Job description
Project Accountant
The Project Accountant is an integral member of the operations team and is responsible for managing, tracking and reporting on incurred costs, revenue recognition, client invoicing and collection efforts for a portfolio of contracts and projects. The Project Accountant serves as liaison between the regional offices and the Willdan Corporate Accounting Department. The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable about client invoicing, project accounting and revenue recognition issues for construction and consulting oriented businesses with an energetic and positive, team-oriented attitude.
Responsibilities:
- Collaboration with Operations Team regarding overall financial management of each project
- Project setup, maintenance and closeout within Costpoint
- Ensure project setup and structure supports billing and revenue requirements in compliance with revenue recognition standards and contract language
- Maintain project related records (contracts, CO's, etc.)
- Thorough understanding of different revenue and billing calculation formulas and how they impact the project
- Timely and accurate client billing
- Investigate all project expenses not billed to clients
- Follow-up with customers to ensure receipt and acceptance and assist in collections efforts
- Monitor accounts receivable and notify PM’s of issues with unpaid invoices by customers
- Respond timely to inquiries from PMs and/or customers (internal/external)
- Meet accounting deadlines for month-end process and closing cycles
- Relay HQ accounting processes to operations team members (PMs, PM Assistants, etc.)
- Ensuring timely and accurate recording of time and expenses, including subcontractor and supplier invoices, to jobs and job phases
- Reviewing revenue recognition calculations and ensuring their timely submission to corporate accounting
- Ability to pinpoint a revenue calculation issue and proactively take steps towards resolution
- Full understanding of each aspect of project profitability numbers
- Investigate project variances and submit reports to management when such exist
- Accurate tracking and reporting regarding remaining funding available
- Being able to calculate and monitor project key performance indicators (Margins, DSO, Unbilled, AR, etc.)
- Monitor and analyze revenue and unbilled balances to ensure proper revenue recognition- being able to explain discrepancies
- Proactively take steps to resolve Unbilled balances and reconcile revenue to billing
- Prepare and distribute reports upon request
- Full compliance and understanding of SOX Controls and how they impact the company
- Support both internal and external audits (SOX, Substantive Audits, etc.)
- Provide accounting and financial support to management
- Assist in development of new reports
- Complete understanding of each project report available and being able to translate to operations team
- Help educate and encourage all staff to take more responsibility over the financial aspect of projects
- Follow up with Operations Team to ensure information is returned in a timely manner
- Understand write-off reasons and challenge write-off requests that could be collected
- Performing month end expense accruals for incurred costs
- Ensuring accurate matching of purchase orders and subcontracts to subsequent invoices
- Perform expense allocation verification, accruals and journal entries
- Support regional financial forecast efforts and assists with other projects, as assigned
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field is strongly preferred
- 3-5 years of Accounting experience, with emphasis in project accounting / cost accounting is strongly preferred.
- Understanding of different contract types- Time & Materials, Cost Plus, Fixed Fee, etc.
- Project billing experience in various formats - Time & Materials, Cost Plus, Fixed Fee, etc
- GAAP and SOX experience desired
- Proficient in MS Office products including Outlook, Excel, and Word
- Knowledge of Deltek Costpoint or other project (cost) accounting system preferred
- Detail-oriented with excellent multi-tasking skills
- Highly articulate with excellent communication skills and strong customer service skills
- Works well in a team environment as well as independently
- Knowledge of the engineering consulting sector a plus
- Valid CA driver license required for travel between offices as well as occasional overnight stays
EEO Non-Discrimination and ADA Reasonable Accommodation Statement:
Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or partnership status, disability, military status, veteran status, pregnancy or predisposing genetic characteristics. Willdan does not discriminate on the basis of physical or mental disability where the essential functions of the job can be reasonably accommodated. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us.
Willdan Group, Inc. participates in E-Verify.