Controller - Construction

Confidential; Libertyville (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential is seeking an experienced Controller to lead the company’s accounting and financial operations for its construction projects. This hands-on leadership role focuses on project-driven finance, profitability, cash flow, and close collaboration with operations and project leadership.

The ideal candidate has substantial construction accounting experience, strong leadership, and a track record of delivering accurate financial statements, tight budgets, and insightful job-cost reporting

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related field.
• Significant accounting experience within the construction industry is required.
• Demonstrated experience with project-based / job-cost accounting is required.
• Strong understanding of construction financial reporting, including WIP, percentage of completion, job costing, and project profitability.
• Previous Controller, Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, or similar leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of month-end close, financial statements, reconciliations, and general ledger accounting.
• Experience managing and analyzing project budgets, costs, forecasts, and financial performance.
• Strong Excel skills and experience working with accounting/ERP systems.
• Ability to partner effectively with project managers, operations teams, and executive leadership.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Hands-on leadership style with the ability to operate effectively in a growing organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day accounting and financial operations for the organization.
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes and financial reporting.
• Manage the general ledger, AP, AR, payroll, reconciliations, and cash management.
• Oversee project-based accounting and financial reporting across multiple active construction projects.
• Monitor project budgets, costs, committed costs, billings, collections, and profitability.
• Partner with project managers and operational leadership to understand project performance and identify financial risks.
• Analyze job cost reports and investigate variances between budget, actual costs, and projected costs.
• Oversee WIP reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, and revenue recognition.
• Review project forecasts and provide insight into expected margins and profitability.
• Support project billing, change orders, retainage, and other construction-specific accounting processes.
• Prepare financial statements and management reporting for company leadership.
• Develop and monitor budgets, forecasts, and cash flow projections.
• Establish and strengthen accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, tax requirements, and financial reporting obligations.
• Work closely with external CPAs, banking partners, insurance providers, and other external stakeholders.
• Provide financial guidance and analysis to senior leadership to support business decisions.
• Lead, develop, and mentor the accounting team.

Skills

Construction accounting

Job-cost accounting

Leadership

ERP systems

Excel

Financial analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

ERP software

Job description

A growing construction organization looking to identify an experienced Controller to lead the company’s accounting and financial operations. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for a construction accounting professional who understands that construction finance is fundamentally project-driven. The ideal candidate will have experience managing the financial performance of multiple projects and partnering closely with operations and project leadership to provide visibility into job profitability, costs, cash flow, and overall financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day accounting and financial operations for the organization.
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes and financial reporting.
• Manage the general ledger, AP, AR, payroll, reconciliations, and cash management.
• Oversee project-based accounting and financial reporting across multiple active construction projects.
• Monitor project budgets, costs, committed costs, billings, collections, and profitability.
• Partner with project managers and operational leadership to understand project performance and identify financial risks.
• Analyze job cost reports and investigate variances between budget, actual costs, and projected costs.
• Oversee WIP reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, and revenue recognition.
• Review project forecasts and provide insight into expected margins and profitability.
• Support project billing, change orders, retainage, and other construction-specific accounting processes.
• Prepare financial statements and management reporting for company leadership.
• Develop and monitor budgets, forecasts, and cash flow projections.
• Establish and strengthen accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, tax requirements, and financial reporting obligations.
• Work closely with external CPAs, banking partners, insurance providers, and other external stakeholders.
• Provide financial guidance and analysis to senior leadership to support business decisions.
• Lead, develop, and mentor the accounting team.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Significant accounting experience within the construction industry is required.
• Demonstrated experience with project-based / job-cost accounting is required.
• Strong understanding of construction financial reporting, including WIP, percentage of completion, job costing, and project profitability.
• Previous Controller, Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, or similar leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of month-end close, financial statements, reconciliations, and general ledger accounting.
• Experience managing and analyzing project budgets, costs, forecasts, and financial performance.
• Strong Excel skills and experience working with accounting/ERP systems.
• Ability to partner effectively with project managers, operations teams, and executive leadership.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Hands-on leadership style with the ability to operate effectively in a growing organization.

Why This Opportunity

• High-visibility leadership role with direct impact on the company's financial performance.
• Opportunity to partner closely with operations and project leadership.
• Ability to influence financial processes, reporting, and project profitability.
• Growing organization with opportunities for continued professional and leadership development.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package.

If you're a construction accounting leader who enjoys being close to the projects, understanding the numbers behind the work, and helping leadership make better business decisions, we'd love to hear from you.