About the Role
EPI Fire Protection is a premier, established, high-growth fire protection firm managing 100+ certified field technicians across the GTA. We inspect, service, repair, and install critical life-safety systems in commercial, residential, and public sector buildings and facilities. We are seeking an operationally-minded, hands-on Financial Controller to take full ownership of our financial ecosystem. This is a vital "player-coach" role. As the sole financial expert in the organization, you will lead a close-knit team of 3 transactional clerks while maintaining ultimate accountability for full-cycle accounting, cash protection, and payroll integrity. You will serve as a strategic partner to ownership—managing banking relationships, ensuring credit covenant compliance, and identifying bottom-line cost-reduction opportunities.
Why Join Us?
- Total Operational Autonomy: You run the department and work directly with ownership.
- Stable, High-Volume Environment: A robust business model backed by long-term public and commercial contracts.
- Elite Compensation: $135k–$155k base, 5 weeks vacation, full benefits, and a group RRSP program with company doubling.
Core Responsibilities
1. Full-Cycle Accounting, Controls & Year-End Assurance
- Own the general ledger, balance sheet reconciliations, month-end close, and preparation of accurate monthly financial and management statements.
- Design, implement, and enforce internal controls to optimize upstream data entry and eliminate classification errors.
- Take the lead on year-end preparation and serve as the primary point of contact for our external assurance accountants.
2. Banking, Covenants & Cash Flow Optimization
- Actively manage the company's banking relationships and financing structures.
- Monitor, protect, and report on bank credit covenants to ensure continuous compliance.
- Maintain a real-time pulse on liquidity by preparing robust weekly and 13-week cash flow forecasts.
- Conduct ad hoc financial analysis to uncover cost-cutting opportunities and improve bottom-line profitability.
3. Total Workforce Payroll & Union Compliance
- Take ultimate accountability for the accuracy and compliance of a complex weekly payroll for 100+ unionized technicians and non-unionized staff.
- Personally prepare, validate, and approve all variable inputs (overtime, premiums, stipends, and vacation tracking) in compliance with Ontario ESA and UA (United Association) union rules.
- Provide structure, training, and oversight to a long-tenured AP/Payroll clerk who executes data entry but requires your final compliance verification.
4. Systems & Process Optimization
- Navigate and maintain data integrity across our current disparate systems framework (QuickBooks Online Advanced, Jobber, and Excel).
- While not an immediate requirement, leverage your strong general IT competence to streamline workflows between dispatch data and accounting, ensuring the business is prepared should we evaluate an ERP migration down the road.
Required Experience & Profile
- CPA Designation is required.
- 5–10+ years of full-cycle accounting experience, with a proven track record in a mid-sized ($15M–$45M) business environment.
- Industry Sector: Direct experience in fire protection, elevator maintenance, HVAC, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, telecom, utilities, or similar mobile field service environments is highly preferred.
- Union Savvy: Deep comfort navigating Ontario union payroll rules, remittances, and trade union tracking.
- The "Player-Coach" Mentality: You possess the analytical skepticism to catch errors others miss, the business acumen to manage banking covenants, and the humility to roll up your sleeves to audit data alongside your clerks.
- Tech-Competent: Advanced Excel skills and comfort working across fragmented operational systems to extract clean data.
Benefits & Perks:
- Dental care & Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Paid time off (5 Weeks)
- On-site parking
- Group RRSP with Company Doubling
Pay: $135,000.00-$155,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- On-site parking
- RRSP match
Work Location: In person
