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Controller - Clean Energy & Renewable Energy

AlphaHire

Santa Cruz, California, United States

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About the role

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.