Senior Controller | ESOP Construction Accounting Leader

Martin Painting & Coating Co.; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Health benefits

401(k)

PTO & holidays

Bonus potential

Job summary

Martin Painting & Coating Co. seeks an experienced Controller to lead the accounting function for a $20M commercial/industrial painting contractor. You will own financial reporting, job costing, and internal controls, advising ownership on strategy and performance as the senior finance leader.

The role focuses on construction accounting, WIP management, and percent-of-completion across active jobs, with ESOP ownership culture and growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance required; CPA strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience with controller-level leadership.
• Construction industry accounting—WIP, %-of-completion, job costing, change orders, retainage.
• Experience with construction software such as Deltek ComputerEase or similar.

Responsibilities

• Own monthly, quarterly, and annual close with accurate financial statements.
• Manage AP, AR, payroll, GL, and reconciliations; internal controls and policies.
• Oversee WIP, JP costing by project, and revenue recognition per completion.
• Lead audits, tax filings, budgets, forecasts, cash flow projections.
• Collaborate with project managers/estimators to reconcile job costs.

Skills

Construction accounting

GAAP knowledge

Financial reporting

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

CPA strongly preferred

Tools

Deltek ComputerEase

Sage 300 CRE

Foundation

Viewpoint

Job description

Controller

Location: Columbus, OH — On-site

Reports to: President

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Controller to lead the accounting function for our $20M commercial and industrial painting contracting business. As the senior finance leader in the organization, you will own financial reporting, job costing, and internal controls, while serving as a key advisor to ownership on financial strategy and business performance.

This is a hands-on role suited to someone fluent in construction accounting — comfortable managing WIP schedules and job cost detail as well as advising leadership on the bigger financial picture. As an ESOP company, we're looking for someone who takes ownership (literally and figuratively) of the company's financial health and communicates results clearly to employee-owners.

Key Responsibilities

Construction & Job Cost Accounting

• Prepare and maintain the monthly Work-in-Progress (WIP) schedule; manage percentage-of-completion revenue recognition across active jobs
• Oversee job costing by project, tracking labor, materials, subcontractor, and overhead costs against estimates
• Review and process change orders, ensuring accurate contract value updates and cost tracking
• Manage progress billing/AIA-style billing, retainage tracking, and lien waiver processes
• Partner with project managers and estimators to reconcile job cost reports and flag margin variances early
• Monitor backlog reporting and underbilling/overbilling positions

Core Accounting & Reporting

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial statements
• Manage AP, AR, payroll (including certified payroll/prevailing wage if applicable), general ledger, and bank reconciliations
• Develop and maintain internal controls and accounting policies
• Prepare budgets, forecasts, and cash flow projections; monitor performance against plan
• Serve as primary point of contact for external auditors, sureties, bonding agents, and banking relationships
• Ensure compliance with tax filings, multi-state payroll/sales tax, and regulatory requirements

ESOP & Leadership

• Support the annual ESOP valuation process, working with the trustee and third-party appraiser
• Help communicate company financial performance to employee-owners in an accessible way
• Manage and mentor accounting staff; oversee outsourced bookkeeping or payroll functions as applicable
• Evaluate and improve accounting systems, job costing tools, and processes

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; CPA strongly preferred
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, including prior Controller or senior accounting leadership experience
• Construction industry accounting experience required — strong working knowledge of WIP schedules, percentage-of-completion accounting, job costing, change orders, and retainage
• Experience with Deltek ComputerEase or similar construction-specific accounting software (e.g., Sage 300 CRE, Foundation, Viewpoint) strongly preferred
• Familiarity with surety bonding and banking relationships in a contractor setting
• ESOP company experience a plus, though not required
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting standards
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain financial results to project managers, field leadership, and employee-owners alike
• High level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential financial information

What We Offer

• Base salary: $110,000 – $150,000, commensurate with experience, plus potential bonus
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) — build long-term wealth as a company owner
• Health/dental/vision benefits.
• 401(k)
• 15 days PTO plus paid holidays.
• Opportunity to be the senior financial leader of a growing, employee-owned contracting business

Martin Painting & Coating Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.