Project Accountant - Office / Payroll Manager , Industrial Construction

The Project Accountant plays a key role in everyday accounting operations by acting as on-site liaison between the project management and accounting management teams. The Project Accountant will be responsible for ensuring proper project setup, tracking project costs, communicating budget variances, and driving the invoicing process.

Reports to the Project Accounting Manager

Responsibilities will include but may not be limited to the following:

• Prepare, process and follow-up as needed on client billings / invoices.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with members of the construction project team(s) including project managers, project/field engineers, superintendents, and project coordinators.
• Enforce Company and client schedule and documentation requirements such as billing cutoff dates, insurance certificates, etc.
• Perform timekeeping duties including swipe verifications, balancing hours, and reporting to corporate payroll when our site’s payroll is ready to process.
• Collect, review, obtain approval and process sub/supplier/equipment invoices for payment.
• Code and approve Accounts Payable invoices in the Accounts Payable workflow.
• Serve as the point person for billing/PO issues for self-performed work, as assigned.
• Handle all billing issues such as change order increases, margin profit reviews, and PO’s, as needed. Assist project personnel in quantifying extras for incorporation into change requests or billings to clients.
• Provide site management with regular updates on open issues and AR concerns.

• For self-perform work, manage PO usage, labor usage, and ultimately profitability of the business as well as the risks associated with the work.
• Perform project audits to find and communicate system discrepancies / issues to the project accounting manager; assist with client-requested audits, as needed.
• Ensure all financial activities and requirements relating to project close-outs are carried out in a timely manner.
• Monitor conformance of subcontractors with payment requirements in their agreements, recommend remedial action such as joint or direct payments to downstream creditors to protect the company.
• Perform monthly reviews of project cost reports/contract status reports and demonstrate understanding of the over/under billings, which turn into WIP.
• Conduct monthly reviews/provide comments on Open AR & Open AP for continuous auditing to ensure all job costs in JDE are proactively billed to the clients.
• Respond to requests for information and analysis from the Project Managers on various job cost and subcontractor issues.
• Oversee craft onboarding and site orientation, addressing any questions and concerns about onboarding documents and their online user profile in our HRIS.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualification Requirements

• Minimum of three years of relevant experience, preferably within the industrial, self-perform construction industry required; previous experience working in the field or in a plant environment strongly preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including strong listening skills.
• The ability to effectively prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• The ability to identify, analyze, and resolve problems and minor work issues.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently and effectively under deadlines and high pressure.
• Experience with self-perform work and knowledge of unions.
• Advanced Computer skills with Microsoft Office (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel) required.
• Previous experience with JD Edwards project costing system, TRACK time tracking software, and UKG Ready payroll/HR software (or similar) is a plus.