pegasus is seeking an experienced, hands-on Controller to lead the company's accounting and financial operations. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Controller will serve as the senior accounting leader and have responsibility for financial reporting, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable and billing, payroll, cash management, banking, retirement plan administration, union payment processing, audit coordination, and internal controls.

This is a working Controller position. The successful candidate will be comfortable leading and developing a team while also working directly in the details when needed—reviewing reconciliations, investigating discrepancies, improving processes, supporting payroll and close activities, and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the company's financial information.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical accounting knowledge with an operational mindset and understands the importance of timely, accurate information in a labor-intensive service organization.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting & Financial Close

• Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes.
• Maintain the general ledger and ensure the accuracy and completeness of financial records.
• Review and approve journal entries, account reconciliations, accruals, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, intercompany transactions, and other accounting schedules.
• Ensure balance sheet accounts are reconciled and reviewed each month.
• Maintain the chart of accounts and appropriate accounting policies and procedures.
• Prepare timely and accurate monthly financial statements and management reporting.
• Maintain an effective close calendar with clearly defined responsibilities and deadlines.
• Research and resolve accounting discrepancies and unusual transactions.

Accounts Receivable & Billing

• Oversee customer billing, accounts receivable, cash application, collections, credits, and write-offs.
• Monitor accounts receivable aging and collection activity.
• Ensure new contracts, customer changes, wage increases, scope changes, price adjustments, and contractual pass-through items are accurately reflected in customer billing.
• Maintain controls designed to identify and prevent missed or under-billing.
• Partner with Operations and Sales to ensure customer setup, pricing, contract modifications, and billing changes are communicated and implemented accurately and timely.
• Periodically reconcile contractual billing requirements to amounts invoiced to customers.

Accounts Payable

• Oversee vendor invoice processing, approvals, coding, payment runs, vendor maintenance, and annual 1099 reporting.
• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and payment authorization controls.
• Manage payment timing in coordination with company cash requirements.
• Ensure vendor accounts and AP-related balance sheet accounts are appropriately reconciled.

Payroll

• Oversee payroll processing for Mira Mar Management, Pegasus Building Services, and Paragon Building Maintenance.
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately and timely and appropriately reflected in the general ledger.
• Review payroll reconciliations, payroll liabilities, and payroll-related journal entries.
• Coordinate with Human Resources and Operations regarding employee and payroll changes.
• Oversee payroll taxes, garnishments, deductions, benefits deductions, and other payroll obligations.
• Maintain appropriate payroll review, approval, and internal control procedures.

Union Administration & Payments

• Oversee union payment processing and reconciliation.
• Manage required imports into WinTeam and files transmitted to DHR.
• Validate union hours, rates, classifications, deductions, and payment amounts.
• Reconcile union-related general ledger liabilities to amounts paid.
• Coordinate responses to union audits and other information requests.

Cash Management & Banking

• Manage daily cash activity and maintain appropriate short-term cash forecasting.
• Manage the company's banking relationships.
• Administer Positive Pay and other banking fraud-prevention controls.
• Manage and/or approve ACH and wire activity in accordance with company authorization policies.
• Oversee bank reconciliations and banking-related accounting.
• Administer the company's line of credit, including lender reporting and compliance requirements.
• Maintain appropriate banking access, authorized signer, and payment controls.

401(k) Administration

• Oversee employee and employer contribution processing and reconciliation.
• Manage payroll deductions, employee loans, contribution uploads, and termination-related processing.
• Ensure payroll deductions reconcile to amounts remitted to the plan.
• Coordinate annual census information, testing, audits, and other requests with the plan administrator and external providers.

Financial Reporting, Budgeting & Analysis

• Prepare monthly financial statements and management reporting for the CEO and leadership team.
• Provide budget-to-actual, prior-year, and other relevant variance analysis.
• Identify and communicate significant financial trends, unusual transactions, margin issues, and potential financial or control risks.
• Support the company's annual budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Assist management with customer, department, and operational profitability analysis.
• Translate financial results into clear, actionable information for operational leaders.

Audit, Tax & Compliance

• Serve as the primary internal coordinator for the company's annual financial statement audit or review.
• Prepare and coordinate audit schedules and external auditor information requests.
• Coordinate tax information and schedules with the company's external tax professionals.
• Support workers' compensation, payroll, union, benefit, and other financial audits as required.
• Maintain appropriate accounting documentation and record-retention practices.
• Help ensure compliance with applicable accounting, tax, payroll, banking, and financial reporting requirements.

Systems, Processes & Internal Controls

• Serve as the primary Finance owner of WinTeam and related accounting processes.
• Maintain strong internal controls across accounting, payroll, billing, cash disbursements, banking, and financial systems.
• Establish, document, and maintain accounting policies and standard operating procedures.
• Periodically review system access and segregation of duties.
• Partner with Technology, Human Resources, Operations, and other departments on system integrations and process improvements.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes, improve accuracy, strengthen controls, and increase efficiency.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop team members responsible for general accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable/billing, and payroll.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, deadlines, and performance expectations.
• Develop cross-training and backup coverage for critical accounting and payroll functions.
• Foster a culture of accountability, accuracy, responsiveness, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Remain actively involved in day-to-day accounting activities and be willing to step into transactional processes when business needs require it.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• CPA or equivalent professional accounting designation preferred but not required.
• Approximately 8–15+ years of progressive accounting experience, including meaningful Controller, Assistant Controller, or comparable leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated experience managing monthly and year-end close processes.
• Strong general ledger and balance sheet reconciliation experience.
• Experience overseeing accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, payroll, and cash management.
• Experience with multi-entity accounting strongly preferred.
• Experience in a labor-intensive, service-oriented, facilities management, janitorial, field-service, or similar operating environment preferred.
• Experience with union payroll, union reporting, or collectively bargained workforces is highly desirable.
• Experience working with external auditors, banks, tax professionals, and other outside service providers.
• Experience and proficiency in ERP and accounting systems experience; WinTeam experience is highly desirable but not required.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong overall financial systems aptitude.

Leadership & Working Style

The successful candidate will be:

• Hands-on: Comfortable moving between leadership responsibilities and detailed accounting work.
• Accountable: Takes ownership of deadlines, financial accuracy, controls, and results.
• Analytical: Investigates discrepancies and understands the operational story behind the numbers.
• Process-oriented: Creates repeatable processes rather than relying on individual knowledge.
• Collaborative: Works effectively with Operations, Human Resources, Sales, Technology, and executive leadership.
• Pragmatic: Understands how to balance strong financial controls with the realities of operating a fast-moving service business.
• Proactive: Identifies issues and communicates them before they become larger problems.
• Clear communicator: Can explain financial matters to both financial and non‑financial leaders.
• Team-focused: Develops people, creates accountability, and builds appropriate cross‑training and redundancy.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means the company's books are accurate, the close is timely, payroll and billing are reliable, cash is well controlled, financial obligations are met, and leadership has confidence in the financial information being provided.

Just as importantly, the Controller will build sustainable processes and a capable accounting team so that critical functions do not depend on any single individual. The Controller will understand both the numbers and the operations behind them and will proactively identify opportunities to strengthen financial performance, controls, and efficiency.