Financial Controller in Charlotte, North Carolina

Financial Controller

A growing, private equity-backed organization is seeking a hands-on Financial Controller to lead its accounting and financial operations. This is a highly visible leadership position for someone who is comfortable working in the details of the business while also helping leadership improve financial performance, strengthen processes, and support continued growth. The Financial Controller will oversee day-to-day accounting operations, deliver accurate and timely financial reporting, manage cash flow and working capital, and provide meaningful financial insights to executive leadership and private equity stakeholders.

The ideal candidate is not simply a reviewer of financial information. This individual should be comfortable rolling up their sleeves, improving accounting processes, resolving operational issues, and building a scalable financial infrastructure.

Accounting Operations

• Lead the company's daily accounting operations, including general ledger accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, cash management, and account reconciliations.
• Maintain accurate financial records and ensure transactions are recorded completely and consistently.
• Establish clear accounting procedures, documentation, approval workflows, and internal controls.
• Review journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, and other month-end activity.
• Partner with operational teams to improve the accuracy and timeliness of financial information.
• Identify accounting process gaps and implement practical, scalable solutions.
• Ensure accounting systems and processes can support the company's continued growth.

Financial Reporting and Month-End Close

• Own the monthly financial close process and consistently complete the close within seven business days.
• Prepare accurate income statements, balance sheets, cash-flow statements, and supporting financial schedules.
• Deliver timely weekly financial reporting, including P&L performance, cash position, working-capital metrics, and other key business indicators.
• Analyze financial results against budget, forecast, and prior periods.
• Investigate variances and work with operational leaders to develop corrective action plans.
• Maintain the integrity of the general ledger and supporting financial data.

Cash Flow and Working Capital

• Develop and maintain a detailed rolling 13-week cash-flow forecast.
• Monitor expected customer receipts, vendor payments, payroll obligations, capital expenditures, and other cash requirements.
• Provide leadership with early visibility into potential cash-flow risks or liquidity needs.
• Manage working capital by improving collections, monitoring customer balances, and optimizing vendor payment timing.
• Create scenario analyses based on changes in revenue, project timing, operating expenses, and business conditions.

Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable

• Oversee customer billing and ensure invoices are accurate, complete, and issued promptly.
• Monitor outstanding receivables, customer payment trends, aging reports, and days sales outstanding.
• Work with customers and internal stakeholders to resolve billing issues and improve collections.
• Oversee vendor invoice processing, payment approvals, aging reports, and vendor account reconciliations.
• Maintain strong vendor relationships while balancing payment obligations with cash-flow priorities.
• Evaluate customer and vendor payment terms and recommend improvements when appropriate.

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Financial Analysis

• Lead the annual budgeting process and support ongoing forecasting and financial planning.
• Compare actual financial performance against budget and forecast expectations.
• Provide actionable financial analysis related to revenue, labor, operating expenses, profitability, and cash flow.
• Partner with business leaders to understand operational drivers and identify opportunities to improve margins.
• Develop key performance indicators that provide leadership with a clear view of business performance.
• Support strategic planning, growth initiatives, capital investments, and other significant business decisions.

Executive and Board Reporting

• Prepare detailed quarterly financial presentations for executive leadership, ownership, and the board.
• Communicate financial performance, trends, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions clearly.
• Present comparisons to budget, forecast, prior periods, and established performance targets.
• Provide meaningful commentary behind the numbers rather than simply reporting financial results.
• Support private equity reporting requirements and respond to financial information requests from investors and other stakeholders.

Financial Controls and Process Improvement

• Strengthen internal controls and financial approval processes across the organization.
• Improve the efficiency, consistency, and accuracy of accounting and reporting processes.
• Evaluate existing systems, tools, and workflows and recommend improvements.
• Develop scalable processes that can support future…