Controller (Head of Finance)

AVIAN is seeking a Controller (Head of Finance) to serve as our top full-time finance leader. In this role, you will own all accounting operations, Costpoint integrity, compliant billing, and the reliability of our financial reporting. You will report directly to the CEO and work closely with our fractional CFO.

This is a hands-on role in a government contracting environment. You will lead the month-end close, guide systems and process improvements, oversee compliance, and help ensure that AVIAN's financial foundation supports our strategic objectives.

If you are excited to lead a growing GovCon finance organization-owning close, systems, and compliance-in a role with significant visibility to senior leadership and upward mobility, this role is for you.

Join a Company Where You Can Make a Real Impact - and Own a Piece of the Future

Are you energized by the idea of helping a company grow smarter, serve our customers better, and connect more deeply? Do you thrive in an environment where your ideas matter, your voice is heard, and your work drives real results? If so, we'd love to meet you.

We're a mid-sized, employee-owned company on a mission to create meaningful value for both our employees and our customers. That means we're not just looking for someone to fill a seat - we're looking for someone who wants to build, innovate, and evolve with us.

Our company primarily serves the Navy and other Department of Defense clients, offering a dynamic environment where your expertise will make a difference.

Lead accounting operations and month-end close

Own full-cycle accounting (GL, AP, AR, payroll integration, fixed assets) and deliver timely, accurate monthly financial statements.
• Drive the company toward a consistent 10-business-day month-end close and maintain strong discipline around closing activities.
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations and ensure a standardized close checklist is followed.
• Maintain and update accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls in alignment with GAAP, FAR, DCAA, and CAS expectations.

Optimize Deltek Costpoint

• Take ownership of Deltek Costpoint from an accounting/finance perspective, including chart of accounts, org/project structure, indirect pools, and related configuration.
• Identify and implement improvements in Costpoint setup and usage to support accurate billing, reporting, and decision-making.
• Coordinate with any Costpoint administrators and external advisors (as needed) to implement, test, and document system changes.

Ensure compliant billing, revenue, and GovCon controls

• Oversee preparation and review of all government invoices (FFP, T&M, cost-reimbursable), ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with contract terms and federal regulations.
• Strengthen controls around revenue recognition, cost accumulation, indirect rate application, and project closeout in a Costpoint environment.
• Maintain DCAA- and FAR-compliant accounting practices and support audits, incurred cost submissions, and other regulatory reviews.

Provide audit/tax support

• Serve as primary point of contact for DCAA, DCMA, and external auditors;
• Coordinate and support:
• Incurred Cost Submissions
• Forward Pricing Rate Proposals
• Provisional/billing rate reviews
• Ensure timely and accurate responses to tax and audit requests.
• Coordinate with external tax advisors.

Provide core FP&A support

• Partner with the CEO and fractional CFO on annual budgets, forecasts, and cash visibility; ensure monthly results are reconciled, explainable, and ready for management review.
• Prepare concise variance analyses and management reports that help operations leaders understand performance by contract, customer, and line of business.
• Support business development and proposals by providing cost and rate inputs, financial modeling, and oversight of cost volumes for key pursuits.

Lead and develop the finance team

• Directly lead the accounting team (AR/billing, AP, purchasing/travel) in a dynamic, growing organization.
• Clarify roles, balance workload, cross-train staff, and improve processes to support a high-performing, resilient team.
• Build a culture of trust, transparency, and collaboration between finance, operations, contracts, and executive leadership.

What success looks like

• The month-end close is consistently completed within targeted timelines, with reconciled, audit-ready financial statements.
• Costpoint is effectively configured and used to support accurate billing, reporting, and management insight.
• Invoices are accurate and timely, and financial controls support strong cashflow and compliance.
• Internal stakeholders view finance as a reliable, responsive partner that provides clear, actionable information.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, including at least 5 years in a government contracting environment.
• 3+ years in a Controller, Assistant Controller, or equivalent senior accounting leadership role in a GovCon services company (ideally $40M-$150M).
• Hands-on experience with Deltek Costpoint as a power user, including involvement in configuration, month-end close, and resolving accounting/system issues.
• Strong working knowledge of GAAP, FAR, and DCAA requirements, including audit support and internal control expectations for government contractors.
• Demonstrated experience improving financial processes, strengthening controls, and leading a small accounting team.

Preferred

• CPA and/or MBA.
• Experience supporting bank/lender reporting, financial covenants, and board-level financial presentations.
• Experience with proposal pricing, cost volumes, and rate strategy in GovCon.
• Familiarity with other GovCon tools (e.g., WAWF/PIEE, DCMA/DCAA interactions, BI/reporting tools).

Salary range: $130,000 - $165,000 (The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity.)

About being a part of Team AVIAN

As an employee-owner, you'll be a catalyst for progress - helping us find new opportunities with current or new customers, company efficiencies, streamline processes, and bring people and ideas together in smarter ways. Whether it's helping us optimize workflows, enhancing the employee experience, or delivering more impactful solutions to our customers, your inputs will have reach and relevance across the organization.

Taking care of each other is a cornerstone of our AVIAN philosophy. Being part of the AVIAN team means being part of a team that takes pride in being expansive in our community because our impact doesn't stop in the workplace. We actively engage in community initiatives, empowering our employees to make a meaningful difference.

You'll Succeed Here If You...

• See opportunities where others see routine
• Are curious, collaborative, and passionate about making things better
• Enjoy connecting dots across teams, tools, and tasks
• Believe in doing the right thing the right way - even when no one's watching
• Play an active role in our growth, using your ideas and initiative to shape how we work, serve, and succeed together
• Embrace a "one team" mindset knowing we are stronger together through trust, transparency and teamwork.
• Understand the power of ownership - and are excited to be part of an employee-owned culture

Why Join Us?

• Employee Ownership: We're not just building a company - we're building a legacy. As an employee-owner, you'll share in our success and have a direct stake in our future.
• Real Growth: We're expanding, evolving, and exploring new ways to serve. Your contributions will shape our direction and help us grow stronger.
• Purpose-Driven Work: Every improvement you help make is one that adds value - not just for us, but for the people and missions we support.
• Culture of Collaboration: We're big enough to take on meaningful challenges, but small enough that everyone still knows your name.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Designed to support your health, financial security, and overall well-being, our health and wellness benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with telemedicine services and a TRICARE supplement for veterans.
• Flexible Leave Benefits: we prioritize a balanced, supportive environment that allows you to thrive both personally and professionally and offer flexible and paid time off, 11 paid holidays, paid sick leave, maternity and bonding leave, and military training leave.

AVIAN is a service-based organization. As an equal opportunity employer, our policy of business is to seek the most qualified candidate for each talent opportunity without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, religious belief, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual preference, physical or mental handicap, lawful political affiliation or veteran's status.