Senior Accountant

Senior Accountant

Waggoner Engineering, Inc. is seeking a Senior Accountant to join our team in either Baton Rouge, LA or Jackson, MS. This role supports our continued growth and offers the opportunity to work on (or support) meaningful projects alongside a collaborative, experienced team. You'll have the chance to build your career while contributing to impactful solutions across the communities we serve. This position is a key member of the finance team responsible for maintaining the integrity of the general ledger and delivering meaningful financial variance analysis to firm leadership. This role requires a detail-oriented accounting professional who can translate financial data into actionable insights within a project-based professional services environment. Reporting to the Controller, the Staff Accountant will be tasked with various efforts related to department compliance to GAAP and FAR standards.

Key Responsibilities

• General Ledger Management: Owns the day-to-day maintenance of the general ledger, ensuring all transactions are accurately recorded, properly coded, and reconciled in a timely manner. Prepares and posts journal entries for accruals, prepaid expenses, deferrals, intercompany transactions, and corrections. Performs monthly reconciliation of all balance sheet accounts and resolves discrepancies promptly. Maintains chart of accounts integrity and enforces consistent coding practices across departments and project cost centers.
• Month-End & Year-End Close: Leads assigned close activities on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, ensuring deadlines are met and financial statements are produced accurately. Prepares close checklists, coordinates with project managers and department heads to capture outstanding costs, and reviews trial balances for completeness and accuracy prior to reporting.
• Financial Variance Analysis: Prepares detailed budget-to-actual variance analyses at both the firm and project level, identifying trends, anomalies, and drivers of over- or under-performance. Investigates and clearly explains variances in revenue, labor costs, overhead, and indirect expenses, and presents findings in a format suitable for principals and non-financial stakeholders. Supports development of rolling forecasts by providing historical variance context and trend data.
• Overhead Rate & Indirect Cost Monitoring: Tracks indirect costs and overhead pools on an ongoing basis, comparing actual spending against budgeted rates. Assists in the preparation and annual reconciliation of the firm's overhead rate, particularly in support of FAR compliance for government contracts if applicable.
• Financial Reporting & Dashboards: Develops and maintains recurring internal reports, including profit and loss statements by department or studio, utilization and multiplier reports, and labor cost analyses. Identifies opportunities to improve reporting clarity and efficiency, including automation of routine reconciliations or reports.
• Audit & Compliance Support: Prepares supporting schedules, reconciliations, and documentation for external audits and tax preparation. Maintains organized workpaper files and responds to auditor inquiries in a timely manner.

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance
• Two to four years of progressive accounting experience with a strong emphasis on general ledger and financial analysis is preferred.
• Prior experience in an A&E, architecture, engineering, or professional services firm is a significant plus.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and financial modeling, is required.
• Experience with Deltek Vantagepoint or similar project accounting software is highly desirable.
• The ideal candidate is analytically minded, communicates financial concepts clearly, and thrives in a deadline-driven environment.

Why Join Our Team

We know work isn't only about what you do, it's also about who you work for and with! Waggoner Engineering provides a fun, family-friendly, and multicultural work environment that supports a work life balance, including:

• WEI Incentive Program
• Healthy Workplace Program
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Competitive Health Benefits
• Career Development and Training
• Flexible/Hybrid Schedule
• Community Service Opportunities

Waggoner Engineering, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Pay Transparency

The base salary range for this role is indicated in the posting. This range reflects the company's good faith estimate of the compensation for this position at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, qualifications, internal equity, and geographic location.

About Waggoner

Waggoner is a multidisciplinary infrastructure and advisory firm focused on transforming communities and advancing the systems that support them. Our teams bring together engineering, science, business, environmental expertise, digital innovation, program delivery, and strategic insight to solve complex challenges facing communities, industries, and governments. We believe infrastructure is more than projects - it is the foundation of resilient communities, economic opportunity, and a stronger future. By integrating technical excellence with environmental stewardship, data-driven insights, and collaborative problem solving, Waggoner helps our clients realize what's possible and delivers solutions that create lasting impact for the people and places we serve. Our culture is built on integrity, accountability, collaboration, and excellence. We empower talented professionals to lead, innovate, and work across disciplines to deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients and communities.

Our Vision

To be the trusted partner organizations turn to for integrated solutions that strengthen communities, advance infrastructure, and solve complex challenges.

Our Mission

Transforming communities. To improve the quality of life for our clients, communities, and employees by delivering innovative, resilient, and sustainable solutions that make a lasting difference. Apply Now

Our Hiring Process

Stage 1:

Applied

Stage 2:

Initial Screening

Stage 3:

1st Interview

Stage 4:

Offer

Stage 5:

Hired

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