Strategic Project Controller for Large-Scale Programs

McKinstry; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 124,000 - 214,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Job summary

McKinstry in Seattle, WA seeks a Project Controller to serve as the financial lead for a large program engagement. You will own cost control, multi-stream revenue management, and owner billing compliance while reporting to senior leadership.

You’ll partner with Legal, Tax, and F&A, present updates to the SVP/C-suite, and mentor project finance staff as you scale processes across complex contracts, open-book structures, and ASC 606 revenue recognition.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• CPA strongly preferred; MBA with demonstrated technical accounting depth considered in lieu of CPA for candidates with exceptional program finance track records.
• 15+ years of progressive experience leading financial controls on large, complex, long-cycle programs ($200M+).
• Primary financial owner on high-visibility engagements with direct executive and C-suite accountability.
• Deep expertise in cost control, cost-to-complete and milestone forecasting, multi-stream revenue recognition under ASC 606, and audit-ready financial documentation.
• Strong command of subcontractor or vendor AP management at scale, including payment chain oversight and compliance documentation.
• Executive presence — presenting complex financial data to C-suite and owner representatives, escalating risk with recommended solutions.
• Proven ability to build financial processes in ambiguous environments; familiarity with new systems, contract structures, and program-specific requirements.

Responsibilities

• Own all financial controls for a single, dedicated program engagement — including cost coding, budget management, cost-to-complete forecasting, and audit-ready substantiation documentation across multiple revenue streams.
• Lead owner billing compliance across complex, open-book contract structures; ensure invoice-to-cash discipline aligned with owner cost breakdown and reporting requirements.
• Manage large subcontractor accounts payable, lien waiver compliance, and sub-tier financial controls; influence AP staff as volume warrants.
• Serve as the primary financial interface to Legal, Tax, and F&A — coordinating on multi-entity billing structure, revenue recognition policy under ASC 606, and contract terms with financial implications.
• Present financial status, cost control updates, and risk escalations to SVP- and C-suite-level leadership.
• Partner with FP&A on rate substantiation, cost-to-complete modeling, and executive financial reporting through all major program milestones.
• Conduct reviews of contract language, change orders, and subcontract agreements to identify financial risk and billing requirements.
• Lead month-end WIP close, Write-Up/Down reporting, and earned revenue review; drive continuous improvement of financial controls and SOPs.
• Mentor project finance staff to build robust processes across cost control and billing.

Skills

Excel

ERP systems

Cost control

Forecasting

Billing compliance

Executive communication

Contract management

WIP accounting

ASC 606

AP management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA preferred

MBA considered

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics

Procore

Job description

McKinstry in Seattle, WA seeks a Project Controller to serve as the financial lead for a large program engagement. You will own cost control, multi-stream revenue management, and owner billing compliance while reporting to senior leadership.

You’ll partner with Legal, Tax, and F&A, present updates to the SVP/C-suite, and mentor project finance staff as you scale processes across complex contracts, open-book structures, and ASC 606 revenue recognition.