Full-Time Fractional Controller (Construction Industries Experience Required)

Vessel Advisors•Nashville, TN

11d•$95,000•Remote

About The Position

Vessel Advisors is hiring a full-time Fractional Controller to manage accounting and financial reporting for a portfolio of construction clients, primarily general contractors and specialty trade contractors. The Controller reports directly to the VP of Operations and to client executive leadership on a fractional basis. The role owns accounting, job costing, work-in-progress (WIP) reporting, revenue recognition, and monthly financial reporting across multiple clients. The Controller leads month-end close and job cost review, prepares WIP schedules that reconcile to the general ledger, and oversees percentage-of-completion revenue recognition under ASC 606 using the cost-to-cost method. The role includes monthly estimate-to-complete reviews with project managers and owners, billing and pay-application oversight, client reporting, cash forecasting, surety and lender reporting, budgeting, and internal controls. The Controller also supervises Vessel Advisors and client-side staff and uses AI workflows to streamline recurring accounting work. This is a fully remote position for candidates in the USA, with standard working hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the employee’s local time zone; MST or PST is preferred. Infrequent travel, typically no more than once per month, may be required for client discovery or strategic team meetings. Attendance at the annual all-team retreat, typically in late summer or early fall, is required. The stated compensation starts at $95,000 per year, depending on experience.

Requirements

At least eight years of progressive accounting experience, including at least three years owning job cost, WIP, and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition for a general contractor or specialty trade contractor.
Proven construction accounting background as a Controller, Assistant Controller, or senior construction accountant, with direct ownership of job cost, WIP, and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition.
Strong command of GAAP, ASC 606 as applied to construction contracts, job cost accounting, and multi-entity reporting.
Fluency in ASC 606 over-time revenue recognition using the cost-to-cost method, including cumulative catch-up adjustments when estimated costs change.
Demonstrated expertise with at least one construction ERP or job cost platform.
Advanced Excel skills and Google Workspace experience.
Ability to lead fractional engagements, manage tight deadlines across multiple clients, and remain highly organized and proactive.
Superior written and verbal communication skills for frequent remote client engagement, including Slack and email.
Ability to work remotely from within the USA.
Attendance at the annual all-team retreat is required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance preferred.
CPA or CCIFP strongly preferred.
Experience building Claude Projects, custom GPTs, or similar AI workflows.
Experience with Sage 100 Contractor, Sage 300 CRE, Sage Intacct Construction, Foundation, Viewpoint Vista, Viewpoint Spectrum, or QuickBooks paired with Procore.
Infrequent travel availability preferred for initial client discovery assessments or strategic team meetings.
MST or PST time zone preferred.

Responsibilities

Own month-end close for assigned clients, including job cost review, accruals, and WIP schedules that tie to the general ledger.
Lead monthly estimate-to-complete meetings with project managers and owners, challenge assumptions, and document changes.
Review AIA G702/G703 pay applications, schedules of values, change orders, and retainage before submission.
Review subcontractor pay applications and lien waivers before payment.
Present monthly results to owners and leadership, explaining job-level changes and their causes.
Design and maintain cost codes for direct job costs, indirect job costs allocated to jobs, and general and administrative expenses.
Calculate percentage of completion using costs incurred to date divided by total estimated costs, and recognize revenue accordingly.
Prepare monthly WIP schedules; identify overbillings and underbillings, explain their effects on cash, margin, and bonding capacity, and address underlying causes.
Keep estimated total costs current, including when change orders, scope changes, or cost overruns occur, and quantify revenue and margin impacts.
Track job gross profit and margin against the original bid and prior month, reporting gains or fade and their causes.
Support certified payroll, prevailing-wage reporting, and job-level insurance and bonding requirements where applicable.
Build rolling 13-week cash forecasts tied to billing and retainage cycles; track line-of-credit availability and prepare covenant compliance calculations.
Prepare WIP schedules and financial packages for sureties, bonding agents, and lenders.
Prepare annual budgets, overhead rate analyses, and backlog and gross profit forecasts for CFO and owner review.
Deliver accurate month-end reporting packages and track KPIs including backlog, gross profit by job, overbillings and underbillings, days sales outstanding, and retainage receivable.
Establish internal controls and coordinate reviews, audits, and tax workflows with external CPAs.
Supervise Vessel Advisors and client-side staff while using AI workflows to streamline recurring accounting deliverables.
Manage a portfolio of concurrent clients, keep each close on schedule, and maintain quality while switching contexts.
Use AI tools to automate reconciliations, reporting, and recurring analysis.