Senior Accounting Manager

Zero Impact Energy•Irvine, CA

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Zero Impact Energy is seeking an experienced accounting leader to take ownership of and strengthen its accounting function across a group of affiliated renewable-energy operating companies. The role will address existing backlogs, improve reconciliations, document processes, clarify team responsibilities, and establish a structured, efficient, audit-ready operation with a consistent close, reliable reporting, and accurate project margins. The position leads a team of three accounting staff and combines strategic team development with hands-on accounting work. The manager owns monthly, quarterly, and year-end close and financial reporting; accounting controls and systems; construction job costing and WIP accounting; multi-entity consolidations; accounting for owned charging assets and manufacturing; cash forecasting; audits; tax compliance; and incentive-program documentation. The role works closely with construction, sales, procurement, operations, company leadership, lenders, investors, auditors, and outside tax advisers. The company describes the position as an in-office role in Costa Mesa, California, with a Monday–Friday schedule and additional hours as needed around close, audit, and year-end. It is full-time, salaried, and exempt, with a stated annual pay range of $100,000–$120,000.

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 recognition, ASC 842 leases, fixed assets and capitalization, accruals, intercompany accounting, and consolidation.
Hands-on experience with intercompany transactions, cost allocations, and consolidated reporting across related companies.
Demonstrated experience building or rebuilding processes, controls, and close procedures in a disorganized or fast-growing environment.
Ability to research and document accounting positions on non-routine transactions.
Expert Excel skills, including pivots, 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 matters to project managers and financial matters to bankers and company leadership.
Organized, deadline-driven, discreet with confidential information, and comfortable in a fast-paced, in-office small-company environment.
Able to work 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.
Able to reliably commute to the Costa Mesa, California office or plan to relocate before starting work.
Able to perform the listed physical duties, including prolonged sitting and computer work; occasional lifting and moving of files up to approximately 15 pounds.

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 experience in another project- and incentive-driven industry.
Active CPA; CMA is also considered.
Public-accounting foundation.
Experience selecting or implementing accounting systems, or rolling out AP automation.
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 sharing, depreciation, and tax-credit basis tracking.
Experience using AI tools such as Excel Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude to accelerate reconciliations, analysis, and documentation.
Familiarity with Salesforce, QuickBooks, Smartsheet, or Procore and how their data should flow into accounting.

Responsibilities

Lead, develop, and hold accountable a team of three accounting staff; define roles and performance standards, coach employees, provide feedback, and hire or restructure as needed.
Assess the accounting function’s books, team, systems, and controls; develop and execute a prioritized stabilization and improvement plan.
Document procedures, create close checklists, cross-train the team, and run a weekly operating cadence covering priorities, agings, open items, and close status.
Communicate status, risks, and issues to the Director of Finance and company leadership, and build effective working relationships with construction, sales, procurement, and operations.
Own accurate, timely monthly, quarterly, and year-end close across all entities; establish a close calendar and ensure balance-sheet accounts are reconciled with documented support.
Prepare monthly entity and consolidated financial reporting, including P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, project margins, KPIs, and actionable variance commentary.
Design and implement internal controls and policies, including approval authority, segregation of duties, vendor onboarding, card and expense policies, and journal-entry review.
Improve the chart of accounts, dimensions, and general-ledger structure; lead selection or optimization of accounting systems and automation and reduce manual workarounds.
Advise staff on non-routine and technical accounting matters, and 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 documentation, and certified-payroll and prevailing-wage records for 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, eliminations, and consolidated results across affiliated entities.
Own the 13-week cash forecast; manage AP prioritization, AR collections, retainage receivable, and customer deposits.
Track incentive-program receivables and compliance by program and site, maintaining documentation for agency audits.
Support bank, lender, investor, and partner reporting, including covenants, borrowing bases, and equipment financing.
Lead the annual audit or review, prepare schedules and PBC materials, communicate with auditors, and resolve findings.
Oversee sales and use tax, 1099s, business licenses, and property-tax filings; coordinate income tax with the outside CPA.
Support budgeting and forecasting, and perform other duties as assigned.