Accounting Manager

Sterling St James LLC; Oak Park (IL); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Health, dental, vision & life ins.

PTO & paid sick time

Hybrid work after training

Job summary

Sterling St James LLC in Oak Park, IL is seeking a Senior Accountant to manage month-end close, financial reporting, and project costing in a fast-paced, multi‑unit environment. The role offers hybrid work with potential for one day WFH after training.

Compensation ranges $90,000–$100,000 base with a performance bonus, plus a robust benefits package including 401(k) and comprehensive health coverage, PTO, and paid sick time.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
• 3–6 years of progressive accounting experience.
• Public accounting/audit experience strongly preferred.
• Ideal background: 2+ years of public accounting plus 1–2+ years of corporate accounting.
• Strong GAAP, financial reporting and month-end close experience.
• Strong Excel and ERP skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support month-end, quarter-end and year-end close.
• Prepare financial statements and supporting schedules.
• Perform GL maintenance and account reconciliations.
• Analyze financial results and explain significant variances.
• Maintain and analyze WIP schedules, job costing and project profitability.
• Support fixed asset and inventory accounting.
• Assist with annual audits and tax preparation.
• Participate in budgeting and forecasting.
• Partner with operations and project managers on project costs and profitability.
• Improve internal controls, accounting processes and procedures.
• Participate in ERP, systems and process–improvement initiatives.

Skills

GAAP

Month-end close

Analytical thinking

Communication abilities

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

Senior Accountant – Up to $100K + Bonus | Hybrid

$90,000–$100,000 + Performance Bonus
Hybrid – Potential for 1 Day WFH After Training
401(k) + Health, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance
PTO + Paid Sick Time
Direct Exposure to the Controller & CFO
Broad Role with Excellent Career Growth

Looking for a Senior Accountant role where you can do more than reconciliations and month-end close?

Our client is a successful, fourth-generation privately held company with a diverse group of businesses spanning construction, service, distribution, ecommerce and light manufacturing. They offer the stability of a long-established organization combined with a complex, fast-paced accounting environment where you’ll get exposure to virtually every area of the business.

This is a particularly attractive opportunity for someone who started in public accounting and has moved into industry. You’ll work directly with an experienced Controller and a new CFO, gain visibility across multiple business units, and get hands‑on exposure to financial reporting, WIP and project accounting, job costing, inventory, budgeting, forecasting, systems and process improvement.

Instead of getting pigeonholed into one piece of the close, you’ll have the opportunity to understand how the entire business operates and build the experience that prepares you for the next step in your career.

The company has a strong track record of stability, offers performance-based bonus potential and excellent benefits, and provides the opportunity for one work-from-home day per week after you’re trained and established in the role.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and support month-end, quarter-end and year-end close
• Prepare financial statements and supporting schedules
• Perform GL maintenance and account reconciliations
• Analyze financial results and explain significant variances
• Maintain and analyze WIP schedules, job costing and project profitability
• Support fixed asset and inventory accounting
• Assist with annual audits and tax preparation
• Participate in budgeting and forecasting
• Partner with operations and project managers on project costs and profitability
• Improve internal controls, accounting processes and procedures
• Participate in ERP, systems and process–improvement initiatives

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting
• Approximately 3–6 years of progressive accounting experience
• Public accounting/audit experience strongly preferred
• Ideal background: 2+ years of public accounting plus 1–2+ years of corporate accounting
• Strong GAAP, financial reporting and month-end close experience
• Strong Excel and ERP skills
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication abilities

Construction experience is NOT required. Experience in construction, engineering, manufacturing, distribution, industrial services or another project-based environment is a plus.

Exposure to WIP, job costing, percentage-of-completion accounting, inventory, sales tax, certified payroll or government contracts is helpful but not required.

Compensation & Benefits

• $90,000–$100,000 base salary
• Performance-based bonus
• 401(k)
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• PTO and paid sick time
• Potential for 1 WFH day per week after training

Location: Oak Park IL area