Controller - Rapidly , Privately Owned Construction Firm

Position

Controller

Chief Financial Officer

Milwaukee, WI

Full-Time, Monday – Friday;
Onsite

A Rapidly Growing, Privately Owned Construction Firm

Competitive base salary & year-end performance bonus. Total rewards include healthcare (medical, dental, vision), PTO policy, paid holidays, 401(k), and additional rewards.

Chamberlain Advisors is seeking a hands‑on, detail‑oriented Controller to join a highly complex, project‑based organization. This is a critical finance leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, with ownership of the general ledger, financial reporting, and the Work‑in‑Progress (WIP) and Percentage‑of‑Completion (POC) accounting processes. As a trusted business partner to the CFO, the Controller will play a central role in ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting, accelerating the month‑end close, strengthening reconciliations and internal controls, and delivering clear budget‑to‑actual and variance analysis to support leadership decision‑making.

This role is ideal for a technically strong, proactive accounting leader who thrives in hands‑on environments, brings rigor to complex project accounting, and is motivated by improving processes and outcomes across the finance function.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on, technically strong Controller with deep experience in project‑based accounting environments, such as construction, design‑build, EPC, or similarly complex, multi‑project organizations. They bring a proven track record of owning the general ledger, WIP and percentage‑of‑completion accounting, revenue recognition, and financial reporting, while supporting audits and maintaining strong internal controls. This individual has successfully operated within evolving systems and processes, demonstrates full ERP ownership (with Sage Intacct experience strongly preferred), and applies advanced Excel skills to interpret and validate complex data sets.

Beyond technical expertise, the successful candidate is a proactive, self‑directed problem solver with a strong sense of ownership and accountability. They are adaptable and highly organized, able to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization as a trusted business partner. While a CPA is preferred, it is not required; demonstrated project accounting experience is more critical than formal credentials.

Construction experience is beneficial but not mandatory, provided the candidate brings strong, hands‑on project accounting and a positive, resilient, team‑oriented mindset aligned with a collaborative culture.

• Self‑Starter Mindset, Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Cultural Compatibility - The ideal candidate is a self‑starting, entrepreneurial leader with a strong sense of ownership and accountability, motivated by the opportunity to help build and grow a business. They demonstrate initiative beyond task execution—proactively validating information, investigating anomalies, and pushing work forward with curiosity and persistence, even when operating with limited or incomplete data.
  
  This individual brings emotional maturity and a positive, solution‑oriented mindset, remaining calm and collaborative under pressure, owning outcomes, learning from setbacks, and contributing constructively to a culture that values accountability, resilience, and continuous improvement.
• Complex Project Accounting (WIP & POC) Capability - Strong experience in project‑based accounting environments is essential for this role. While direct construction or design‑build experience is advantageous, candidates from adjacent project‑driven industries are equally relevant. The Controller must be comfortable managing a high volume of projects at varying stages and applying nuanced revenue recognition methodologies, including actuals‑based recognition, interim margin approaches, and true percentage‑of‑completion accounting.
  
  Success in this role depends on the ability to understand, manage, and interpret complex project data,…