Controller

COMPANY OVERVIEWOur client is a private equity-backed landscape design and construction company generating approximately $70 million in annual revenue, with an underwritten growth plan targeting $250–300 million in revenue. The company has recently taken on debt financing and is establishing bank covenant compliance, lender reporting, and its first-ever financial statement audit. Growth plan includes expanding geographically into Texas, Florida, and California while continuing to grow its footprint in the Phoenix, Arizona market.POSITION OVERVIEWThis is a newly created role reporting directly to the CFO, designed to add critical finance capability as the business scales. The Controller will own the monthly close process, work-in-progress (WIP) and percentage-of-completion accounting, audit preparation, and bank reporting, while also establishing accounting policies and internal controls, overseeing the cash cycle and banking relationships, and contributing to FP&A, financial analytics, and the annual budgeting process as the company grows. This is a ground-floor opportunity to help build out the finance function of a fast-scaling, private equity-backed platform, with the potential to take on broader finance leadership responsibility — including managing and developing the accounting team — over time.KEY RESPONSIBILITIESOwn and manage the monthly and period-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial statements.Manage WIP schedules and percentage-of-completion, project-based accounting; lead efforts to streamline and automate a currently manual, Excel-based WIP process.Lead preparation for the company's first financial statement audit, including the opening balance sheet audit and purchase accounting.Prepare and deliver accurate, timely financial reporting to banks and lenders, supporting ongoing covenant compliance.Partner with the CFO on FP&A, financial analytics, and management reporting as the company scales.Support the finance function's ability to provide financial information for geographic expansion and potential M&A activity.Collaborate closely with the AP, AR, and bookkeeping team, along with operational and commercial leadership, to strengthen finance processes across the business.Oversee the cash cycle — billing, collections, and progress billings — including preparation of monthly 13-week cash flow forecasts, and coordinate banking activities and relationships.Establish and maintain the company's accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls, and own the financial systems supporting the business, including evaluation of new accounting technology.Manage tax compliance and the optimization of tax strategies.Support preparation of the annual financial budget in partnership with the CFO.Manage and develop the accounting team, including recruitment, development, and performance management, as the finance function scales.IDEAL CANDIDATERequired:Bachelor's degree with at least 5 years of experience in the construction industryConstruction accounting experiencePercentage-of-completion accounting experienceProject-based or job-costing accounting experienceDemonstrated proficiency closing the booksAudit experienceWIP accounting experienceExperience preparing financial and bank/lender reportingFluency and in-depth understanding of U.S. GAAPDemonstrated capacity and desire to grow into a broader finance role over timeAbility and willingness to work 100% on-site in Tempe, ArizonaPreferred:FP&A or financial analytics experienceExposure to compliance certificates and credit agreementsPrior experience with Sage 300 CRE and ProcoreExperience managing and developing an accounting teamOutstanding leadership and communication skillsStrong analytical and critical-thinking skills; deadline- and detail-orientedWHY THIS OPPORTUNITYGround-floor opportunity with a private equity-backed platform positioned to scale from approximately $70 million to $250–300 million in revenue.Direct exposure to a leveraged finance environment: bank covenants, credit agreements, and lender reporting.Hands-on involvement in the company's first audit and purchase accounting process.Multi-state expansion into Texas, Florida, and California creates an expanding scope of responsibility.Clear runway to grow into broader finance leadership as the company and finance function mature.