Senior Project Accountant

Senior Accountant – Construction & Development

Location: McLean, VA

Compensation: $100,000-$125,000 + bonus and benefits

About the Opportunity

Our client, a growing construction and development firm, is seeking a Senior Accountant to join its finance team. This role sits at the center of project-level financial reporting, supporting a portfolio of active construction and development projects from acquisition through completion. The ideal candidate brings a strong technical accounting foundation, hands-on experience in a project-based accounting environment, and the curiosity to partner closely with project managers, development leads, and executive leadership.

This is an excellent opportunity for a CPA or CPA candidate looking to deepen their industry expertise and grow within an organization that values accuracy, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage full-cycle accounting for assigned construction and development projects, including job costing, cost-to-complete analysis, and project budget tracking
• Prepare and review monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with GAAP
• Lead month-end and year-end close processes, including journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations
• Apply revenue recognition under ASC 606 for long-term contracts, including percentage-of-completion and work-in-progress (WIP) schedules
• Track and reconcile capitalized development costs, construction-in-progress (CIP), and fixed assets
• Prepare and review owner draw requests, lender draws, and construction loan reporting; support compliance with debt covenants
• Review pay applications, retainage, change orders, and subcontractor billings for accuracy and contract compliance
• Partner with project managers to analyze budget-to-actual variances and communicate financial results
• Support annual audits, tax preparation, and joint venture or investor reporting
• Maintain and improve internal controls, accounting policies, and process documentation
• Assist with special projects, including new entity setup, system enhancements, and ad hoc financial analysis
• Mentor and review the work of staff accountants as needed

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
• 3+ years of progressive accounting experience
• CPA or active CPA candidate (highly preferred)
• Prior experience in a project-based accounting setting (construction, real estate development, engineering, professional services, or government contracting)
• Direct experience in construction or real estate development accounting
• Familiarity with WIP schedules, percentage-of-completion accounting, retainage, and lender draw processes
• Experience with construction or real estate accounting software such as Sage Intacct, Sage 300 CRE (Timberline), Yardi, Viewpoint Vista, Procore, or similar
• Experience with joint venture, partnership, or multi-entity accounting
• Strong working knowledge of GAAP, job costing, and month-end close
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, financial modeling)
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Strong communication skills and comfort working with non-finance stakeholders