Staff Accountant

Job Description

Staff Accountant (A/R)

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Staff Accountant is a core member of the Controller’s team, carrying meaningful day-to-day responsibility across accounts receivable, project billings, treasury, and month-end close support. This is a broad role for someone early in their accounting career who wants real ownership — not a support function that passes work up the chain, but a position where the work product matters and the output is visible.

Reporting directly to the Controller, the Staff Accountant manages the billing and collections cycle for project invoices, keeps cash and A/R records current and reconciled, supports the close process with assigned reconciliations and subledger work, and responds to ad hoc reporting needs as they arise. The Controller reviews and signs off, but the Staff Accountant owns the execution.

This role is well suited for someone with 1–3 years of accounting experience who is ready to grow quickly, take direction well, and build depth across multiple functional areas simultaneously. The variety of work and direct exposure to the Controller and Director of Finance make this a strong development opportunity for someone with the right drive and attention to detail.

Why This Adds Value The Staff Accountant carries real ownership across several of the most operationally critical functions in the finance team: getting project invoices out the door, keeping collections moving, maintaining the cash record, and contributing to a close that the Controller can rely on. This is not a support role that feeds work to someone else — it is a role where the work product is the output. When a billing is late, cash comes in late. When a reconciliation is incomplete, the close is delayed. When this role operates with accuracy and discipline, the entire finance function moves faster and more confidently.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Billings & Revenue Management

The Staff Accountant owns the project billing cycle — from invoice preparation through submission — working closely with the Operations Project Administrator and project managers to ensure every billable dollar goes out accurately and on time.

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• Prepare and issue project invoices in accordance with contract billing terms — including AIA G702/G703 applications for payment, lump-sum billings, time-and-material invoices, and milestone-based draws.
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• Coordinate with the Operations Project Administrator and project managers to confirm billing amounts, percentage-complete representations, and stored materials documentation before invoice submission.
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• Track retainage balances by contract, monitoring retainage held and retainage receivable and initiating timely release requests upon project completion.
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• Monitor contract billing schedules and alert the Operations Project Administrator and Controller when billing opportunities are approaching or when scheduled billings have not gone out.
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• Reconcile billed revenue to job cost percentage-of-completion data each period in coordination with the Operations Project Administrator, ensuring revenue is supportable and consistent with contract terms.
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• Maintain organized billing records by project, including submitted invoices, backup documentation, payment history, and retainage status.
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Accounts Receivable & Collections

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• Post and apply cash receipts accurately and on a timely basis, ensuring all incoming payments are recorded to the correct customer, invoice, and entity.
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• Maintain the A/R aging across all three entities, monitoring outstanding balances and flagging accounts approaching or past due to the Controller for escalation decisions.
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• Conduct routine collections follow-up on outstanding invoices — communicating professionally with customers, documenting contact activity, and reporting collection status to the Controller.
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• Research and resolve billing discrepancies, short payments, and disputed invoices, coordinating with project managers or operations as needed to reach resolution.
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• Process credit memos and adjustments with proper documentation and Controller approval.
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• Reconcile the A/R subledger to the general ledger each period and present the reconciliation to the Controller for sign-off before the close is finalized.
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Treasury & Banking

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• Perform daily cash activity review, recording bank transactions and ensuring cash balances are accurately reflected across all three entities.
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• Prepare monthly bank reconciliations for all accounts, identifying and documenting all reconciling items and resolving outstanding items promptly.
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• Submit completed bank reconciliations to the Controller for review and sign-off on the established close schedule.
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• Flag unusual bank activity, timing differences, or unresolved items to the Controller without waiting for the period-end review.
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Month-End Close Support

The Staff Accountant carries assigned close responsibilities each period, executing their portion of the close independently so the Controller can focus on review, judgment-level entries, and the final reporting package.

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• Complete assigned balance sheet reconciliations on the close calendar, preparing clean, well-supported workpapers that are ready for Controller review without back-and-forth.
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• Ensure all cash receipts are posted and the A/R subledger is current and reconciled before the close cutoff.
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• Complete bank reconciliations and have them ready for Controller sign-off within the established close window.
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• Post routine journal entries as assigned by the Controller, including prepaid amortization schedules, recurring entries, and accruals with clear support.
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• Communicate proactively with the Controller if any close item is at risk of missing its deadline — surface the issue early, not at the deadline.
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Ad Hoc Reporting & General Accounting Support

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• Respond to ad hoc reporting requests from the Controller or Director of Finance, pulling data, organizing it clearly, and delivering it on the timeline requested.
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• Assist in preparing supporting schedules and documentation for external audits, tax filings, or insurance inquiries as directed.
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• Support the finance team during high-volume periods, system transitions, or special projects by taking on additional tasks as assigned.
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• Maintain organized, audit-ready workpapers and accounting records for all areas of responsibility.
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• Continuously look for ways to do the work more accurately and efficiently — and bring those ideas to the Controller.
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QUALIFICATIONS

Education

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• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field preferred. Candidates with an Associate’s degree and strong relevant experience will be considered.
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Experience

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• 1–3 years of accounting experience with hands-on exposure to at least some of the following: billing, A/R, bank reconciliations, or month-end close support.
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• Prior experience in a construction, contracting, staffing, or project-based environment is a meaningful advantage but not required.
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• Experience with AIA billing, retainage tracking, or project invoicing is a plus — candidates who haven’t done it before but are eager to learn will be considered.
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• Any background that demonstrates comfort working with numbers, meeting deadlines, and managing organized records will be viewed positively.
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Technical Skills

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• Comfortable working in accounting software and able to learn new platforms quickly; prior experience with construction or project-based systems is a plus.
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• Solid Excel skills sufficient to build and maintain reconciliation schedules, aging trackers, and billing logs.
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Competencies

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• Detail-oriented and accurate — understands that billing errors, missed cash applications, and reconciliation gaps have real consequences and takes that seriously.
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• Organized and deadline-driven, able to manage multiple ongoing responsibilities across several entities without dropping tasks or missing cutoffs.
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• Takes direction well and follows through completely — when given an assignment, the Controller shouldn’t have to check in twice.
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• Communicates openly and early — raises questions, flags issues, and asks for clarification before a problem grows rather than after.
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• Eager to learn and ready to grow — this role covers a lot of ground for someone early in their career, and the right person will see that as an opportunity, not an obstacle.
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MEASURES OF SUCCESS

The Staff Accountant will be evaluated against the following outcomes:

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• Project invoices submitted accurately and on schedule each billing cycle with no missed billing opportunities.
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• A/R aging kept current, with collections follow-up documented and escalation items surfaced to the Controller proactively.
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• Bank reconciliations and A/R subledger completed on the close calendar and ready for Controller sign-off without rework.
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• Assigned close tasks delivered on time and at a quality level that requires minimal correction in Controller review.
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• Ad hoc reporting requests turned around accurately and on the timeline given.
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• Demonstrated growth in technical proficiency and independent judgment over the first 12 months.
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This job description reflects the principal functions of the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications. The company reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties as business needs evolve.