Senior Accounting Manager

ZERO IMPACT ENERGY•Costa Mesa, 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 its processes as the company grows. The role will address existing backlogs, improve reconciliations, document procedures, clarify team roles and expectations, and build an efficient, structured, audit-ready operation with consistent closes, reliable reporting and accurate project margins. The role has leadership support and authority to make changes and develop the team. The position leads three accounting staff and oversees accounting across affiliated operating companies. The work spans team leadership and transformation (30%), close, reporting and controls (30%), project, job-cost and multi-entity accounting (25%), and cash, audit, tax and incentive-program compliance (15%). The role reports status, risks and issues to the Director of Finance and company leadership and works closely with construction, sales, procurement and operations. The successful candidate will build and maintain accounting processes, reporting and controls suited to a fast-growing renewable-energy provider with construction, manufacturing, incentive-program revenue and owned operating assets. The position is an in-person, full-time, salaried and exempt role 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 close, audit and year-end. The stated salary range is $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 knowledge of US GAAP, 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 operations in a disorganized or fast-growing environment.
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 ability to explain accounting information to project managers, bankers and leadership.
Organized, deadline-driven and discreet with confidential information; able to thrive in a fast-paced, in-office, small-company environment.
Able to work the stated Monday–Friday schedule and 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 functions, with reasonable accommodations as applicable.

Nice To Haves

Construction or contractor accounting experience, including job costing, WIP, over-time revenue recognition, progress billing, retainage and certified payroll.
Manufacturing, renewable energy or other project- and incentive-driven industry experience.
Active CPA; CMA will also be considered.
Public-accounting foundation.
Experience selecting or implementing accounting systems or 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 share, depreciation and tax-credit basis tracking.
Experience leading an ERP or accounting-system implementation or AP-automation rollout.
Use of AI tools such as Excel Copilot, ChatGPT or Claude to support reconciliations, analysis and documentation.
Familiarity with Salesforce, QuickBooks, Smartsheet or Procore and integration of their data with accounting systems.

Responsibilities

Lead, develop and hold accountable a team of three accounting staff; define roles, responsibilities and performance standards.
Assess the accounting function, including books, team, systems and controls; prepare and execute a prioritized stabilization and improvement plan.
Document procedures, build close checklists and cross-train the team; coach staff, give performance feedback, and hire or restructure as needed.
Run a weekly team operating cadence covering priorities, agings, open items and close status; communicate status and risks 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 closes across all entities; establish and enforce a close calendar and checklist.
Ensure monthly reconciliation and documented support for balance-sheet accounts, and resolve 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, card and expense, and journal-entry review processes.
Improve the chart of accounts, reporting dimensions and general-ledger structure; lead accounting-system selection or optimization and automation efforts.
Advise staff on technical and non-routine accounting matters; research and document accounting positions.
Manage 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 charging assets, including capitalization, depreciation, site-level P&L, revenue-share calculations and payments, and utility cost pass-through.
Oversee ChargeTronix manufacturing accounting, including inventory, COGS, standard costs and warranty reserves.
Manage intercompany transactions, shared-cost allocations and 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 suitable for agency audits.
Support bank and lender compliance reporting, investor reporting and partner reporting.
Lead the annual audit or review, including PBC lists, schedules and auditor communications, and address audit 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.