Cost Accountant

HHM Talent; Chattanooga (TN); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

HHM Talent is assisting a client in Chattanooga, TN to hire a Cost Accountant focused on tracking project costs, enhancing financial reporting, and guiding management decisions about budgets and profitability.

The role reports to the VP of Operations and requires collaboration with project managers, payroll, and operations. The position offers a hybrid schedule with on-site days, field site work, and remote work options.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting is required.
• Approximately 3–5 years of relevant accounting experience, including cost or job cost accounting.
• Construction industry experience highly preferred.
• Experience with QuickBooks is required.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Effective communicator who can coordinate with field and office teams.

Responsibilities

• Track materials, labor, subcontractor costs, and other project expenses, ensuring costs are assigned to the correct jobs.
• Compare actual costs against budgets, investigate variances, and identify errors, waste, and cost‑saving opportunities.
• Partner with payroll to review labor costs and ensure accurate project allocations.
• Support inventory counts and valuation, including the use of drone‑generated inventory estimates.
• Prepare journal entries, bank reconciliations, and other account reconciliations.
• Support month‑end close and review work‑in‑progress (WIP) reporting.
• Work closely with project managers and operations to monitor budgets, forecast final project costs, and assess profitability.
• Communicate cost concerns and recommend improvements to project accounting processes and controls.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Strong communication

Initiative

Collaborative with field and office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting

Tools

QuickBooks

Job description

HHM Talent is assisting a client search for a Cost Accountant in Chattanooga, TN.

Position Overview

Our client is seeking a Cost Accountant to track project costs, strengthen financial reporting, and help management make informed decisions about budgets and profitability. Reporting to the VP of Operations, this person will partner with project managers, payroll, and operations to ensure costs are accurately recorded and project performance is clearly understood.

The hybrid schedule includes three days in the office, one day at the job site in Guild, TN, and one day working from home each week.

Responsibilities

• Track materials, labor, subcontractor costs, and other project expenses, ensuring costs are assigned to the correct jobs
• Compare actual costs against budgets, investigate variances, and identify errors, waste, and cost‑saving opportunities
• Partner with payroll to review labor costs and ensure accurate project allocations
• Support inventory counts and valuation, including the use of drone‑generated inventory estimates
• Prepare journal entries, bank reconciliations, and other account reconciliations
• Support month‑end close and review work‑in‑progress (WIP) reporting
• Work closely with project managers and operations to monitor budgets, forecast final project costs, and assess profitability
• Communicate cost concerns and recommend improvements to project accounting processes and controls

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting required
• Approximately 3–5 years of relevant accounting experience, including cost or job cost accounting
• Construction industry experience highly preferred
• QuickBooks experience required
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to investigate discrepancies and explain financial information clearly
• Confident, direct communicator who can hold others accountable, reinforce processes, and work effectively with field and office teams
• Comfortable taking initiative and spending time at active job sites to understand project operations

Compensation & Growth

• Base salary of $75,000–$90,000, based on experience
• Potential Christmas bonus of up to approximately $5,000–$6,000
• Opportunity to take on increasing management responsibilities, with a potential path into a management role within 3–5 years or responsibility for the financials of additional company entities