Bookkeeper / Staff Accountant

ROLE CONTEXT Red House aims to be New England's leader in high-end residential design and construction. Reaching that vision depends on financial records accurate and current enough for team members to use in daily decision making. This role exists to keep those records clean day to day, serving our Mission of a world-class experience by making the numbers trustworthy and our Purpose by protecting the company that employs our team. Clarity must be most visible here — in the precision and transparency of the financial data this seat produces — backed by Trust in how confidential information is handled and Care in how vendors and teammates are treated in the work.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

The Bookkeeper / Staff Accountant protects the integrity of Red House's financial records across two entities — Red House and a second, smaller short-term-rental entity. This is an execution role defined by a clear control boundary: this seat executes the keystrokes (accurate entry, coding, reconciliation preparation, filing); the Finance, HR & Administration Manager owns the standards and decisions; and the Controller retains the technical accounting. The Controller reviews this seat's work on a dotted line, may direct rework, and keeps an open two-way line of communication with it. Excellence looks like clean books, both entities closed on the same clock, and month-end data that the Controller can reconcile with zero rework.

Level: the seat is filled at the Bookkeeper level (transactional execution) or the Staff Accountant level (execution plus growth into reconciliation, journal-entry, and reporting work handed off from the Controller over time), based on the hire's qualifications.

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Payables, Receivables & Deposits
• Reconciliations & QuickBooks–BuilderTrend Sync
• Month-End Close Preparation (both entities)
• Trade Partner Compliance — COI / W-9
• Second-Entity Bookkeeping (Boutique Retreats)
• Backup & Continuity — Payroll / Net Zero Cross-Training

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Payables, Receivables & Deposits

• Enter vendor invoices; apply accurate first-pass coding (right job, right cost code) for the F&A Manager's review.
• Prepare check and ACH payment runs; manage Eastern Bank Positive Pay / ACH Positive Pay exceptions; file supporting documentation.
• Generate customer invoices in BuilderTrend; apply payments; prepare deposits; support collections follow-up with the F&A Manager and Production

1. Reconciliations (prep) & QuickBooks–BuilderTrend Sync

• Pre-reconcile credit cards.
• Pre-reconcile vendor credit accounts (where Red House holds credit) fully current by end of month — "pre-reconciling" means every item accounted for, not most.
• Maintain the QuickBooks–BuilderTrend sync, including manually entering credits between the two systems — detailed work that has to be right; a core competency of the seat

1. Month-End Close Preparation (multiple entities)

• Work the existing month-end checklists.
• Catch discrepancies before month-end, not during it.
• Deliver month-end data clean enough for the Controller to reconcile with zero rework, on the same schedule for both entities

1. Trade Partner Compliance — COI / W-9

• Chase COI and W-9 renewals; file them; log expirations in RH system with reminders; flag lapses.
• Hold payment in the AP queue for any trade partner whose COI, W-9, or signed agreement is not current.
• Own the communication loop on a hold: immediately flag the sub, the Production team, and the F&A Manager, and drive it to resolution through clear, timely communication.
• Escalate adequacy judgments (certificate sufficiency, additional-insured status, workers'-comp exemption validity, license verification) to the F&A Manager, who makes them

1. Second-Entity Bookkeeping (Boutique Retreats)

• Pay monthly utilities and recurring bills; keep revenue and expense entry current.
• Reconcile the Amex / STR credit card; collect and match receipts.
• Prepare the file for the Controller on the same month-end schedule as Red House.
• Other entities may be added in the future

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Month-end data delivered clean enough for the Controller to reconcile with zero rework , both entities closed on the same clock.
• Credit card and vendor credit accounts fully pre-reconciled by end of month.
• AP entered and coded accurately, with no missed vendor due dates.
• QuickBooks–BuilderTrend sync kept current, with discrepancies caught before month-end.
• No payment released against an expired COI, W-9, or unsigned agreement — and every hold communicated and resolved promptly.
• Cross-trained and current on payroll and Net Zero, able to cover on short notice.

LEADERSHIP & BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

Self:

• Instills Trust — Handles confidential financial and vendor information with discretion; does what they say they'll do; is direct and truthful when something is wrong or behind.
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness — Seeks and accepts feedback without defensiveness; knows the edges of their own knowledge and grows from mistakes.
• Being Resilient — Stays composed and accurate under the monthly deadline rhythm; recovers quickly when priorities collide.

Role-relevant:

• Optimizes Work Processes — Runs recurring AP, reconciliation, and close workflows the efficient way; keeps the QuickBooks–BuilderTrend sync clean.
• Action Oriented — Takes on the daily work with urgency and follow-through; keeps the books current rather than letting them drift, and closes on time without being chased.
• Communicates Effectively — Clear and timely across departments, especially on a payment hold: keeps the sub, Production, and the F&A Manager informed and moving toward resolution.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bookkeeper level:

• 2+ years in bookkeeping, full-charge bookkeeping, or AP/AR and accounting support.
• QuickBooks Desktop proficiency at a daily-use level; accurate AP coding, credit-card and account reconciliations, and month-end preparation.
• Strong Excel / Google Sheets fluency; demonstrated discretion with confidential financial information.
• Comfort working alongside a remote, fractional Controller, and strong follow-through under a recurring monthly deadline.

Staff Accountant level (in addition to the above):

• Accounting or finance degree, or CPA/CMA track, or demonstrated ability to prepare journal entries, own account reconciliations, and prepare/interpret financial statements.
• Readiness to grow into reconciliation, journal-entry, and reporting work handed off from the Controller over time.

Strongly preferred (either level):

• Construction / design-build job-costing exposure — the coding accuracy this seat feeds is what makes Red House's WIP and job costing mean anything; job-costing fluency is the tell.
• BuilderTrend experience and comfort with the manual QuickBooks–BuilderTrend credit work; familiarity with Positive Pay / ACH exception handling.
• EOS/Traction exposure; comfort using AI tools to increase capacity.

SYSTEMS

QuickBooks Desktop (hosted via Rightworks), BuilderTrend, Paycor (payroll — cross-training/backup), Google Workspace, Positive Pay / ACH Positive Pay.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Standard office environment; on-site, client-facing.

POSITION DETAILS & COMPLIANCE

• Part-time, onsite at Red House's Providence studio, 177 Sherburne Street, 15–20 hrs/week. This work is a rhythm, not a project, so a daily onsite presence is preferred over a few long days. Core hours must cover the AP / payment-run day , and the month-end close window ; flexibility exists around those anchors. Standard/modern office environment; sustained computer work; confidential financial information handling. Occasional light lifting (up to 20 lbs).

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Rate — Bookkeeper level: $22.00 - 32.00 / hour
• Rate — Staff Accountant level: $30.00 - 40.00 / hour
• Benefits (Part-Time Status): 
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan: Eligible on the first quarterly entry date following 6 months of continuous service. Includes company Safe Harbor match (100% match on the first 3% deferred, 50% match on the next 2%). 
  • Profit-Sharing Plan: Eligible after 6 months of continuous employment, calculated based on regular hours worked and company profitability goals. 
  • Professional Development Fund: Eligible for approved courses and training up to an annual allowance equivalent to 1 week of pay (15–20 hours). 
  • Culture & Perks: Company computer provided (in-studio), access to our modern Providence studio, dog-friendly workspace, espresso bar, and fully stocked snack drawer.

Please note: Per company policy, part-time positions (under 30 hours per week) are not eligible for group health/dental insurance, accrued PTO, or paid company holidays.

LEGAL NOTICES

Employment-at-Will: Employment with Red House Design Build is at-will, meaning that either the employee or the company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or prior notice. This document outlines general accountabilities and does not constitute an employment contract.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Red House Design Build provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by Rhode Island or federal laws.