Controller - Clean Energy & Renewable Energy
AlphaHire · Santa Cruz
We’re seeking an experienced Controller to lead accounting and financial operations for a growing project-based contractor. The ideal candidate has a strong construction accounting background, expertise in union and prevailing-wage payroll compliance, and a proven track record of leading ERP transitions and building scalable financial processes. Clean energy or renewable energy experience is a plus.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, project billing, account reconciliations, month-end close, and financial reporting.
- Manage construction accounting, including job costing, work-in-progress (WIP) schedules, percentage-of-completion accounting, cost-to-complete analysis, and project margins.
- Ensure compliance with union and prevailing-wage payroll requirements, including certified payroll submissions, fringe benefit reporting, and multi-union wage rules.
- Review financial statements, investigate variances, assess financial risks, and communicate findings to leadership.
- Manage intercompany accounting across affiliated entities, including transaction tracking, reconciliations, and elimination entries.
- Lead ERP implementations and accounting system transitions, including migration planning, data conversion, testing, integration, and post-launch improvements.
- Develop and improve accounting policies, internal controls, reporting standards, and financial workflows.
- Prepare budgets, forecasts, cash-flow projections, and financial models to support business planning.
- Partner with project managers and operations leaders to monitor project costs, billing, cash flow, margins, and profitability.
- Provide timely financial analysis and actionable recommendations to support management decisions.
- Identify opportunities to improve reporting accuracy, strengthen controls, and streamline accounting operations.
- Take ownership of core accounting functions while developing scalable systems to support future growth.
Requirements
- 5+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or comparable senior accounting role.
- Required: Direct accounting experience with a construction company or contractor.
- Strong knowledge of construction job costing, WIP reporting, and percentage-of-completion accounting.
- Hands-on experience with union and prevailing-wage payroll compliance, including certified payroll, fringe reporting, and multi-local wage requirements.
- Proven experience leading an ERP implementation, accounting system migration, conversion, or consolidation.
- Experience building or improving accounting processes, financial controls, and reporting systems.
- Demonstrated ability to manage intercompany transactions, reconciliations, and elimination entries.
- Strong financial statement analysis skills, including identifying discrepancies and explaining financial performance.
- Experience in a small-to-midsized business, with the ability to work independently across a broad range of finance responsibilities.
- Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with project managers, operations teams, and executive leadership.
Preferred Experience
- Clean energy, solar, EV infrastructure, microgrids, renewable energy, or related infrastructure sectors. This experience is beneficial but not required.
Benefits
- Competitive salary based on experience.
- Health insurance and retirement plan options.
- Paid time off and company-sponsored benefits.
- Opportunity to build, improve, and lead a growing finance function.
- Direct involvement in strategic financial planning and operational decision-making.
- Exposure to complex construction, infrastructure, and clean-energy projects.
- Professional development and long-term career advancement opportunities.
- Collaborative environment within a growing clean-energy and infrastructure business.
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