Director of Accounting

Palmer's Security Solutions; Virginia; On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Palmer's Security Solutions is seeking a Director of Accounting to lead the accounting function, ensure GAAP-compliant reporting, and maintain strong internal controls across all divisions in Virginia. This hands-on leadership role requires strategic insight and the ability to develop staff while partnering with executive leadership.

You will oversee month-end close, project costing, cash flow management, and compliance activities, with a focus on accurate financial forecasting and performance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 7–10+ years of progressive accounting experience with leadership responsibility.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Experience with construction accounting, project accounting, job costing, or a similar project-driven environment.
• Experience with WIP reporting, forecasting, revenue recognition, and cash-flow management.
• Experience managing and developing accounting personnel.
• Strong ERP/accounting-system and Excel skills.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, leadership, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee accounting operations, including general ledger, AP, AR, payroll accounting, reconciliations, and month-end/year-end close.
• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.
• Provide executive leadership with clear reporting and analysis of company financial performance.
• Review all contracts, purchase orders, and other financially binding agreements for favorable terms and conditions, accuracy, completeness, final signatures, and filing.
• Coordinate year-end reporting, tax preparation, and outside CPA requirements.
• Oversee WIP reporting, job costing, revenue recognition, and project-level financial reporting.
• Work with Project Managers to maintain accurate project budgets, cost-to-complete forecasts, and expected gross margins.
• Identify margin erosion, cost overruns, billing issues, and other financial concerns and communicate them to leadership.
• Monitor backlog, under- and overbilling, project profitability, and expected revenue and gross profit.
• Review completed projects to compare estimated versus actual performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Maintain company cash flow forecasting and provide leadership visibility into upcoming cash requirements.
• Oversee AR, collections, AP, billing accuracy, and working-capital management.
• Develop and maintain strong internal controls and appropriate separation of duties.
• Review financially significant contracts, purchase orders, and agreements as required.
• Support audits, tax filings, insurance reviews, and other financial compliance requirements.
• Lead, manage, and develop the Accounting Department.
• Provide oversight and accountability for Accounting Specialist and Accounting Coordinator functions.
• Establish clear responsibilities, deadlines, approval authority, and checks and balances.
• Document critical accounting functions and ensure appropriate cross-training.
• Lead annual budgeting and maintain ongoing financial forecasts.
• Analyze actual performance against budget, forecast, and prior periods.
• Provide financial analysis supporting hiring, capital purchases, pricing, and strategic decisions.
• Develop meaningful financial KPIs and reporting for executive leadership.
• Maintain the financial integrity of Sage 100 Contractor and related accounting systems.
• Work with the Operations Systems Manager to keep Sage, Comsense, payroll, and operational systems aligned.
• Improve accounting workflows, reporting accuracy, and communication between Accounting and operational departments.
• Develop and maintain written accounting procedures and controls.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Leadership

Financial reporting

Project accounting

ERP systems

Excel

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Tools

Sage 100 Contractor

Comsense

ERP systems

Job description

Job Category: Manager

Job Type: Full Time

Job Location: Virginia

Director of Accounting

Position Summary

The Director of Accounting is responsible for the overall financial integrity, accounting operations, and financial reporting of Palmer’s Security Solutions, LLC. This position leads the accounting function and ensures accurate financial reporting, strong internal controls, effective cash management, and reliable project/job costing. The Director works closely with executive leadership, Project Management, Estimating, Operations, Purchasing, and Warehouse to ensure financial information accurately reflects company and project performance. This hands‑on leadership role requires strong technical accounting knowledge and the ability to develop people, improve processes, and provide meaningful financial insight to leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Reporting

• Oversee accounting operations, including general ledger, AP, AR, payroll accounting, reconciliations, and month-end/year-end close.
• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.
• Provide executive leadership with clear reporting and analysis of company financial performance.
• Review all contracts, purchase orders, and other financially binding agreements for favorable terms and conditions, accuracy, completeness, final signatures, and filing.
• Coordinate year-end reporting, tax preparation, and outside CPA requirements.

Work in Progress (WIP), Job Costing & Project Financials

• Oversee WIP reporting, job costing, revenue recognition, and project-level financial reporting.
• Work with Project Managers to maintain accurate project budgets, cost-to-complete forecasts, and expected gross margins.
• Identify margin erosion, cost overruns, billing issues, and other financial concerns and communicate them to leadership.
• Monitor backlog, under- and overbilling, project profitability, and expected revenue and gross profit.
• Review completed projects to compare estimated versus actual performance and identify improvement opportunities.

Cash Flow & Financial Controls

• Maintain company cash flow forecasting and provide leadership visibility into upcoming cash requirements.
• Oversee AR, collections, AP, billing accuracy, and working-capital management.
• Develop and maintain strong internal controls and appropriate separation of duties.
• Review financially significant contracts, purchase orders, and agreements as required.
• Support audits, tax filings, insurance reviews, and other financial compliance requirements.

Accounting Team Leadership

• Lead, manage, and develop the Accounting Department.
• Provide oversight and accountability for Accounting Specialist and Accounting Coordinator functions.
• Establish clear responsibilities, deadlines, approval authority, and checks and balances.
• Document critical accounting functions and ensure appropriate cross-training.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Analysis

• Lead annual budgeting and maintain ongoing financial forecasts.
• Analyze actual performance against budget, forecast, and prior periods.
• Provide financial analysis supporting hiring, capital purchases, pricing, and strategic decisions.
• Develop meaningful financial KPIs and reporting for executive leadership.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Maintain the financial integrity of Sage 100 Contractor and related accounting systems.
• Work with the Operations Systems Manager to keep Sage, Comsense, payroll, and operational systems aligned.
• Improve accounting workflows, reporting accuracy, and communication between Accounting and operational departments.
• Develop and maintain written accounting procedures and controls.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 7–10+ years of progressive accounting experience with leadership responsibility.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Experience with construction accounting, project accounting, job costing, or a similar project-driven environment.
• Experience with WIP reporting, forecasting, revenue recognition, and cash-flow management.
• Experience managing and developing accounting personnel.
• Strong ERP/accounting-system and Excel skills.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, leadership, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA, CMA, or similar professional designation.
• Experience in specialty construction, building products, government contracting, manufacturing, or a related industry.
• Sage 100 Contractor and/or Comsense experience.
• Experience within a growing privately held company.

Key Competencies

• Strong understanding of project-based financial management.
• High level of accuracy and financial judgment.
• Ability to identify financial and operational issues early.
• Strong leadership and accountability.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-financial managers.
• Ability to balance strong financial controls with the needs of a fast-moving business.
• High degree of integrity, confidentiality, and ownership.

Reporting Structure

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Direct Reports: Accounting Specialist and Accounting Coordinator

Salary: $120,000 – $140,000, commensurate with experience.

The Director of Accounting will also work closely with the President and executive leadership on financial reporting, forecasting, cash flow, budgeting, and strategic financial matters.