Controller

Controller

Controller North St. Paul, MN $130-160k base salary (DOE) Pathway Talent Partners is partnering with a well-established and growing specialty contractor to identify a Controller who will serve as the organization's top accounting and finance leader. This newly created position offers the opportunity to partner directly with ownership, provide financial leadership, and help drive operational and strategic decision-making across the business.

The company has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality work, maintaining long-term customer relationships, and fostering a culture centered on accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Position Summary

The Controller will oversee all accounting and financial operations, including financial reporting, job costing, payroll oversight, accounts payable, accounts receivable, budgeting, cash flow management, forecasting, compliance, and process improvement. Reporting directly to ownership, this individual will provide both hands-on accounting leadership and strategic financial support to the organization.

This role is ideal for an experienced accounting professional who enjoys balancing day-to-day accounting responsibilities with financial analysis, process improvement, and business partnership. The successful candidate will have experience in construction, specialty contracting, manufacturing, or another project-based environment and be comfortable collaborating with both operational and executive leadership teams.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Reporting

• Lead all accounting functions and oversee the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process.
• Prepare accurate and timely financial statements and management reports.
• Maintain the general ledger, account reconciliations, journal entries, and supporting schedules.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP and company accounting policies.
• Develop reporting and financial insights to support informed business decisions.

Construction Accounting & Job Costing

• Oversee job cost accounting and project financial reporting.
• Monitor project profitability, labor costs, and forecasting efforts.
• Review and maintain work-in-progress (WIP) reporting.
• Partner with project management and operations teams to improve financial performance and visibility.
• Analyze financial trends, risks, and opportunities across projects and departments.

Payroll & Labor Compliance

• Provide oversight and review of payroll processing.
• Support labor compliance, benefit reporting, and other workforce-related accounting requirements.
• Partner closely with Human Resources and Operations to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Cash Flow & Treasury Management

• Manage cash flow forecasting and working capital requirements.
• Monitor banking relationships and treasury activities.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning initiatives.
• Assist leadership with financial analysis and business planning.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop accounting team members.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability.
• Create scalable processes and procedures to support continued growth.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented accounting function.

Audit, Tax & Compliance

• Coordinate annual audits, tax preparation, and financial reviews with external CPA firms.
• Manage insurance audits, licensing requirements, and compliance reporting.
• Maintain strong internal controls and accounting documentation.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Leverage ERP and financial systems to improve reporting, efficiency, and accuracy.
• Identify opportunities to streamline accounting processes and enhance internal controls.
• Develop KPI reporting and dashboards for leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across accounting and finance.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience.
• Experience within construction, contracting, manufacturing, distribution, or another project-based industry.
• Strong knowledge of financial reporting, month-end close, and general ledger accounting.
• Experience supervising and developing accounting staff.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Preferred

• CPA designation or CPA-track candidate.
• Experience with ERP systems and financial reporting tools.
• Knowledge of job costing, project accounting, and WIP reporting.
• Experience supporting labor-intensive or field-based workforces.
• Experience working within a growing entrepreneurial organization.