Project Accountant (Project Financial Controller)

High Light Electric•Colton, CA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Accountant serves as the financial operations controller for an assigned Area, supporting multiple concurrent projects. This role ensures structured financial setup, disciplined cost tracking, organized billing, compliant payroll reporting, and reliable cash flow coordination across all active projects. As Mendoza Companies transitions from a family-operated construction company into a structured, multi-business-unit organization under Mission 2040, strong financial systems are essential to scalability. The Project Accountant plays a key role in installing and maintaining those systems—protecting margin, compliance, and liquidity while supporting operational execution. This role will work in close coordination with the incoming Director of Construction Finance and will help establish structured financial operating procedures during this growth phase. As financial leadership infrastructure expands, collaboration rhythms and submission workflows may evolve. This is not a clerical role. It is a structured accounting position embedded within operations, responsible for financial accuracy, documentation control, and organized reporting throughout the project lifecycle.

Requirements

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field OR Recognized accounting certification demonstrating formal training in accounting principles (Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) – active or in progress, Accredited Accounting Certificate (community college or university-based), Construction Accounting Certificate Program, Prevailing Wage / Public Works Compliance Certification (paired with accounting coursework)).
Minimum 3–5 years in construction accounting or project financial administration.
Direct involvement in job cost systems and cost code management.
Experience supporting or preparing Work-in-Progress (WIP) schedules.
Exposure to billing cycles, lien documentation, and certified payroll processes.

Nice To Haves

Experience alone does not qualify for this position.

Responsibilities

Establish the financial foundation of each project by entering original budgets, loading cost codes, and ensuring system setup accurately reflects estimate structure provided by Estimating.
Enter and validate approved change orders for accuracy to maintain budget alignment.
Maintain accurate job cost records across multiple concurrent projects within the assigned Area.
Properly code, reconcile, and review labor, materials, subcontractors, and equipment costs in a timely manner.
Review weekly cost reports against budget and committed cost projections.
Document and escalate variances exceeding defined tolerance thresholds within 48 hours.
Prepare contract-compliant billing packages and compile all required supporting documentation prior to submission.
Track change order logs and extra-work documentation to prevent revenue leakage.
Monitor outstanding billings and support collection follow-up in coordination with Project Managers.
Assist in preparing stop notices or mechanic’s lien documentation when required.
Submit billing packages to general contractors or directly to owners in accordance with contract requirements, upon approval from the Director of Construction Finance.
Process vendor and subcontractor invoices.
Verify cost coding for vendor and subcontractor invoices.
Prepare the weekly accounts payable check run package for review and approval by the Director of Construction Finance.
Confirm insurance and compliance status prior to payment inclusion.
Coordinate subcontractor lien releases and maintain organized release documentation.
Review timecards and labor classifications to ensure payroll accuracy and prevailing wage compliance.
Prepare and submit certified payroll reports for company labor.
Review subcontractor certified payroll documentation for compliance requirements.
Coordinate with Payroll and HR to resolve labor compliance matters on rare occasions requiring clarification.
Issue purchase orders in the system following Project Manager approval.
Ensure proper cost code assignment for purchase orders.
Maintain accurate committed costs to support reliable reporting and WIP preparation.
Prepare monthly WIP draft support data across all assigned projects within the Area.
Ensure financial records are complete and organized prior to review meetings.
Maintain audit-ready documentation.
Serve as a structured financial contributor in Area meetings.
Coordinate limited union dispatch requests to support labor cost visibility and payroll alignment.
Identify and communicate early cost variances.
Participate in Area financial review meetings.
Attend quarterly workshops, leadership sessions, and training initiatives.
Serve as financial recorder and Secretary, as needed, in Area DML10 meetings.