Accounting Manager

Atalnt•Santee, CA

34d•Onsite

About The Position

Our client is an established construction organization with multiple operating companies and a lean corporate accounting team. The company is seeking an experienced construction accounting professional to support accounting operations, project financial reporting, and financial controls while partnering closely with operational leadership. The Accounting Manager will serve as the primary accounting partner to the Corporate Controller and lead day-to-day accounting and financial close activities for assigned operating companies. This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for the accuracy and integrity of job cost reporting, WIP reporting, financial statements, account reconciliations, and accounting controls. The successful candidate will work closely with company presidents, project managers, and accounting staff to identify financial risks, challenge project assumptions, resolve accounting issues, and support informed business decisions. This role also offers long-term growth potential for an experienced construction accounting professional interested in expanding their leadership responsibilities and developing toward broader accounting and financial oversight.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field, or equivalent progressive accounting experience.
7+ years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 4 years of hands-on construction accounting experience.
Experience with a general contractor, specialty contractor, or similarly project-based construction organization.
Demonstrated experience preparing, reviewing, and analyzing construction WIP schedules.
Strong understanding of cost-to-complete, margin analysis, underbillings, overbillings, change orders, committed costs, and revenue recognition.
Hands-on ownership of month-end close, financial reporting, account reconciliations, and accounting controls.
Strong knowledge of cost-to-cost revenue recognition, ASC 606, retention, change orders, and construction billing practices.
Prior supervisory experience managing accounting staff, including coaching, work review, deadline management, and accountability.
Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and XLOOKUP.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to exercise independent judgment and escalate material risks appropriately.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Hands-on experience with an ERP accounting system, including job costing, general ledger, and month-end close functions.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Viewpoint Vista or another construction-specific ERP such as SAGE 300, CMiC, Foundation, or Procore Financials.
Multi-entity accounting experience.
Experience with intercompany reconciliations and consolidated financial reporting.
Familiarity with California construction compliance, prevailing wage, certified payroll, union payroll, lien releases, and subcontractor documentation.

Responsibilities

Serve as the Corporate Controller's onsite accounting delegate and primary point of contact for accounting matters.
Lead and develop assigned accounting staff. Establish priorities, review work quality, and hold the team accountable for accuracy and deadlines.
Communicate material accounting issues, project margin changes, cash flow concerns, and control deficiencies to the Corporate Controller.
Partner with company presidents, project managers, and department leaders while maintaining accounting discipline and independent judgment.
Provide coverage for the Corporate Controller on delegated accounting matters.
Support management decision-making with accurate and reliable financial information.
Lead the monthly WIP process for assigned operating companies.
Validate contract values, change orders, job costs, committed costs, billings, retention, and revenue recognition under ASC 606.
Review cost-to-complete forecasts and project assumptions provided by operations.
Identify unusual trends, unsupported estimates, margin gains or fades, and inconsistencies between project performance and financial reporting.
Analyze original versus forecast margin, underbillings, overbillings, unapproved change orders, budget variances, backlog changes, and project-level cash exposure.
Ensure accurate job setup, cost coding, contract and budget changes, project billing, retention tracking, and job closeout in the ERP.
Lead assigned month-end and year-end close activities.
Prepare and review journal entries, account reconciliations, intercompany activity, accruals, and supporting schedules.
Ensure transactions and reporting comply with GAAP, ASC 606, company policies, and established accounting procedures.
Coordinate with accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, compliance, and operations to resolve discrepancies.
Support consolidated reporting and ensure entity balances reconcile to supporting subledgers and related companies.
Support cash flow forecasting by evaluating collections, billing timing, retention, vendor and subcontractor commitments, payroll requirements, and other cash needs.
Monitor project receivables and billing issues and partner with operations to resolve collection barriers.
Design, document, implement, and maintain effective internal controls.
Standardize accounting procedures across assigned companies.
Identify opportunities to improve accounting workflows, reporting, accountability, and ERP utilization.
Coordinate accounting support for external auditors, CPA firms, banks, bonding agents, and sureties.