Controller, West Haven

Controller - POSITION SUMMARY ($120K-$140K)

The Controller is a senior financial leadership role responsible for all accounting operations, financial reporting, and internal controls of a $20 million masonry restoration company. This position reports to the President and serves as the primary financial partner to company leadership and project management teams, with deep expertise in construction accounting— particularly project cost management, work in process (WIP) reporting, and percentage-of-completion (POC) revenue recognition. The Controller ensures financial data integrity, drives operational profitability insights, and maintains compliance with GAAP and applicable regulatory requirements.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Costing&Job Cost Management

Establish and maintain job cost accounting systems

for all active masonry restoration projects, ensuring accurate tracking of labor, materials, subcontractors, equipment, and overhead.

Monitor actual vs. budgeted costs

on a project-by-project basis; provide timely variance analysis to project managers and executive leadership.

Collaborate with estimators and project managers

to develop project budgets, cost codes, and cost allocation methodologies.

Analyze labor productivity and cost trends

across projects; identify and report on cost overruns or inefficiencies.

Oversee the setup of new job cost records

including contract amounts, change orders, and cost-to-complete estimates.

Work in Process (WIP) Reporting

Prepare and distribute monthly WIP schedules

encompassing all open contracts, including earned revenue, billings to date, over/under billing positions, and estimated gross profit.

Analyze and interpret WIP report fluctuations;

communicate material changes to leadership and project managers.

Coordinate with project managers

to obtain accurate cost-to-complete and percent-complete estimates for each project at month-end close.

Identify overbilling and underbilling positions

and ensure proper recording and disclosure in financial statements.

Maintain WIP aging and backlog schedules;

track trends in contract profitability and completion timelines.

Financial Reporting&General Accounting

Apply and manage percentage-of-completion (POC) revenue recognition

in accordance with construction industry GAAP standards.

Ensure accuracy and consistency of POC calculations

during monthly and year-end close processes.

Manage the full monthly, quarterly, and annual close process,

ensuring timely issuance of accurate financial statements.

Prepare and present monthly financial reports

including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and executive dashboards.

Maintain the general ledger

and chart of accounts; ensure proper classification of transactions in accordance with GAAP.

Oversee accounts payable and accounts receivable functions,

including lien waivers, retainage tracking, and subcontractor compliance.

Manage the annual financial audit or review engagement,

serving as the primary liaison to external CPAs.

Prepare and file all applicable tax returns

and coordinate with external tax advisors on federal, state, and local tax obligations.

Budgeting, Forecasting&Cash Management

Lead the annual company-wide budgeting process,

working cross-functionally with operations, estimating, and executive leadership.

Prepare rolling cash flow forecasts

with attention to project billing cycles, retainage release schedules, and seasonal revenue patterns.

Monitor banking relationships and credit facilities;

manage line-of-credit usage and covenant compliance reporting.

Analyze company-level gross margin and overhead absorption

to support pricing strategy and operational decision-making.

Internal Controls&Compliance

Design, implement, and enforce internal controls

over financial reporting, cash handling, and purchasing authorization.

Ensure compliance with bonding, insurance, and prevailing wage requirements

as applicable to public and commercial restoration contracts.

Maintain organized financial records

in accordance with document retention policies and contractual requirements.

Assist in the preparation of certified payroll reports

and other compliance documentation for government-funded projects as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or a closely related field from an accredited four-year college or university (required).

Experience

Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive accounting experience, with demonstrated advancement in responsibility.

A minimum of five (5) years of experience in the construction industry, with direct experience in a general contracting, specialty contracting, or restoration environment strongly preferred.