Project Accountant

Project Accountant

Location: Albany, NY

Grade/Classification: 4 (D-1) - Professional I

Salary range: $72,710 - $92,708

Bargaining Unit: CSEA

FLSA Status: Exempt

Last Revised: May 14, 2026

Primary Purpose: The Project Accountant performs complex financial activities for large-scale capital construction projects, including, but not limited to, budgeting, cost tracking, cost projections, forecasting, and billing. This involves analyzing and recording financial transactions, preparing and reviewing financial records, reports, and statements, and overseeing day-to-day project accounting for construction projects. The Project Accountant works day-to-day with the Construction Team and closely with the Contracts unit on project financials, including subcontract and procurement processing and payments.

Essential Functions:

• Monitor a construction project budget for compliance with a bond document, MOU, or other funding agreement.
• Coordinate the systems set-up and maintenance of a project, insuring consistency among systems, databases and applications.
• Monitor contract and purchase order payments, ensuring compliance with DASNY procedures and specific contract requirements.
• Monitor change-orders, reviewing for completeness and compliance with DASNY procedures.
• Input and update change-orders with cost values, cost codes, billing, retainage, insurance and other financial components.
• Review, evaluate and verify supporting documentation for progress payments, work with vendors on providing missing documentation to substantiate payments.
• Review, evaluate and resolve billing line items in schedules of values for vendor payments.
• Process payment requisitions and review contractor progress payments for accuracy and appropriateness, verifying the payment requisition includes prevailing wage, certified payrolls and M/WBE SDVOB (opportunities) compliance certifications.
• Prepare and reconcile project financial reports.
• Develop and maintain project spending forecasts for all project related contracts based on actual spending and adjusted contract scope
• Ensure potential costs/pending changes are entered into the Financial Management System and Project Management system as directed by the Project Manager.
• Maintain project files.
• Verify all necessary forms are completed as required for stored materials and release of retainage.
• Verify final payment requests and assist with project closeout.
• Assist Project Manager, DASNY Claims Analysts and Construction Manager/ Technical Advisor in establishing and maintaining project claim files.
• Perform complex financial calculations, financial analysis, and account reconciliations.
• Review financial statements, analyses and reports for internal and external parties.
• Research and analyze financial discrepancies between records, reports and systems and coordinate resolution.
• Assist in ensuring compliance with Federal and State laws, financial standards/practices, project contracts, and DASNY policies and procedures.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist internal and external auditors in their review.
• Assist with the development, documentation, and implementation of procedures.
• Assist with the assessment/development and implementation of internal controls and participate in the testing of same.
• Assist with the project tracking systems related to payments, change-orders and related items.
• Undertake special assignments as directed.
• Maintain regular, consistent attendance and punctuality in accordance with DASNY policy.
• Must adhere to the NYS Information Security Policy Standards established and issued by the Office of Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Coordination.

Supervision:

Supervision of employees may be required.

Physical/Mental/Visual Demands:

Occasional travel may be required using public transportation, DASNY vehicle, rental vehicle or personal vehicle. This travel may include overnight stays at public accommodations and related establishments. May require exposure to weather and temperature extremes, loud noises, heights (climbing ladders, scaffolding, etc.) and other work-safety hazards (chemicals, fumes, etc.) of a construction site. Requires complex and time-pressured decision-making. Must be able to work overtime or extended work hours as needed.

Work Environment:

Workstation and location varies depending on assignment. May be standard office environment or a construction site.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field plus two years as a DASNY Accountant II or three years relevant professional accounting or project accounting experience; or Associate's degree plus five years relevant professional accounting or project accounting experience; or High School Diploma or equivalent plus eight years relevant DASNY professional accounting or project accounting experience or nine years relevant professional accounting or project accounting experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

CPA or Bachelor's degree in Accounting plus five years relevant professional accounting experience, including two years supervisory experience, public accounting experience, application of GAAP, and financial statement preparation. Three years of project accounting experience.

Essential Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment and show initiative.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated analytical and conceptual skills.
• Excellent mathematical skills.
• Demonstrated accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to prioritize.
• Proficiency in PC applications such as Outlook, Excel, Access, Word, SharePoint and PowerPoint.

Benefits information:

• Choice of several health insurance plans
• Dental & vision insurance
• Membership in the NYS Retirement System
• Deferred Compensation Investment Plan
• 13 vacation days per year
• 13 sick days per year
• 5 days of personal leave per year
• 12 paid holidays per year (plus one float day)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Training & development opportunities

We offer additional benefits, which includes:

• Limited Work from Home (LWFH) – additional telecommute days according to DASNY's Telecommuting Program Guidelines. Eligibility applies after 6 months of employment.
• DASNY is a government employer for purposes of the Public Services Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF Program). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance of certain student loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments. For more information regarding PSLF Program and whether you qualify please visit the Studentaid.gov website.

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.