Controller

Controller

Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix Metro)

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer

Employment Type: Full-Time, Onsite

About the Role

NOW CFO is conducting a private search for an experienced Controller to lead the day-to-day accounting operations of a growing commercial landscape maintenance company in the Phoenix metro area. This role owns the full accounting cycle and gives leadership the financial clarity they need to make confident decisions as the business grows.

The ideal candidate thrives on building clean processes, strengthening controls, and mentoring a small team along the way.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting Operations & Financial Reporting

Lead full-cycle accounting, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and compliance.

Own month-end close and prepare accurate financial statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reporting for CFO review.

Maintain the current close timetable while identifying opportunities to improve timeliness, reporting consistency, and efficiency.

Strengthen internal controls and ensure accurate accounting across branches and crews.

Job Costing, Systems & Process Improvement

Track profitability across commercial landscape maintenance contracts; maintain WIP schedules and monitor labor and material variances.

Partner with operations to improve project-level accounting information and reporting.

Establish expense reporting procedures and document accounting workflows, best practices, and SOPs.

Complete structured Aspire ERP training, including travel to St. Louis, and serve as the internal resource for system and reporting improvements.

Team Leadership

Supervise, mentor, and develop 1 to 2 accounting clerks or bookkeepers.

Balance hands-on accounting responsibilities with team oversight, issue resolution, and process improvements.

Qualifications

Required

Bachelor's degree

6 years of progressive accounting experience, including full-cycle accounting and ownership of month-end close.

Strong knowledge of cash and accrual accounting, financial reporting, and Excel.

Ability to work onsite in Surprise, Arizona, and travel to St. Louis for structured Aspire training.

Hands-on, detail-oriented approach

Preferred

Experience in commercial landscaping, construction, specialty contracting, or a similar project-based business.

Job costing, work-in-process (WIP) tracking, progress billing, or lien waiver experience.

Aspire ERP, QuickBooks, Acumatica, or other intermediate ERP experience.

ERP implementation, system cleanup, or process optimization experience.

Multi-branch or multi-crew accounting exposure; CPA track a plus but not required.