Senior Project Accountant

Overview

This advanced Senior Project Accountant III role serves as a subject matter expert and functional resource for the Project Accounting organization. The position independently manages complex project accounting responsibilities, provides advanced guidance on accounting and audit matters, and drives process improvements focused on standardization, automation, and control enhancements.

The role includes mentoring, training, and functional guidance to other Project Accountants. It is an advanced individual contributor role with no direct responsibility for employee performance management, overall workload allocation, or final department approvals.

This position can be based full-time in an office in San Diego, CA or remote in the Pacific time zone (location specifics and expectations are discussed during the interview process).

Responsibilities

• Provide accounting and financial oversight for assigned construction projects, including revenue, costs, WIP, commitments, billing requirements, and financial reporting.
• Serve as the primary accounting resource for Project Managers and project teams on complex project accounting, billing, cost, revenue, and compliance matters.
• Analyze project results, identify financial risks or unusual trends, and drive resolution or escalation of complex issues.
• Review project financial data, contracts, change orders, transactions, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Complete complex month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities, including journal entries, accruals, reclasses, reconciliations, and WIP analysis.
• Review project-related balance sheet and income statement accounts, investigate discrepancies, and resolve unusual or complex transactions.
• Support tax accruals and ensure project accounting data is complete, accurate, and properly reflected in financial reporting systems.
• Identify recurring issues and implement solutions to improve close efficiency, reporting quality, and control effectiveness.
• Review owner billing requirements and oversee accurate, timely preparation of billings and supporting documentation.
• Partner with Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Procurement, and project teams to resolve billing, payment, collections, and subcontractor compliance issues.
• Monitor required project documentation, including lien waivers, preliminary notices, insurance, and other contractual compliance items.
• Serve as a key Project Accounting subject matter expert for internal and external audit requests.
• Coordinate preparation, review, documentation, and resolution of audit support for assigned projects or designated audit responsibilities.
• Work with auditors and internal stakeholders to research and respond to complex requests, escalate delays, and support timely completion.
• Identify potential control gaps and recommend improvements to strengthen compliance and reduce audit risk.
• Drive process improvement, standardization, automation, and control-enhancement initiatives across Project Accounting.
• Develop and maintain procedures, templates, checklists, and documentation that support consistent execution and team adoption.
• Serve as a technical and operational escalation point for Project Accountants and Senior Project Accountants.
• Provide training, mentoring, onboarding support, and functional guidance on project accounting processes, systems, controls, and best practices.
• Review complex or technical work when assigned and provide feedback to support accuracy, consistency, and development.
• May be assigned functional ownership of a specialty area such as external audit coordination, tax support, controls, systems and automation, training, or another critical department process.
• Share knowledge and best practices across Project Accounting to promote consistency and standardization.
• Build strong working relationships with Project Managers, Operations, Procurement, AP, AR, Tax, Financial Reporting, and other business partners.
• Communicate complex financial information clearly to accounting and non-accounting stakeholders.
• Challenge information or processes that do not meet company standards and use sound judgment to determine when escalation is appropriate.
• Maintain responsiveness, accountability, and ownership for time-sensitive projects and organizational needs.

Requirements (Minimum)

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business, or related field and 6+ years of relevant accounting experience.
• 2+ years of Big Four or Top 10 audit firm required OR equivalent experience supporting complex public-company audits, SOX compliance, or technical accounting matters.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Demonstrated experience with month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes, including complex journal entries, reconciliations, and audit support.
• Construction, EPC, engineering, energy, project accounting, job cost, WIP, revenue recognition, owner billing, subcontractor accounting, or construction accounting experience preferred.
• Ability to analyze complex accounting issues, identify risks, exercise professional judgment, and appropriately challenge or escalate matters.
• Experience driving process improvement, standardization, or automation efforts that increase efficiency, accuracy, and control effectiveness.
• Ability to serve as a subject matter resource, escalation point, mentor, and reviewer for Project Accounting team members.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills and ability to work effectively with project teams, Operations, Procurement, Tax, AP, AR, FP&A, and external auditors.
• Experience with ERP and integrated accounting systems; CMiC experience preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and financial analysis.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet strict deadlines.
• CPA, CMA, or CCIFP preferred.
• Pacific or Central time zone preferred to support late-day collaboration with project teams.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation range: $97,600 - $122,000 (Salary)
• Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, basic life, and disability insurance; eligibility to enroll in a 401(k) plan; vacation, sick and holiday pay.

Location

• Full-time office-based in San Diego, CA or remote located in the Pacific time zone.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Occasional exposure to dust and fumes
• Requires frequent reaching, handling, sitting, standing, walking, hearing, finger dexterity, and talking
• Occasional stooping/bending/crouching, carrying, and lifting 20 or more lbs.
• Noise intensity level is moderate

Work Authorization

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring employer sponsorship now or in the future.