Principal Accountant

Principal Accountant (Corporate Position- NOT Contract Dependent)

Industry: Government Contracting

Location: Alexandria, VA (Hybrid)

Compensation: $100,000-$120,000+

About the Opportunity:

Our client is a growing Government Contractor in Alexandria, VA. They support federal programs, and they’re adding a Principal Accountant to a lean, high-performing finance team.

This isn’t a “process the same reconciliations forever” role. You’ll touch every part of the accounting lifecycle on a government contracting portfolio, from standing up new projects to closing the books and getting audit-ready. Leadership values your judgment and will act on your input. As the company grows, your role grows with it.

Key Responsibilities:

• Month-end close: journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and variance analysis, delivered accurately and on schedule.
• Drive project billing across contract types (CPFF, T&M, FFP), making sure invoices are timely, accurate, and compliant.
• Set up and maintain projects in the ERP: contract structure, labor categories, billing rates, and funding.
• Manage subcontract accounting: review and process subcontractor invoices, track funding and costs, and work with contracts and program teams.
• Prepare financial reports for leadership, including project profitability, indirect rate analysis, and budget-to-actual reporting.
• Lead audit preparation: build schedules and support the annual financial audit and government audits, including DCAA and DCMA.
• Compliance: keep the company compliant with FAR, CAS, and DCAA requirements.
• Automation: Find and implement process improvements as the company scales.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of corporate accounting experience within Government Contracting
• Hands-on experience with Deltek Costpoint or Unanet (required).
• Strong grasp of contract types, indirect rate structures, and project accounting.
• Experience with month-end close, billing, and audit support in a GovCon environment.
• Working knowledge of FAR, CAS, and DCAA compliance.
• Advanced Excel skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to explain numbers clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
• Nice to have: CPA or CPA-track, experience at a small-to-mid-sized contractor during a growth phase, and system implementation experience.