Controller in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Spruce Builders, LLC

Spruce Builders and Civetta Property Group are Philadelphia-based companies dedicated to building stronger communities through thoughtful construction, real estate development, and homeownership opportunities.

Founded in 2020, Spruce Builders specializes in ground-up construction and historic renovations throughout the Philadelphia region. Working closely with a select group of real estate investors, our team brings projects to life through collaboration, accountability, and a commitment to delivering quality work on time and on budget.

Civetta Property Group is driven by a mission to create attainable homeownership opportunities that help individuals and families build wealth while strengthening neighborhoods. By developing quality housing and investing in the communities we serve, we strive to make a lasting positive impact across Philadelphia.

Our culture is built on entrepreneurship, continuous learning, and recognizing the unique strengths of every team member. We believe great results come from great people, which is why we are intentional about who joins our team and committed to providing an environment where talented individuals can grow, contribute, and make a meaningful difference.

If you’re looking to build your career with a company that values ownership, innovation, community impact, and personal development, we’d love to hear from you.

We are building a high-performance, multi-entity construction and development platform — and we need a financial operator who can build the accounting infrastructure to match our growth.

We are scaling rapidly in high-end residential and multi-family construction and development. Project volume is increasing. Entity complexity is increasing. Capital sophistication is increasing. Our accounting function must level up accordingly.

We are not looking for a traditional “keep the books clean” Controller. This Is Not a Maintenance Role. If you are a strategic construction finance leader who thrives in high-accountability environments, builds systems that scale, and wants a real seat at the table — this role is for you. If you prefer slow-moving environments, unclear standards, or “that’s how we’ve always done it,” this will not be a fit.

What You Will Own

You will own the integrity, structure, and scalability of our financial operations across multiple entities. This is a hands-on leadership role with direct impact on cash, profitability, capital strategy, and operational decision-making.

What Winning Looks Like

Within 30–90 Days

Diagnose gaps in our accounting team and present a hiring/upgrade planImplement a disciplined monthly close calendarImprove reporting clarity and timelinessEstablish weekly executive dashboard cadenceStrengthen immediate internal controlsBuild a rolling 13-week cash forecast updated weekly

You are not here to observe. You are here to upgrade.

Within 6–12 Months

Deliver consistently on-time financial statements (10–15 business day close)Implement or significantly optimize accounting/project management systemsPresent technology and infrastructure recommendations to Ownership/BoardBuild a scalable accounting department that supports growth without chaosCreate real-time visibility into job profitability and cash position

Core Responsibilities:

Financial Leadership

Own FP&A for construction operations (job costing, WIP, margin analysis)Provide clear day/week/month financial snapshots to partnersLead annual budgeting and quarterly reforecastingEnsure capital and liquidity planning aligns with project pipeline

Construction Accounting Mastery

You must deeply understand:

Percentage-of-completion accountingWIP schedules and margin fade/gain analysisRetainage trackingDraw schedules and lien waiver managementMulti-entity and intercompany accountingDevelopment and partnership structures

We are not looking for someone who needs to learn construction accounting on the job.

Operational Rigor

Own monthly, quarterly, and annual closesEnsure all bank reconciliations are completed monthlyOversee AP, AR, payroll, and subcontractor paymentsImplement daily cash reportingMaintain GAAP complianceLead audit and tax coordination

Systems & Scalability

Evaluate QuickBooks and current software stackRecommend and lead ERP upgrades if neededImprove reporting automation and data reliabilityBuild processes that reduce dependency on individual heroics

Performance Standards

We measure performance. You will be accountable for:

Monthly financials delivered within 10–15 business daysWeekly accounting dashboard sent by Monday 12 PMAccurate WIP reporting every monthRolling 13-week cash forecast updated weeklyClean reconciliations with no surprisesAR metrics improving as HIP business scales

Required Experience

10+ years progressive accounting experienceMinimum 5 years as Controller (or equivalent senior finance leader) in residential or multi-family constructionProven experience scaling accounting operationsExpertise in job costing and WIP reportingExperience managing multiple entitiesExperience working directly with ownershipExperience with QuickbooksExperience with BuilderTrend, Sage 300, Procore, or similar

Preferred

CPA strongly preferredExperience with development capital structures and joint venturesERP implementation leadership experience

Who Thrives Here

You have built accounting departments beforeYou move fast and don’t wait to be toldYou think like an ownerYou are comfortable being measuredYou communicate clearly and directlyYou care about precisionYou can operate strategically and still dive into detailYou are technology-focused

Who Should Not Apply

Controllers who only manage existing systemsAccountants uncomfortable with growth-stage ambiguityCandidates without real construction accounting depthLeaders who avoid accountability

This is a career-defining opportunity to build the financial backbone of a scaling construction and development platform. If you are elite at what you do — and want to build something that matters — we want to talk.

Background check required for the role.