Senior Accounting Manager

ZERO IMPACT ENERGY•Newport Beach, CA

6d•$100,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

Zero Impact Energy is seeking an experienced accounting leader to take ownership of its evolving accounting function and strengthen processes, controls, documentation and team structure. The company operates through affiliated businesses in renewable energy, construction, electrical contracting and EV-charger manufacturing. Its accounting includes multiple entities, project and job-cost accounting, manufacturing, incentive-program compliance, and owned and operated assets. The role will address existing backlogs and improve reconciliations, establish documented processes and clear team responsibilities, and build an efficient, audit-ready operation. The manager will lead a team of three accounting staff and work across construction, sales, procurement and operations. The position owns monthly, quarterly and year-end close; financial reporting and internal controls; project accounting and margins; multi-entity consolidation; cash forecasting; audit, tax and incentive-program compliance; and accounting systems and automation. It is a hands-on leadership role that combines setting direction with participating in close, catch-up work and audits. This is a full-time, salaried, exempt, in-person position at the company’s Costa Mesa, California office. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with additional hours as needed around month-end close, audit and year-end. The stated salary range is $100,000–$120,000. The company describes the role as an opportunity to build the accounting function and potentially grow into a Controller- or Director-level position as the business scales.

Requirements

At least 8 years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 3 years managing an accounting team, including hiring, developing and evaluating staff.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
Deep US GAAP knowledge, including ASC 606 over-time revenue, ASC 842 leases, fixed assets and capitalization, accruals, intercompany accounting and consolidation.
Demonstrated experience building or rebuilding processes, controls and the close in a disorganized or fast-growing environment.
Hands-on experience with intercompany transactions, cost allocations and consolidated reporting across related companies.
Expert Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, modeling and data cleanup.
Hands-on experience with a mid-market ERP or construction accounting system and AP-automation tools.
Working knowledge of California contractor sales and use tax, payroll tax, 1099 reporting, lien-law basics and documentation standards for public incentive programs.
Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain accounting information to project managers, bankers and company leadership.
Organized, deadline-driven, discreet with confidential information, and comfortable in a fast-paced, in-office small-company environment.
Ability to reliably commute to the Costa Mesa office or plan to relocate before starting work.
Ability to meet the stated physical requirements, with reasonable accommodations available.

Nice To Haves

Construction or contractor accounting experience, including job costing, WIP, over-time or percentage-of-completion revenue recognition, progress billing, retainage and certified payroll.
Manufacturing, renewable energy, or other project- and incentive-driven industry experience.
Active CPA; CMA considered.
Public-accounting foundation.
Experience with CALeVIP, utility make-ready programs, LCFS credit accounting, federal energy tax credits or grant accounting.
Experience with owned-and-operated asset portfolios, including site-level P&L, revenue share, depreciation and tax-credit basis tracking.
Experience selecting or implementing an ERP or accounting system, or rolling out AP automation.
Familiarity with Salesforce, QuickBooks, Smartsheet or Procore and their data flows into accounting.
Use of AI tools such as Excel Copilot, ChatGPT or Claude to speed up reconciliations, analysis and documentation.

Responsibilities

Lead, develop and hold accountable a team of three accounting staff; establish roles, responsibilities and performance standards.
Assess the accounting function’s books, team, systems and controls; create and execute a prioritized stabilization and improvement plan.
Document procedures, build close checklists and cross-train the team; coach staff, provide feedback, and hire or restructure as needed.
Run a weekly team operating cadence and communicate status, risks and issues to the Director of Finance and company leadership.
Build working relationships with construction, sales, procurement and operations.
Own accurate, timely monthly, quarterly and year-end close across all entities; establish and enforce a close calendar and checklist.
Ensure monthly reconciliation and documented support for balance-sheet accounts, and clear historical reconciling items.
Prepare monthly entity and consolidated financial reporting, including P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, project margins, KPIs and variance commentary.
Design and implement internal controls, including approval, segregation-of-duties, vendor onboarding, expense and journal-entry review controls.
Improve the chart of accounts, reporting dimensions and general-ledger structure.
Lead accounting system selection or optimization and automation, including ERP, AP automation, expense management and integrations.
Advise staff on non-routine and technical accounting matters; research and document accounting positions.
Own construction job-cost accounting, including budgets, committed costs, change orders, progress billing, retainage and monthly WIP schedules under ASC 606 over-time revenue recognition.
Conduct monthly project-margin reviews with construction project managers and identify margin fade, unbilled work and cost overruns.
Manage preliminary notices, lien releases, subcontractor and vendor compliance, and certified-payroll and prevailing-wage records on publicly funded projects.
Account for owned and operated charging assets, including capitalization, depreciation, site-level P&L, revenue-share calculations and payments, and utility cost pass-through.
Account for ChargeTronix manufacturing activity, including inventory, COGS, standard costs and warranty reserves.
Manage intercompany transactions, shared-cost allocations and eliminations; prepare consolidated results across affiliated entities.
Own the 13-week cash forecast and manage AP prioritization, AR collections, retainage receivables and customer deposits.
Track incentive-program receivables and compliance by program and site, maintaining documentation for agency audits.
Support bank and lender compliance reporting and investor and partner reporting.
Lead the annual audit or review, including PBC lists, schedules and auditor communications, and address findings.
Oversee sales and use tax, 1099s, business licenses and property-tax filings; coordinate income tax with the outside CPA.
Support budgeting and forecasting.
Perform other duties as assigned.