Senior Project Accountant

Sr Project Accountant

Location: Madison, WI (onsite preferred) Schedule: Onsite 4–5 days/week; Remote up to 1 day/week Employment Type: Temporary (until a permanent hire is selected) Compensation: $45–$55/hr (up to $60/hr considered) Start Date: ASAP – supporting year-end close Hours: Core hours 9:30am–3:30pm; team starts 7:00–7:30am

About the Role: A leading manufacturer of highly engineered industrial structures is seeking a Sr. Project Accountant to support its Madison-based facility. This role provides immediate, high-impact project accounting support during a busy project cycle and year-end close. The ideal candidate excels in Epicor, advanced Excel modeling, and project-based accounting.

This is a hands-on, independent role reporting directly to the Controller.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Accounting & Financial Controls:

• Manage project setup, financial review, and project close-out.
• Perform revenue recognition under percentage-of-completion (POC) accounting.
• Prepare accruals, execute month-end close activities, and complete GL tie-outs in accordance with US GAAP.
• Review and analyze project margins, material cost variances, and data completeness.
• Lead invoicing quality checks and ensure compliance with commercial requirements.
• Support resolution of complex billing issues and customer/project audits.
• Conduct reconciliations, journal entries, and project-level financial analysis.

Process Improvement & Compliance:

• Support SOX-related tasks (no prior SOX experience required).
• Use Epicor to validate project data, billing information, and financial accuracy.
• Maintain and improve processes for invoicing, cashflow forecasting, and working capital.
• Ensure compliance with internal financial policies and controls.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives across the project accounting function.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner closely with Project Management, Engineering, and Operations teams.
• Support Credit & Collections with invoice resolution and customer payment issues.
• Communicate project financial trends and risks to leadership.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 3–5 years of project accounting experience, ideally in construction, manufacturing, or project-driven environments.
• Strong understanding of POC accounting, revenue and cost recognition, and US GAAP.
• ERP proficiency—must be able to navigate the system independently. (Epicor preferred)
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, formulas, and experience working within large financial models.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Self-directed and able to work with minimal supervision.

Nice to Have:

• Public accounting experience
• Experience with public company reporting
• Audit support exposure

Work Environment:

• Onsite preferred (4–5 days/week), with flexibility for 1 remote day per week
• Business casual dress
• Fast-paced, collaborative, project-driven setting

Employee Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) plan