What are the responsibilities and job description for the Controller position at Vaco by Highspring?
Company Overview
Our client is a rapidly growing project-based services organization that specializes in complex industrial and operational solutions across North America. Backed by a larger parent platform, the company has recently undergone significant expansion through acquisition activity and is continuing to professionalize its finance and accounting infrastructure.
The business operates in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with strong visibility to executive leadership and offers the opportunity to play a key role in building scalable financial processes during a period of growth and integration.
Position Overview
The Controller will lead all accounting and financial operations for a standalone business unit within a larger organization. This individual will serve as a hands-on finance leader responsible for overseeing day-to-day accounting, improving processes, supporting operational leaders, and helping drive the company's transition toward more sophisticated reporting and controls.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working in a high-growth environment, building structure, partnering closely with operations, and balancing tactical accounting responsibilities with strategic financial oversight.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead all accounting operations including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll oversight, and month-end close activities
- Oversee revenue recognition and project-based accounting in accordance with GAAP
- Prepare monthly financial statements, operational reporting packages, and variance analyses for leadership
- Partner with operations and project teams to improve job costing accuracy, forecasting, and work-in-process reporting
- Manage budgeting, cash flow forecasting, and financial planning activities
- Develop and enhance internal controls, accounting procedures, and financial reporting processes
- Coordinate external audit, tax, and compliance requirements with outside advisors and service providers
- Support system implementations, process improvements, and integration initiatives tied to organizational growth
- Assist leadership with financial modeling, operational analysis, and strategic decision-making
- Review contracts, vendor agreements, and financial commitments from an accounting and risk perspective
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance required; CPA strongly preferred
- 8 years of progressive accounting and finance experience
- Strong background in project-based or percentage-of-completion accounting environments
- Experience within construction, industrial services, manufacturing, engineering, automation, or other operationally complex industries preferred
- Prior leadership experience overseeing accounting processes and/or teams
- Strong understanding of GAAP, internal controls, and financial reporting
- Experience working within ERP systems; exposure to system implementations or upgrades is a plus
- Advanced Excel and financial analysis capabilities
- Public accounting foundation preferred
- High-visibility role with direct interaction with executive leadership
- Opportunity to help build and improve accounting infrastructure during a transformational growth phase
- Blend of strategic finance exposure and hands-on operational accounting
- Fast-moving, entrepreneurial culture with strong long-term growth potential
- Opportunity for future leadership progression within a larger platform organization
Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
Representation Notice
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.
Privacy Notice
Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
- Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.
Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
· the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
· licensure and certification requirements;
· office location and other geographic considerations; and
· other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).
Salary : $135,000