Cost & Program Controls Manager

Cherry Bekaert Recruiting & Staffing Services; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Publicly Traded Aerospace & Defense Technology Company in Arlington, VA is seeking a Cost & Project Controls Manager to own the financial picture of government programs. You will close project costs and build EAC/ETC forecasts, collaborating with Program Managers and Finance leadership to ensure forecasts reflect execution.

The role requires 4+ years in cost accounting/forecasting, strong Excel, and experience with government contracting. Hybrid schedule with 2–3 days onsite in Arlington.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Accounting, Finance, Business, Engineering, or related field.
• 4+ years in cost accounting/close with EAC/ETC forecasting for government contracts.
• Month-end close experience: journal entries, accruals, reconciliations.
• Experience building/defending EAC/ETC forecasts and identifying margin risk.
• Familiarity with FFP, CPFF, T&M or hybrid contracts.
• Knowledge of ASC 606 revenue recognition.
• Advanced Excel (PivotTables, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS); ERP: Unanet/Deltek Costpoint/Vantagepoint, SAP, Oracle, NetSuite.
• Ability to obtain SECRET clearance.
• CPA/CMA/PMP or EVM certification a plus.

Responsibilities

• Cost accounting & close across multiple government programs
• Build and defend EAC/ETC forecasts
• Collaborate with program managers to align forecasts with execution
• Present results and risks to stakeholders

Skills

Cost accounting

Forecasting (EAC/ETC)

Month-end close

Budgeting & analysis

ASC 606

ERP systems

Government contracts

Excel advanced

EVM knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Unanet

Deltek Costpoint

Vantagepoint

SAP

Oracle

NetSuite

Job description

Publicly Traded Aerospace & Defense Technology Company

Cost & Project Controls Manager

$140k-$160k + Bonus

Location – Arlington, VA – Hybrid (2-3x)

The Role

Our client is hiring a Cost & Project Controls Manager to own the full financial picture of a portfolio of active government programs — both the accounting record of what's happened and the forward-looking forecast of where each project is heading. This role sits at the intersection of cost accounting and project controls: you'll close the books on project costs, and you'll also build and defend the EAC/ETC forecasts that tell Program Managers and Finance leadership whether a project is on track. You'll report to the Director of Finance and Accounting, and be trusted to run your portfolio independently after ramp-up.

What You'll Do

Cost Accounting & Close

• Maintain project cost-accounting structures and financial master data across multiple concurrent government programs
• Reconcile project ledgers to the general ledger; investigate and resolve labor, AP, procurement, and billing discrepancies
• Prepare journal entries, accruals, and cost transfers as part of month-end close
• Support milestone-based billing and revenue recognition (ASC 606) by validating that billing support ties to documented project progress

Project Controls & Forecasting

• Build and maintain Estimate at Completion (EAC) / Estimate to Complete (ETC) forecasts, integrating actual costs, open commitments, staffing plans, procurement timing, and schedule assumptions
• Partner directly with Program Managers to test forecast assumptions against real execution and reconcile the financial forecast to operational reality
• Analyze cost trends against budget; flag margin risk and cost-to-complete pressure early, with clear recommendations, not just variance reporting

Reporting

• Present financial results, forecasts, and risks to Finance leadership, Program Managers, and Program Controls stakeholders

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's in Accounting, Finance, Business, Engineering, or a related field
• 4+ years combining cost accounting/close work with EAC/ETC forecasting or project controls, ideally supporting government contracts
• Hands-on month-end close experience: journal entries, accruals, reconciliations
• Demonstrated experience building and defending EAC/ETC forecasts and identifying project margin risk
• Working knowledge of FFP, CPFF, T&M, or hybrid contract types
• Familiarity with milestone/deliverable-based billing and ASC 606 revenue recognition
• Advanced Excel (PivotTables, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS); ERP experience a plus (Unanet, Deltek Costpoint/Vantagepoint, SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite)
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance
• CPA, CMA, PMP, or EVM certification a plus