Financial Controller

Rancho Tree Service is one of California's leading providers of Utility Vegetation Management (UVM), environmental, and professional arboriculture services. We support large-scale utility and field operations throughout California and continue to grow our organization and leadership team.

We are seeking an experienced, hands‑on Controller to lead our accounting and financial reporting functions from our Bakersfield office.

Position Summary

The Controller is a key leadership position responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the company's accounting and financial reporting.

Operating within a complex organization with approximately $150 million in annual revenue, the Controller will lead the accounting team, maintain strong financial controls, oversee financial reporting and close processes, and provide executive management with reliable financial information to support operational and strategic decision‑making.

The ideal candidate will have 7–10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, with experience in construction, Utility Vegetation Management (UVM), utilities, infrastructure, field services, or another labor‑intensive or project‑based industry strongly preferred.

Bilingual English/Spanish is strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the company's day‑to‑day accounting operations and accounting team.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and year‑end financial close processes.
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of the general ledger and financial statements.
• Prepare and review monthly financial statements and management reporting.
• Maintain and strengthen internal accounting controls, policies, and procedures.
• Oversee account reconciliations and ensure discrepancies are identified, investigated, and resolved promptly.
• Provide executive management with meaningful financial analysis, including budget‑to‑actual and year‑over‑year variance analysis.
• Lead annual budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Monitor company and business‑unit financial performance, profitability, cash flow, and operating expenses.
• Oversee accounting activities related to accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, fixed assets, equipment, and other significant balance‑sheet accounts.
• Maintain appropriate controls over payroll accounting and labor‑cost allocation.
• Support job costing, project accounting, work‑in‑progress (WIP), and customer/contract profitability analysis.
• Partner with Operations, Payroll, Human Resources, and executive leadership to improve financial controls and operating performance.
• Coordinate external audits, tax reporting, banking relationships, and other financial compliance activities.
• Identify accounting discrepancies, control weaknesses, and financial risks and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain accounting procedures capable of supporting a large, multi‑department field operation.
• Lead, develop, and hold accounting personnel accountable for accurate and timely work.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 7–10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience.
• Demonstrated accounting leadership and supervisory experience.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated experience managing general ledger and month‑end/year‑end close processes.
• Strong financial statement preparation and analysis skills.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and variance analysis.
• Strong understanding of internal controls and account reconciliation.
• Experience managing and developing accounting professionals.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and financial systems skills.
• Ability to work on‑site in Bakersfield, California.
• Previous experience with Oracle Net Suite

Preferred Qualifications

• Accounting leadership experience in construction, Utility Vegetation Management (UVM), utilities, infrastructure, energy, field services, or another project‑based or labor‑intensive organization.
• Experience supporting a large or multi‑division organization.
• Experience with job costing, WIP, project accounting, and contract profitability analysis.
• Experience with large field payrolls and labor‑cost accounting.
• Exper…