Controller - Clean Energy & Renewable Energy

AlphaGov; Santa Cruz (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Career advancement

Job summary

AlphaGov in Santa Cruz, CA seeks an experienced Controller to lead accounting and financial operations for project-based contracting in the clean energy infrastructure sector. The role requires strong construction accounting, union payroll compliance, and proven ERP transition leadership to build scalable financial processes.

The ideal candidate will manage project costing, WIP, GAAP reporting, intercompany activity, and cross‑functional collaboration with operations and executives to drive

Qualifications

• 5+ years in Controller or senior accounting roles in industry
• Direct accounting experience with a contractor or construction company
• Strong knowledge of job costing, WIP reporting, and % complete accounting
• Hands-on union and prevailing-wage payroll compliance experience
• Proven ERP implementation or migration leadership
• Experience building scalable accounting processes and controls
• Ability to manage intercompany transactions and reconciliations
• Strong financial statement analysis and communication skills
• Experience in small‑to‑mid sized businesses with broad responsibilities
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to collaborate with project managers, operations and leadership

Responsibilities

• Oversee general ledger, AP/AR, project billing, reconciliations, month-end close and financial reporting
• Manage construction accounting, including job costing, WIP schedules and margins
• Ensure union payroll compliance including certified payroll and fringe reporting
• Review financial statements, investigate variances and communicate findings
• Lead intercompany accounting, reconciliations and eliminations
• Direct ERP implementations and system migrations
• Develop accounting policies, controls and reporting standards
• Prepare budgets, forecasts, cash flow projections, and models
• Partner with project managers to monitor costs, billing, cash flow and profitability
• Provide timely financial analysis and actionable recommendations
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting accuracy and streamline operations
• Own core accounting functions while building scalable systems

Skills

Construction accounting

ERP implementations

Financial analysis

Leadership

Internal controls

Project cost monitoring

Tools

ERP software

Job costing software

Job description

We're seeking an experienced Controller to lead accounting and financial operations for a growing project-based contractor. The ideal candidate has a strong construction accounting background, expertise in union and prevailing-wage payroll compliance, and a proven track record of leading ERP transitions and building scalable financial processes. Clean energy or renewable energy experience is a plus.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, project billing, account reconciliations, month‑end close, and financial reporting
• Manage construction accounting, including job costing, work‑in‑progress (WIP) schedules, percentage‑of‑completion accounting, cost‑to‑complete analysis, and project margins
• Ensure compliance with union and prevailing‑wage payroll requirements, including certified payroll submissions, fringe benefit reporting, and multi‑union wage rules
• Review financial statements, investigate variances, assess financial risks, and communicate findings to leadership
• Manage intercompany accounting across affiliated entities, including transaction tracking, reconciliations, and elimination entries
• Lead ERP implementations and accounting system transitions, including migration planning, data conversion, testing, integration, and post‑launch improvements
• Develop and improve accounting policies, internal controls, reporting standards, and financial workflows
• Prepare budgets, forecasts, cash‑flow projections, and financial models to support business planning
• Partner with project managers and operations leaders to monitor project costs, billing, cash flow, margins, and profitability
• Provide timely financial analysis and actionable recommendations to support management decisions
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting accuracy, strengthen controls, and streamline accounting operations
• Take ownership of core accounting functions while developing scalable systems to support future growth

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or comparable senior accounting role
• Required: Direct accounting experience with a construction company or contractor
• Strong knowledge of construction job costing, WIP reporting, and percentage‑of‑completion accounting
• Hands‑on experience with union and prevailing‑wage payroll compliance, including certified payroll, fringe reporting, and multi‑local wage requirements
• Proven experience leading an ERP implementation, accounting system migration, conversion, or consolidation
• Experience building or improving accounting processes, financial controls, and reporting systems
• Demonstrated ability to manage intercompany transactions, reconciliations, and elimination entries
• Strong financial statement analysis skills, including identifying discrepancies and explaining financial performance
• Experience in a small‑to‑midsized business, with the ability to work independently across a broad range of finance responsibilities
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively with project managers, operations teams, and executive leadership

Preferred Experience

• Clean energy, solar, EV infrastructure, microgrids, renewable energy, or related infrastructure sectors. This experience is beneficial but not required

Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Health insurance and retirement plan options
• Paid time off and company‑sponsored benefits
• Opportunity to build, improve, and lead a growing finance function
• Direct involvement in strategic financial planning and operational decision‑making
• Exposure to complex construction, infrastructure, and clean‑energy projects
• Professional development and long‑term career advancement opportunities
• Collaborative environment within a growing clean‑energy and infrastructure business