Controller

Ridge Equipment Co•Westminster, MD

12d•$105,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

Ridge Equipment is a wireless infrastructure contractor that has been building DAS, small cell, and in-building wireless systems since 1995. The company is privately held, debt-free, and self-funded, with approximately 35 employees. The current finance operation was built for a smaller company and needs a complete redesign. This hands-on role will own the general ledger, monthly close, cash and working capital, and the insurance and risk program. The Controller will inherit a two-person finance team and have the authority to restructure its operations. This role reports to an owner-principal and works directly with the CEO.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 2 years of independently owning a monthly close.
Demonstrated progression in accounting roles.
Full-cycle general ledger and month-end close ownership.
A track record of changing processes, not just running them.
Working knowledge of contractor accounting concepts: progress billing, retainage, change orders, subcontractor compliance, and cost by job.
Strong Excel skills, comfortable building models and reconciliations from raw data.
Genuine fluency with modern cloud systems (QuickBooks Online, Ramp, QuickBooks Time, BambooHR, Samsara, Notion, and in-house operations platform).
Curiosity and willingness to work with software outside traditional accounting packages.
Exposure to multi-state payroll, registration, and tax compliance.
Comfort operating in a small company environment where one is both a strategist and a doer.
Must pass a background check.

Nice To Haves

Experience in construction, specialty trade contracting, telecommunications, or field services.
Prior ownership of workers' compensation or commercial auto premium audits.
Experience supervising or developing a small accounting team.
CPA or CMA certification (a plus, but not required).

Responsibilities

Redesign the finance operation by assessing existing workflows, determining what to keep and what to rebuild, and implementing changes. A documented plan is expected within the first 90 days, with visible change by month six.
Own the monthly close process to produce accurate and timely financial statements on a published schedule.
Manage the general ledger, chart of accounts, reconciliations, and associated accounting policies.
Manage cash and working capital, focusing on DSO for carrier receivables, invoice accuracy, retainage release, and the timing of subcontractor and vendor payments relative to carrier receipts.
Lead and develop the AP and AR team, rebuilding workflows on existing platforms.
Deliver job-level cost visibility for operations leaders, in partnership with the internal operations platform.
Own the risk and insurance program, including general liability, commercial auto, workers' compensation, umbrella insurance, and annual premium audits. Manage broker relationships and renewals.
Oversee subcontractor compliance, including qualification, master agreements, certificates of insurance, W-9 and 1099 administration, and lien waivers.
Manage multi-state registration, tax nexus, sales and use tax, and state payroll tax accounts.
Oversee payroll processing, ensuring accuracy of deductions, benefits, and multi-state withholding.
Serve as the primary contact for the outside CPA for year-end activities and for banking and insurance partners.
Build internal controls, including workable segregation of duties for a small team.
Manage the AP and AR team and rebuild those workflows on our existing platforms rather than adding new ones.