Controller

POSITION: Controller

SunWorks Overview

Sunworks is a leading private equity-backed commercial landscape maintenance company. Sunworks is building a national platform by acquiring market-leading local businesses with great cultures, attracting the best technical and managerial talent, and creating unmatched growth opportunities for our people. Over the past year, Sunworks has acquired six commercial landscaping companies in Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Texas. Our companies provide recurring landscape maintenance services to corporate campuses, universities, office parks, retail centers, light industrial properties, and homeowners associations. With strong organic growth and an aggressive acquisition strategy, we aim to build the largest privately held commercial landscaping businesses in the country. Sunworks is part of Orion Services Group, a national field services provider with 23 partner companies in the HVAC, commercial landscaping, and facility maintenance industries. Sunworks is backed by Alpine Investors, a private equity firm specializing in middle market companies in the services and software industries with over $3.4bn of lifetime committed capital.

Position Overview

As the Controller for Texas operations, you will lead all financial operations by managing and building finance/ accounting teams for three existing Texas entities and future new greenfield operations and possible newly acquired companies. You will also stand up financial reporting and integrate financial operations among all Texas entities. You will play a foundational role in leading existing financial operations across business, facilitating on-time reporting, overseeing AR/AP/payroll, and leading FP&A for Sungrow’s Texas operations.

The Controller will be a critical leader helping to build a highly scalable, best-in-class accounting department. You will help build and oversee the day-to-day accounting activities, ensuring an adequate control environment. This role will be responsible for establishing accounting policies, forecasting processes, controls and reporting systems. To be successful in this role, you will have to take the initiative to drive change in the organization. The individual in this role will also serve as a key member of the Sungrow Texas executive team and as a strategic thought partner to the Operating Company Presidents.

Job Responsibilities

Working directly with the Operating Company Presidents and vertical CFO, you will play a key role in establishing and executing financial and accounting operations. The ideal candidate will have excellent traditional Controllership skills and serve as a proactive financial/strategic thought partner with the Operating Company Presidents and senior management team. Key job responsibilities include:

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the accounting department.
• Manage the timely reporting of accurate financial statements in accordance with GAAP
• Manage all aspects of the month-end close process, including reviewing journal entries prepared by staff, preparing accruals and reserve support, and ensuring the general ledger is complete, materially accurate, and closed timely and in accordance with internal and external reporting requirements.
• Proactively seek opportunities to improve planning and reporting processes (e.g., achieving a 10-day close for financial reporting).

• Assist in standardizing and upgrading ERP and accounting systems across the Texas region

• Assist parent company implementation of a new G/L and ERP system, to streamline the reporting process.
• Manage shared service function serving all Texas entities/operations (Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll)
• Direct all aspects of accounting & finance operations, overseeing all transactions related to the general ledger.
• Develop, implement, and ensure compliance with internal financial and accounting policies and procedures while preparing company to scale for growth.
• Lead core financial processes including annual budgets, monthly/quarterly forecasts, cash forecasting.
• Support the annual Parent Company external audit
• Provide the management team with information and insights vital to the decision-making process
• Collaborate on operational issues with managers in different departments at the company.
• Model the highest ethical standards and behaviors as a leader in the organization.
• Build and foster strong cross-functional relationships across the business.

• Support strategic decision-making with data-driven insights, analysis, and forecasts
• Oversee treasury operations, including cash management and controls
• Support the hiring and development of accounting talent across the Texas region
• Implement cost savings initiatives across the portfolio (bulk purchasing, joint leasing, payroll outsourcing, etc.)

Must Have

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting
• 3+ years in public accounting
• 3+ years in industry
• 2+ years managerial experience (direct management of staff)
• Proven experience managing a general ledger of a company and running a month-end close process from start to finish
• Excellent knowledge of invoicing, payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable functions
• Good understanding of US GAAP
• Strong ability to communicate accounting and financial information into common language
• Excellent interpersonal skills, attention to detail and teamwork
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• A positive and resourceful can-do attitude
• Flexible mind set with the ability to effectively balance and manage multiple priorities
• Hand On – Roll up sleeves mentality / work style

Nice to Have:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license
• Knowledge of Cost Accounting
• Experience with systems implementation
• Experience using Sage Intacct
• Experience using Quick Books
• Experience with percentage of completion accounting

Compensation and Timing:

• A competitive compensation package will be offered. Austin area location with 10-30% travel required