We are seeking a hands-on Financial Controller to lead our accounting operations for Brass Inc. We are a utility construction firm of 100 employees, and we’re looking for someone great to guide financial operations, work effectively with our customers and vendors, maintain cash flow control, and support a small accounting team.
The ideal candidate brings strong expertise in civil construction accounting, understanding of construction billing, and experience navigating collective agreements. You will report directly to the CFO, and have daily interaction with the management team, and regular connection with the senior management team and our Board. This is a dynamic role in a growing organization. This role will provide an exciting opportunity to work with a strong team and to make a real difference.
Key Responsibilities
Accounting Control
· Maintain strict internal controls over accounting processes, ensuring effective segregation of duties and enforcing financial controls
· Ensure efficient and accurate posting of company financials under ASPE standards, including revenue recognition, capital accounting, and use of estimates
· Manage effective month end close processes
· Provide leadership for the annual external financial audit activities
· Implement appropriate financial and administrative controls within the team
· Work effectively with the rest of the organization to support strong financial decision-making and management within the business
Payroll Oversight
- Supervise the processing of weekly multi-rate construction payroll under LiUNA Local 183 utility sector frameworks, as well as for non-union salaried and hourly staff.
- Ensure accurate tracking, reporting, and timely payment of accurate union benefit contributions, pension funds, and union dues, and full compliance with union reporting obligations
- Oversee on-time, accurate reporting and remittances for all payroll accounts: EI, CPP, EHT, WSIB, T4 generation, and annual payroll tax reconciliations.
Capital Accounting
- Track and manage capital expenditures for the fleet
- Establish and manage complex depreciation transactions
· Manage the payments and acquisition recording of significant capital assets
· Maintain comprehensive financial records to support capital investments
· Reflect the posting capital leases and ensure proper lease accounting during the term
· Work with the CFO and bank to establish new capital leases when needed
· Ensure accurate and timely recording of capital dispositions, working collaboratively with the Fleet team
Cash Management
- Develop active, weekly cash flow projections.
- Manage AP and other cash obligations to efficiently utilize available funds
- Work with Project Mgmt to develop work in progress reporting, to enable monthly analysis of earned revenue, job costs, and real time margin analysis.
- Working with the CFO, provide support for operating account activities, credit facilities, bank reconciliations, and equipment financing or leasing terms.
Project Costing
· Ensure that the accounting system provides accurate project profitability reporting (including the structuring of time reporting and payroll information to support this)
· Work with the estimating team to develop and maintain appropriate financial estimates to support customer bids and margin analysis
· Support internal teams to enable ongoing analysis of gross margins and improvement of project financial information
Billing & Accounts Receivable (AR)
- Ensure timely and accurate invoicing to our customers in accordance with our customer agreements – progress billing, milestone billing, and T&M.
- Review and understand customer agreements and purchase orders, and work with Sales to optimize terms
- Provide regular review of billing versus customer PO’s and contract values
- Systematically invoice, manage, and collect outstanding project holdbacks
Accounts Payable (AP)
- Support a very high volume of accounts payable, posted accurately across departments, customer projects, and accounts
- Work with the team to automate and optimize AP and payment processes
- Provide oversight of high value spending on COGS and departmental expenses
- Implement utilization of purchase order processing and three-way matching for expenditures.
Team Leadership & Oversight
- Manage, mentor, and support a small team.
- Streamline day-to-day transaction workflows and
- Collaborate with project management, estimating, and the operations team regarding invoicing, expenses, and the management of costs.
Qualifications & Skills
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive accounting experience, ideally including some experience in a Controller or Accounting Manager role within the utility or construction space.
- Concrete experience managing complex payroll, ideally including union payroll. ADP WorkForce Now experience is valuable.
- Experience managing and developing staff
- Confidence in utilizing AI tools to automate financial processes and reporting
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, or significant comparable experience. Demonstrated ongoing professional development. A CPA designation is considered an asset.
- Advanced skill levels in Excel, alongside QBO or specialized construction ERP platforms (e.g., Sage 100/300, Jonas).
- Strong understanding of internal controls, compliance, and audit processes, with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Effective communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally and support leadership with clear financial insights.
- Very strong written and verbal communication skills, and an ability to effectively manage competing priorities
- Ability to reliably commute to work at our office in Utica, ON.
