Controller

Overview

Stepping into a pivotal leadership role within a private equity-backed specialty services firm headquartered in Southern California, this Controller position offers ownership of a complex finance function supporting a $70–90 million revenue base poised for rapid expansion. Reporting directly to the CFO, the successful candidate will lead a seasoned accounting team through the intricacies of job-cost accounting and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition across diverse industrial projects, including multi-million-dollar data center engagements. This role demands a strategic finance professional comfortable navigating fast-growth dynamics, audit management, and cross-functional collaboration with operations and field leadership.

Title: Controller
Industry: Industrial Cleaning Services
Location: South Orange County

Responsibilities

• Direct and refine all accounting operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and internal controls across a high-volume, project-driven environment.
• Manage the month-end close process, oversee financial statement preparation, and deliver timely reporting that provides clear insights into budget performance and cash flow status.
• Lead the annual budgeting cycle, partnering with senior leadership to develop, monitor, and analyze financial plans against actual results, identifying and addressing variances.
• Oversee job cost accounting and revenue recognition processes, ensuring accurate alignment of costs and revenues with individual projects, including large-scale data center contracts.
• Coordinate external audits and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard assets and support investor reporting requirements typical of a private equity environment.
• Develop and empower a finance team of six to seven professionals, delegating effectively and fostering professional growth to optimize departmental performance.
• Collaborate closely with operations and field managers to integrate financial insights into operational decision-making and improve cross-departmental workflows.

Qualifications

• Must-Have:
  • Minimum 10 years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including significant exposure to job cost accounting and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition.
  • Proven leadership experience managing accounting teams within private equity-backed or fast-growth companies, preferably in industrial services, construction, or project-based sectors.
  • Strong command of month-end close, audit coordination, financial reporting, budgeting, and cash management processes.
  • Hands-on expertise with accounting systems such as Great Plains/Microsoft Dynamics and familiarity with payroll and CRM platforms.
  • Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial concepts for non-finance stakeholders, including operations and field personnel.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA designation strongly preferred.
• Nice-to-Have:
  • MBA or advanced degree in business or finance.
  • Experience working within private equity reporting frameworks and investor relations.
  • Background in compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws or similar regulatory environments.
  • Familiarity with UKG or other workforce management systems.