The posting
Controller
Department: Finance & Accounting Reports To: Chief Executive Officer / Executive Leadership Location: Austin, TX Employment Type: Full-Time FLSA Classification: Exempt Annual Revenue: $25M–$50M Compensation: $120,000–$165,000 base salary, commensurate with experience Benefits: Health insurance, 401(k), and PTO Work Arrangement: On-site
Position Summary
The Controller is responsible for overseeing and managing the financial operations of the company, ensuring accurate financial reporting, strong internal controls, regulatory compliance, and effective cash-flow management. This position plays a critical role in supporting the company’s financial health and profitability while partnering closely with Executive Leadership, Operations, Estimating, Project Management, and Human Resources.
The ideal candidate will have strong construction-industry accounting experience and a thorough understanding of job costing, work-in-progress (WIP) reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, subcontractor and vendor payables, retainage, project billing, cash flow, and construction financial reporting.
The Controller will provide leadership to the accounting function and ensure financial information is accurate, timely, and useful for management decision-making.
This is a lean, hands-on accounting team, and the Controller will have significant ownership over the function—shaping processes, systems, and reporting directly rather than operating through layers of staff. This is an excellent opportunity for a Controller who wants direct influence over how the accounting operation is built and run.
Essential Responsibilities
Financial Management & Reporting
- Oversee all day-to-day accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, cash management, and financial reporting.
- Prepare and review monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
- Ensure financial statements are accurate, complete, and prepared in accordance with applicable accounting principles.
- Develop and monitor financial reporting and key performance indicators for Executive Leadership.
- Provide financial analysis, forecasting, and recommendations to support business decisions.
- Monitor company profitability, overhead, margins, and operating expenses.
- Establish and maintain appropriate accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Manage the company’s annual budgeting and forecasting processes.
- Coordinate with outside CPA firms, auditors, tax professionals, banks, insurance providers, and other financial partners.
Construction Accounting & Job Costing
- Oversee construction accounting processes and ensure accurate job-cost reporting.
- Review job cost activity, including labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, and other project expenses.
- Monitor project profitability and identify potential cost overruns or margin concerns.
- Review and analyze WIP schedules and percentage-of-completion calculations.
- Work closely with Project Managers and Operations to ensure project financial information is accurate and current.
- Review contract values, change orders, committed costs, billings, payments, and projected costs to complete.
- Monitor project cash flow and identify potential billing or collection issues.
- Ensure proper accounting for retainage, deposits, prepaid expenses, and other construction-specific financial items.
- Assist leadership in evaluating project performance and financial risk.
- Establish financial controls to minimize project losses, errors, and unapproved expenditures.
Accounts Payable, Receivable & Cash Flow
- Oversee accounts payable and accounts receivable functions.
- Establish appropriate payment procedures and ensure vendors and subcontractors are paid accurately and timely.
- Monitor outstanding receivables and assist with collection efforts when necessary.
- Review aging reports and identify past-due accounts.
- Monitor subcontractor and vendor balances, retainage, and payment status.
- Maintain appropriate cash reserves and manage daily cash-flow requirements.
- Review and approve significant expenditures in accordance with company policy.
- Ensure appropriate documentation is maintained for vendor and subcontractor payments.
Payroll & Benefits
- Oversee payroll processing and ensure accurate and timely payroll reporting.
- Coordinate with the Office Manager and our PEO partner (Employer Flexible) regarding employee changes, deductions, benefits, and payroll-related issues.
- Review payroll reports and ensure appropriate accounting treatment of payroll expenses.
- Assist with annual payroll reporting, audits, and compliance requirements.
Compliance, Risk & Internal Controls
- Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local financial and tax requirements.
- Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and financial controls.
- Monitor company banking relationships and authorized users.
- Oversee sales tax, payroll tax, business tax, and other applicable filings in coordination with outside professionals.
- Assist with annual financial, insurance, bonding, workers’ compensation, and other required audits.
- Maintain accurate and organized financial records and documentation.
- Identify financial risks and recommend corrective actions to Executive Leadership.
Leadership & Team Management
- Directly supervise the Accounting Specialist (Accounts Payable) and the Office Manager.
- Lead, mentor, and develop accounting personnel.
- Establish clear expectations, workflows, deadlines, and accountability within the accounting department.
- Review accounting processes regularly and identify opportunities for increased efficiency and automation.
- Promote accuracy, professionalism, confidentiality, and collaboration within the accounting team.
- Partner with the Office Manager, our PEO partner, and Executive Leadership on staffing, performance management, and organizational needs within the accounting function.
Executive & Operational Support
- Serve as a financial advisor to Executive Leadership.
- Provide financial information and analysis necessary for strategic planning and decision-making.
- Collaborate with Operations, Estimating, and Project Management to improve project profitability and financial performance.
- Assist with annual planning, business forecasting, capital expenditures, and long-term financial strategy.
- Evaluate financial implications of new contracts, major purchases, equipment acquisitions, and other significant business decisions.
- Provide financial guidance regarding project and company-level risks.
- Participate in leadership meetings and provide financial updates and recommendations.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field or equivalent combination of education and significant relevant experience.
- 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, preferably within the construction industry.
- Demonstrated experience managing or supervising an accounting function.
- Strong understanding of construction accounting and job costing.
- Experience with WIP schedules and percentage-of-completion accounting.
- Strong knowledge of financial statements, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and cash-flow management.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding financial, employee, and company information.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency with accounting software and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
Preferred
- Experience with Viewpoint Vista (our accounting platform) strongly preferred; familiarity with Procore (used company-wide for project management) is a plus.
- Experience leading or supporting an ERP/accounting system conversion or implementation (e.g., transitioning from a legacy platform to a system with stronger project-management integration) preferred.
- Experience working for a commercial general contractor.
- CPA or other professional accounting designation.
- Experience with bonding requirements and construction financial reporting.
- Experience preparing financial information for surety companies.
- Experience with multi-project job costing and WIP reporting.
- Experience managing construction-industry audits.
Key Competencies
- Financial Leadership: Understands the company’s financial position and provides meaningful guidance to leadership.
- Construction Knowledge: Understands the relationship between accounting, project performance, contracts, costs, billings, and profitability.
- Analytical Thinking: Able to identify trends, discrepancies, risks, and opportunities through financial data.
- Attention to Detail: Maintains a high degree of accuracy while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Leadership: Develops and holds the accounting team accountable while maintaining a collaborative work environment.
- Communication: Clearly communicates financial information to both accounting and non-accounting personnel.
- Business Judgment: Balances financial controls with the operational needs of the business.
- Integrity & Confidentiality: Handles sensitive financial and employee information with discretion and professionalism.
- Problem Solving: Proactively identifies issues and develops practical solutions.
Performance Measures
Success in this position will be measured by:
- Accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting.
- Accurate and timely WIP and job-cost reporting.
- Effective cash-flow management.
- Timely collection of accounts receivable.
- Accurate accounts payable and subcontractor payment processes.
- Effective internal financial controls.
- Accurate project profitability reporting.
- Compliance with financial, tax, insurance, bonding, and audit requirements.
- Development and performance of the accounting team.
- Ability to provide Executive Leadership with reliable financial information and actionable recommendations.
Physical & Work Requirements
- Ability to work effectively in a professional office environment.
- Ability to sit, stand, and work at a computer for extended periods.
- Ability to occasionally travel to project sites, banks, meetings, or other company-related locations as needed.
- Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced construction environment.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Sabre Commercial is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment and to making employment decisions based on qualifications, experience, performance, and business needs.
