Operations Accountant, Principal

Amentum•Richmond, VA

2d•Remote

About The Position

The Operations Accountant, Principal is responsible for the financial administration, accounting, and reporting of assigned government contracts and projects. The position partners with Project/Program Managers, Contracts, Billing, Finance, and Accounting teams to ensure contract financial activity is accurately recorded, monitored, reconciled, and reported in accordance with company policies, GAAP, and government contracting requirements. The role monitors project financial performance, analyzes actual costs against budgets and contract funding, supports billing and revenue processes, and identifies risks or discrepancies affecting profitability, funding, or compliance. It oversees the financial health of a complex, high-revenue government-contract portfolio, including contract costs, funding, revenue, commitments, expenditures, billing, reconciliations, close activities, audits, project setup, and reporting. The position also supports process improvements and responsible use of AI-enabled tools. This is a US-remote telework position. Candidates must be US citizens and live within driving distance of offices in Northern Virginia or Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

Requirements

Typically eight years of accounting, project accounting, financial analysis, or government contracting experience with a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
Experience with project accounting, cost accounting, or contract financial management.
Experience with Cost Plus, T&M, FFP, IDIQ, and/or Time & Materials contracts.
US citizenship is required.
Strong understanding of general accounting principles and financial reporting.
Advanced Excel skills, including PivotTables, lookups, formulas, and financial analysis.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to analyze large volumes of financial and project data and identify discrepancies.
Strong attention to detail and ability to meet recurring monthly reporting and billing deadlines.
Ability to work effectively with Finance, Contracts, Billing, Program Management, and Operations.
Strong cross-functional communication skills.
Knowledge of diverse contract structures and ability to execute accurate, timely, compliant, and milestone-based client billing.
Knowledge of cost accounting principles and ability to formulate project budgets and forecasts.
Ability to evaluate project accounting workflows and implement process enhancements or automated tools.
Curiosity, adaptability, and ability to learn new technologies quickly, including AI tools, while maintaining human judgment and accountability.
Ability to assess AI-enabled tools, identify practical use cases, validate outputs, understand limitations and risks, and incorporate AI responsibly into day-to-day work.
Demonstrated experience using AI tools to enhance workflows, productivity, decision-making, customer experiences, business outcomes, or operational efficiency.
Must live within driving distance of the company's offices in Northern Virginia or Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

Nice To Haves

Experience with contract funding, CLINs, task orders, contract modifications, and funding ceilings.
Experience with incurred-cost submissions, provisional billing rates, indirect-rate calculations, or audit support.
CPA, CGFM, or another relevant professional certification.

Responsibilities

Oversee financial administration and fiscal health of an assigned portfolio of government contracts, aligning financial activity with corporate objectives.
Monitor contract costs, funding, revenue, commitments, and expenditures against approved budgets and contract ceilings.
Review labor, subcontract, material, travel, and other direct costs for accuracy, proper project charging, and allowability.
Monitor contract funding and notify management of funding requirements, potential overruns, or approaching contract ceilings.
Oversee billing for Cost-Plus (CPFR/CPFF), Time & Materials (T&M), and Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contracts.
Review billing transactions and supporting documentation for accuracy and compliance with contract requirements.
Prepare invoice packages and supporting documentation for iRAPT/WAWF and agency-specific portals.
Reconcile contract and project balances between accounting and billing systems, project subledgers, and the general ledger.
Review unbilled receivables, accounts receivable, deferred revenue, and other contract-related balance sheet accounts.
Support month-end and year-end close activities related to assigned contracts.
Partner with cross-functional teams to investigate billing and project-cost discrepancies and improve internal controls and data integrity.
Support contract modifications, funding changes, option years, task orders, and other contract actions from a financial perspective.
Assist with revenue recognition and contract accounting in accordance with company policies and applicable accounting standards.
Provide financial analysis and data for contract reviews, internal management reviews, and customer audits.
Maintain accurate project and contract financial records and supporting documentation.
Assist with internal, external, DCAA, DCMA, and other government audits as required.
Ensure expenditures, labor distributions, and direct and indirect cost allocations comply with FAR, DFARS, and CAS.
Lead or contribute to process improvements that modernize billing workflows, improve data visibility, and increase operational efficiency.
Set up and maintain projects in the Projects Module of Deltek Costpoint in accordance with published guidance and procedures.
Ensure project setup and maintenance comply with SOX controls, company policies, and procedures.
Perform ad hoc financial analysis and reporting for Finance, Accounting, Contracts, or Program Management.
Use and assess emerging AI-enabled tools responsibly to improve workflows and productivity while validating outputs and maintaining human judgment and accountability.