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Director & Controller
Location: Washington, DC, United States
Date Posted: Aug 10, 2026
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Description
About Alvarez & Marsal
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action and results-oriented professionals. We take a hands-on approach to solving our clients problems and assisting them in reaching their potential. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positively impact our clients and shape our industry. The collaborative environment and engaging work-guided by A&M s core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity-are why our people love working at A&M.
The Team
The Director & Controller, Federal Practice is a hands-on finance leader responsible for the financial planning, analysis, and government-contract cost accounting of the Federal Practice, a strategic business unit within Public Sector Services (PSS). Reporting to the Federal Chief Administrative Officer with an indirect reporting relationship to the PSS Chief Financial Officer, this role owns the practice's budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling while ensuring compliance with federal cost-accounting requirements, including FAR, DFARS, and the preparation of government submissions. This is an execution-focused position: the individual personally builds the models, produces the analysis, and prepares the submissions, while supervising a Financial Analyst and coordinating with A&M corporate finance, which owns the general ledger, close, and statutory reporting. As a trusted financial partner to Federal Practice and PSS leadership, the Director & Controller translates financial and operational data into insight and action that strengthens financial discipline, resource optimization, and profitable growth.
How you will contribute
PSS Financial Operations:
- Own and run the annual budget, forecast, and long-range plan for the Federal Practice - building the models, populating the numbers, and producing the outputs - in coordination with the Federal CAO and PSS CFO, and roll results up into PSS-level planning.
- Track working capital, backlog, and sales pipeline week to week for the Federal Practice and Federal engagements, and flag specific actions and progress-to-target directly to MDs and Federal Practice leadership.
- Build and maintain the financial models behind long-term strategic planning and growth initiatives.
- Produce the weekly and monthly KPI reporting - WIP, ETC/EAC, aging AR/AP, indirect spend, project profitability - analyzing the results and calling out risk areas in the write-up.
- Run variance analysis on P&L activity against plan and explain what's driving the gaps.
- Build the headcount, compensation, and professional-development spend models that align financial planning with talent strategy, working with the CPO.
- Drive optimization of the Federal Practice s talent resources - using utilization and resource-allocation data to identify underused capacity and staffing imbalances, recommend and action reallocation, and partner with the PSS CPO and PSS COO to improve financial discipline and operational effectiveness.
- Design and roll out new processes and tools to make the finance function faster and cleaner.
- Prepare the finance materials for leadership meetings.
- Support business leaders directly with the data analysis they need to make decisions.
- Source the data and analysis needed from A&M corporate finance, chasing inputs to keep the reporting cycle on schedule.
- Share tools, benchmarks, and best practices with other A&M business units.
- Take on ad-hoc analysis and projects as they arise.
Government Contract Cost Accounting & Compliance:
- Own the indirect cost rate structure for the Federal Practice - the pools and bases (fringe, overhead, G&A) - and set, monitor, and true up provisional/billing rates to actual and final rates.
- Build and own the Incurred Cost Submissions (ICS) and forward pricing rate proposals off that rate structure, rather than compiling them as one-off deliverables.
- Apply FAR Part 31 cost principles day to day: identify, segregate, and screen unallowable costs and maintain the supporting documentation.
- Monitor the Federal Practice's cost data within Corporate's accounting system for adequacy against the DFARS business-system criteria (SF 1408) - job-cost integrity, direct/indirect segregation, and labor distribution to the correct cost objectives - and coordinate with Corporate to resolve gaps.
- Monitor timekeeping and labor-charging practices across the Federal Practice and Federal engagements for compliance (total-time accounting, accurate labor distribution), and coordinate with Corporate, which owns the timekeeping system and controls, on any corrections.
- Serve as the finance point of contact for DCAA/DCMA audits - incurred cost audits, accounting-system reviews, and floor checks - and keep audit-ready support in place.
- Monitor Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) applicability and, if triggered, maintain the Disclosure Statement and ensure consistent cost-accounting practices.
- Prepare GSA reporting and maintain GSA schedule compliance (sales reporting, Industrial Funding Fee).
- Keep the Federal Practice's financial operations compliant with FAR and DFARS more broadly, and flag where specialist or corporate review is needed.
Leadership and Development:
- Supervise the Financial Analyst who owns project code set-up, invoicing, and related transactional work - setting priorities, reviewing output for accuracy, and stepping in hands-on when volume or complexity requires it.
- Coach the analyst's development through direct feedback and by building sound day-to-day financial and invoicing practices.
Work Environment:
- Fast-paced consulting environment with tight deadlines, multiple projects, and shifting / competing priorities
- Lean operating model / team structure
- Flexible working hours required to meet practice needs and project demands and deadlines
- Customer / client centric
Travel Required:
- Travel may be required to AM office sites
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field; CPA strongly preferred, with CMA, CGFM, CDFM, or an MBA also valued.
- A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in financial planning & analysis and/or government-contract finance, including hands-on ownership of financial modeling, management reporting, and government cost submissions.
- Direct experience with government contracting and working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), contract types (e.g., fixed-price, cost-plus, time-and-materials), and their compliance requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain indirect rate structures (fringe, overhead, G&A) and to develop provisional, billing, and final rates, including the underlying cost allocations. Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM) a plus for applicable contracts.
- Hands-on experience preparing and submitting government financial deliverables - Incurred Cost Submissions (ICS), forward pricing rate proposals, and GSA reporting - rather than only reviewing them.
- Working knowledge of Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), and related regulations; direct experience supporting audits by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) strongly preferred.
- Strong command of financial principles, budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling, with the technical depth to build the analyses personally.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic-thinking skills, with the ability to identify trends, drive actionable insights, and make data-driven decisions.
- Proven ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and quickly to Federal Practice and PSS leadership and other non-financial stakeholders.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
- Results-oriented mindset, with a focus on delivering high-quality outcomes and exceeding internal-customer expectations.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple competing priorities.
- Availability to work extended hours as needed throughout the year, including regular evening responsiveness and the flexibility to connect and act on priorities outside of standard working hours.
- Proficiency with financial systems and BI tools (e.g., SAP, Excel, Power BI, Tableau); familiarity with government-contract accounting systems (e.g., Deltek Costpoint) strongly preferred.
- Experience directly supervising and developing analyst-level staff.
- High level of integrity, professionalism, and attention to detail.
The above description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and qualifications for the position. Specific duties and requirements may vary based on firm and practice focus areas, and client and internal customer needs.
We recognize that our people are the driving force behind our success, which is why we prioritize an employee experience that fosters each person's unique professional and personal development. Our robust performance development process promotes continuous learning, rewards your contributions, and fosters a culture of meritocracy. With top-notch training and on-the-job learning opportunities, you can acquire new skills and advance your career.
We prioritize your well-being, providing benefits and resources to support you on your personal journey. Our people consistently highlight the growth opportunities, our unique, entrepreneurial culture, and the fun we have together as their favorite aspects of working at A&M. The possibilities are endless for high-performing and passionate professionals.
Regular employees working 30 or more hours per week are also entitled to participate in Alvarez & Marsal Holdings' fringe benefits consisting of healthcare plans, flexible spending and savings accounts, life, AD&D, and disability coverages at rates determined periodically as well as a 401(k) retirement savings plan. Provided the eligibility requirements are met, employees will also receive an annual discretionary contribution to their 401(k) retirement savings plan from Alvarez & Marsal. Additionally, employees are eligible for paid time off including vacation, personal days, seventy-two (72) hours of sick time (prorated for part time employees), ten federal holidays, one floating holiday, and parental leave. The amount of vacation and personal days available varies based on tenure and role type. Click here for more information regarding A&M's benefits programs.
The salary range is $135,000 - $175,000 annually, dependent on several variables including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. In addition, A&M offers a discretionary bonus program which is based on a number of factors, including individual and firm performance. Please ask your recruiter for details.
Culture & Values
At Alvarez & Marsal, our core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity guide everything we do, shaping a culture rooted in entrepreneurship, impact, and integrity. We trust our people to take ownership early, contribute to meaningful challenges, and drive results that matter. We empower growth and champion diverse perspectives. Above all, we value doing the right thing. For those ready to roll up their sleeves, lead with integrity, and be difference makers, this is where it starts.
Equal Opportunity Employer
It is Alvarez & Marsal's practice to provide and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex or gender, gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, family medical history, genetic information or other protected medical condition, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by and in accordance with applicable laws. Employees and Applicants can find A&M policy statements and additional information by region here.
Unsolicited Resumes from Third-Party Recruiters
Please note that as per A&M policy, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters unless such recruiters are engaged to provide candidates for a specified opening. Any employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume does so with the understanding that A&M will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.
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