POSITION OVERVIEW: As the
Sector/Divisional Controller - Energy & Survey, you will be responsible for overseeing all project accounting across a portfolio of energy and environmental civil engineering subsidiaries within a ~$800 million organization. This role acts as a key business partner to sector operational leadership, project managers, and corporate finance overseeing approximately $100M-$125M in annual revenue. Reporting to the Corporate Controller, this role is responsible for the integrity of sector financial reporting, month-end close activities, project accounting oversight, billing and collections coordination, balance sheet reconciliations, internal controls, and compliance with company policies and U.S. GAAP. The Sector/Divisional Controller will help drive consistency, visibility, and financial discipline across a multi-state AEC operating environment while developing a high-performing accounting team.
A TYPICAL DAY MIGHT INCLUDE:- Lead day-to-day project accounting operations for the Energy and Survey sectors, including month-end close, account reconciliations, and financial reporting.
- Partner with sector leaders and project managers to monitor project performance, including backlog, work in process, unbilled receivables, write-offs, change orders, and cost overruns.
- Ensure timely and accurate preparation of sector-level financial statements, management reports, variance analyses, and other decision-support reporting for the Corporate Controller and business leadership.
- Oversee accounting for complex, multi-phase engineering projects, including contract modifications and milestone billing.
- Lead or support integration of newly acquired subsidiaries, including alignment of accounting practices and procedures.
- Maintain and strengthen internal controls, accounting policies, and standard operating procedures to support compliance, consistency, and scalability across multiple states and operating units.
- Support internal and external audits by preparing schedules, responding to requests, and ensuring documentation is complete and accurate.
- Collaborate with tax, payroll, AP, AR, and corporate accounting teams on cross-functional issues, including intercompany activity, allocations, and process improvements.
- Coach, develop, and review the work of 5-10 project accountants and accounting staff supporting the Energy and Survey sectors.
- Identify opportunities to improve reporting, data quality, automation, and workflow efficiency within the accounting function.
- Perform other accounting leadership duties and special projects as assigned.
REQUIRED EDUCATION/LICENSE/CERTIFICATIONS:- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required
- CPA strongly preferred
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:- 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including leadership responsibility in a controller, assistant controller, accounting manager, or similar role
- Experience in the architecture, engineering, consulting, construction, or broader professional services environment, with strong understanding of project-based accounting
- Demonstrated experience overseeing multi-entity or multi-state accounting operations and applying sound internal control practices
- Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, financial reporting, account reconciliations, audit support, and compliance requirements
- Deep understanding of project lifecycle accounting, including revenue recognition, billing, collections, backlog, work in process, and project profitability analysis
- Ability to translate financial data into actionable insights for operational leaders and executive stakeholders
- Proven leadership, coaching, and team development capabilities, with strong communication and cross-functional partnership skills
- Advanced proficiency in Excel and experience with ERP and project accounting systems used in the AEC or professional services industry
- Preferred systems experience includes BST, UNANET, Deltek, Microsoft Dynamics 365, or similar ERP and project accounting platforms used in the AEC industry
LEVEL UP WITH LJAAt LJA, we're 100% employee-owned. This drives results, rewards ambition and supports long-term success for every team member. With almost 100 locations and 3,000+ employee-owners (and growing), we're building something big! We want you to be part of it.
Your future grows here.- Generous Time Off: PTO, paid holidays, and a full office closure between Christmas and New Year's.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Multiple plan options for health, dental, and pets. Along with mental health support.
- Family Support: Paid maternity and parental leave to help you focus on what matters most.
- Education Support: Tuition reimbursement and in-house courses provided by our Learning and Development team.
- Referral Bonuses: Know great talent? Get rewarded for helping us grow.
- Community Impact: Company-sponsored volunteer days and philanthropic initiatives.
- Professional Development: Memberships to industry organizations to keep you connected and growing.
- Career Growth: Great internal mobility opportunities to advance your career.
- Fun Culture: LJA social events, employee sports teams, bring your kid to work day, etc.
To Executive Search Firms & Staffing Agencies: LJA Engineering, Inc. and its subsidiaries do not accept unsolicited resumes from any agencies that have not signed a service agreement. All unsolicited resumes will be considered LJA's property. This includes resumes submitted directly to hiring managers without contacting LJA's Human Resources Talent Department.
