Fractional Controller - Construction Focus

CEFO Advisors•Albany, NY

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

CEFO Advisors is a growing advisory firm built on strong relationships, practical thinking, and a high standard of client service. For over 13 years, we've supported organizations across the region by providing steady, experienced financial leadership when they need it most. Our team is made up of professionals who value organization, follow-through and being dependable partners to both clients and each other. We take pride in creating an environment that is structured, supportive, and flexible. CEFO Advisors is proud to be named a 2025 Best Place to Work by the Albany Business Review, reflecting our commitment to a supportive and team-focused environment. Position Overview As a Controller serving construction clients at CEFO Advisors, you will showcase your value while supporting multiple clients across the building and contracting space. You will partner closely with owners and project leaders to strengthen financial visibility, tighten job-level profitability, and build dependable operational infrastructure. Managing accounting staff, improving workflows, strengthening internal controls, and bringing clarity to financial reporting are all part of the role. You'll collaborate with our CFO team to support strategic decision-making and help construction leaders understand the financial roadmap needed to run and grow a great business. This role will also work with general business clients as needed.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in a Controller or comparable senior-level financial role
Demonstrated experience supporting construction or contractor clients required
Strong command of job costing and contract accounting (POC, WIP, retainage)
Ability and acumen to coach and mentor staff
Ability to manage multiple clients and balance priorities
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel required
Experience working with QuickBooks, Sage products, and other ERP systems; ability to adapt quickly to various client systems
Strong technology skills and comfort with modern cloud-based tools
Exceptional interpersonal and client service skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Confidentiality and promptness are of utmost importance
Must be based within 60 miles of Albany, NY

Nice To Haves

Experience with system implementation is a plus!
CPA is a plus!

Responsibilities

Review financial information and data entry for accuracy and completeness
Manage and complete the month-end close process
Record recurring journal entries, including payroll and depreciation
Reconcile balance sheet accounts
Define and produce client-centric financial reports
Develop and maintain 13-week cash flow forecasts
Identify inefficiencies and implement accounting best practices
Supervise and support CEFO staff and client staff
Develop and refine workflow processes
Support our CFOs with banking, bonding, and insurance relationships
Identify and correct existing pain points and help clients build future strategic plans and milestones
Own job costing across labor, materials, equipment, and subcontractor costs, ensuring accurate project-level tracking
Manage contract accounting, including percentage-of-completion and completed contract methods, work-in-progress (WIP) schedules, over/under billings, and revenue recognition
Track change orders, retainage, and committed costs against budgets
Produce job profitability reporting and cost-to-complete analysis for project stakeholders
Support billing tied to project milestones, AIA-style progress billing, and lien waiver coordination
Partner with project managers to reconcile estimated vs. actual costs
Coordinate workers' compensation, insurance, and labor union audits
Understand union payroll including prevailing wage and certified payroll