Senior Staff Accountant

Senior Staff Accountant

A well-established commercial mechanical contractor is adding a Senior Staff Accountant to their office in the New York metropolitan/Queens area. This organization has built a long-standing reputation within the construction industry and is seeking an experienced accounting professional to help strengthen its finance function. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in construction accounting and enjoy working closely with executive leadership to improve financial reporting, support operations, and drive process improvements. This is a highly visible opportunity for an accounting professional looking to make a meaningful impact within a growing construction organization.

Position Summary

The Senior Staff Accountant will play a critical role in the day-to-day accounting operations while partnering closely with executive leadership and external financial advisors. This individual will oversee key accounting functions, support month-end close, maintain accurate financial reporting, and provide construction-specific accounting expertise across payroll, job costing, WIP reporting, billing, and project accounting. The ideal candidate is proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment where they can influence processes and help strengthen the overall accounting function. This role will evolve into a Controller position down the line.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Reporting & General Accounting

• Prepare accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements
• Lead month-end and year-end close activities
• Prepare journal entries, accruals, depreciation, amortization, and account reconciliations
• Maintain fixed asset and prepaid expense schedules
• Perform bank, balance sheet, and general ledger reconciliations
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow reporting
• Analyze financial results and investigate account variances

Construction Accounting

• Prepare and maintain Work-in-Progress (WIP) schedules
• Monitor job costs, project profitability, and committed costs
• Review project financial performance and identify cost variances
• Support project managers with job cost reporting and financial analysis
• Understand percentage-of-completion accounting and construction revenue recognition
• Review project budgets, change orders, and financial impacts

Payroll, Union & Compliance

• Process and review union payroll
• Support certified payroll and prevailing wage reporting
• Ensure compliance with union agreements and labor reporting requirements
• Coordinate payroll-related reporting and audits
• Assist with workers' compensation audits and insurance reporting

Accounts Receivable & Project Billing

• Prepare and process AIA progress billings
• Track retainage, change orders, and customer receivables
• Monitor collections and aging reports
• Support project billing documentation

Accounts Payable & Treasury

• Review vendor invoices and manage payment processing
• Prepare electronic payments and check runs
• Monitor daily cash activity and banking transactions
• Support cash flow forecasting and treasury activities

Compliance & Process Improvement

• Assist with annual financial reviews and tax preparation
• Prepare sales tax filings and regulatory reports
• Maintain subcontractor compliance documentation and certificates of insurance
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting workflows, reporting accuracy, and internal controls
• Participate in special projects and operational initiatives

Must Have:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 5+ years of progressive staff accounting experience
• Construction accounting experience
• Strong understanding of:
• Work-in-Progress (WIP) reporting
• Job costing
• Percentage-of-completion accounting
• AIA billing
• Union payroll
• Certified payroll and prevailing wage (preferred)
• Construction financial reporting
• Experience supporting commercial construction contractors
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
• Experience with construction accounting software
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while working closely with executive leadership
• CPA certification preferred

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Highly visible role supporting executive leadership
• Opportunity to influence accounting processes and financial operations
• Stable, well-established commercial construction organization
• Collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact and grow professionally within the organization