Accounting Specialist

Cogent Talent Solutions•Syracuse, NY

About The Position

The AP & AR Specialist is responsible for maintaining accurate and timely accounts payable and assigned accounts receivable records. The role ensures expenses are properly coded, documented, reconciled, and paid, and that completed work and approved changes are reflected in customer billings. Its work supports cash flow planning, job-cost accuracy, month-end reporting, vendor relationships, and project profitability. The objective is accurate, efficient, and consistent processing that keeps the books as current as practical. The first six months of employment are a training period. After that period, the employee is expected to perform both AP and AR functions with minimal oversight. The position processes invoices and payments, manages vendor records, reconciles credit cards and other assigned accounts, supports purchase order and job-cost reporting, prepares customer billings, records cash receipts, processes change orders, assists with monthly close and tax/year-end compliance, and maintains an organized workflow around deadlines.

Responsibilities

Process vendor invoices accurately, including vendor, amount, dates, GL account, job, cost class, phase, task, and tax coding.
Maintain consistent daily invoice processing and obtain missing job, PO, approval, or supporting information from Project Managers and Foremen.
Scan and match invoices, packing slips, and purchase orders; enter approved invoices into Foundation with supporting documentation and maintain organized electronic records.
Ensure transactions have adequate support, approvals, and coding; prevent duplicate entries and promptly resolve posting errors or discrepancies.
Communicate promptly when volume, missing information, approvals, or other issues could disrupt normal processing.
Review vendor statements and resolve missing invoices, credits, discrepancies, or duplicate activity.
Maintain vendor records and required payment, tax, insurance, WBE, EIN, and other documentation; verify new or changed vendor bank information by calling contact information already on file.
Verify subcontractor insurance certificates when contracts are signed and before each subcontractor payment.
Review AP aging and upcoming obligations; prepare checks, ACH/EFTs, credit card payments, and other vendor payments according to vendor terms and cash-management priorities. The Accounting Manager approves payments and schedules ACH/EFTs, and the Owner signs checks.
Resolve vendor questions about unpaid invoices or account discrepancies to help avoid late fees, missed discounts, account holds, or supply disruptions.
Complete Finvari imports and required posting activity on the established weekly schedule; reconcile company credit cards and other assigned accounts and investigate missing receipts, coding errors, duplicate charges, or unusual transactions.
Match invoices to purchase orders and job documentation; review open purchase orders on active and inactive jobs and coordinate with Project Managers on unclear PO status or job coding.
Help ensure expenses are recorded in the proper accounting period and assigned to the correct job; identify missing invoices, unrecorded costs, and other issues that could distort job profitability or monthly reporting.
Prepare and email Pencil billings to Project Managers by the 15th of each month or as needed for special contracts.
Enter AIA billing information for Project Manager review before uploading it to the GC-designated online platform; gather supporting documents and verify amounts against contracts, schedules of values, approved pricing, and approved change orders.
Complete lien waivers for each billing cycle and submit them as required; coordinate with Project Managers and the Payroll Specialist on certified payroll, compliance, and other billing documentation.
Track billings through submission and GC approval deadlines, and escalate billings delayed by missing information.
Record cash receipts in Foundation on the same day deposit details are received from the Accounting Manager, applying payments to the correct customer, job, and invoice; resolve short, unapplied, or unidentified payments with the Accounting Manager and Project Managers.
Process approved GC change orders in the appropriate accounting and billing systems; verify documentation, pricing, approvals, job coding, and customer information, maintain the change order log, and follow up on incomplete information.
Help ensure approved changes are captured, billed, and reflected in project financial reporting.
Enter invoices by the monthly cutoff; review recurring expenses and GL activity for period or posting errors; complete credit card reconciliations, vendor statement reviews, and monthly PO reviews before close; and support the Accounting Manager with close-related information.
Review invoices for sales and use tax treatment; maintain tax-exempt job documentation and provide applicable exemption information to vendors.
Maintain vendor information for 1099 reporting, keep W-9s and tax records current in Foundation, review annual invoice history and vendor classifications, and support preparation and ordering of 1099 forms and timely year-end adjustments.
Assist with accounting, sales tax, and related continuing education as needed.
Organize and prioritize AP, reconciliations, vendor follow-up, AR billing, change orders, and monthly deadlines; communicate early about risks to deadlines and use company systems and automation to reduce duplicate entry and simplify processes.
Complete the six-month training period and thereafter perform AP and AR functions with minimal oversight.