Project Accountant

M2 Search Partners; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 58,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Our Jacksonville construction client seeks a Project Accountant to join its accounting team. You will handle day-to-day accounting duties and support project financials for active construction projects.

The ideal candidate has hands-on construction accounting experience, including job costing, WIP reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, contract billing, and month-end close activities. Strong Excel and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• 2+ years progressive accounting experience with construction accounting
• Experience with job costing, WIP, percentage-of-completion revenue recognition, cost-to-complete estimates, and overbillings/underbillings
• Experience with journal entries, reconciliations, month-end close and detailed analysis
• Strong Excel skills and ability to handle detailed financial data
• Excellent communication with accounting, project managers, and vendors

Responsibilities

• Handle day-to-day general ledger responsibilities including journal entries, accruals, prepaid accounts, fixed assets, reconciliations
• Support monthly close and provide detail for management review
• Reconcile job-cost data against GL and project records
• Prepare and update monthly WIP reports per the percentage-of-completion method
• Coordinate with project managers on cost projections, change orders, and billing details
• Review financial results and escalate significant variances to Controller
• Assist with customer billings, pay applications, lien releases, and related docs
• Oversee AP/AR activities including invoicing, collections, and aging review
• Complete bank and balance-sheet reconciliations and resolve discrepancies
• Maintain organized accounting files and support documentation
• Identify opportunities to improve procedures and internal controls

Skills

Excel proficiency

Attention to detail

Communication

Independent work

Billing

Education

Bachelor's in Accounting/Finance

Tools

QuickBooks Desktop

Viewpoint Vista

Procore

Job description

Salary: $58,000–$68,000, depending on experience

About the Opportunity

Our client, a construction firm with 30+ years of history in Jacksonville, is looking for an experienced Project Accountant to join its accounting team. This position will handle a broad range of day-to-day accounting responsibilities while playing an important role in maintaining accurate financial information for active construction projects.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on construction accounting experience and be comfortable working with job costing, WIP reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, contract billing, and month-end close activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Handle day-to-day general ledger responsibilities, including journal entries, accruals, prepaid accounts, fixed assets, reconciliations, and related account schedules.
• Assist with the monthly closing process and provide supporting account detail and analysis for management review.
• Monitor project-related accounting information and reconcile job-cost data against the general ledger, project documentation, and other supporting records.
• Prepare and update monthly WIP reports based on the percentage-of-completion method, including project costs, estimated costs to complete, contract values, change orders, earned revenue, margins, and billing positions.
• Coordinate with project managers to gather updated cost projections, committed costs, change-order information, billing details, and explanations for significant changes in project profitability.
• Review project financial results and bring unusual or significant variances involving costs, revenue, billing, margins, or collections to the attention of the Controller.
• Assist with customer billings and pay applications, including schedules of values, retainage, change orders, lien releases, and other required documentation.
• Oversee day-to-day AP and AR activities, including invoice coding, purchase-order matching, vendor inquiries, customer invoicing, collection follow-up, and aging review.
• Complete bank, credit-card, loan, and other balance-sheet reconciliations and research outstanding discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate and well-organized accounting files and supporting documentation for management, tax, audit, and reporting purposes.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting procedures, organization, and internal controls while keeping processes practical for the company's project and field operations.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 1 year in a construction accounting environment.
• Working knowledge of construction job costing, WIP accounting, percentage-of-completion revenue recognition, cost-to-complete estimates, and overbillings/underbillings.
• Experience with journal entries, account reconciliations, month-end close support, and detailed account analysis.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to research discrepancies, determine the underlying cause, and recommend an appropriate resolution.
• Strong Excel skills, including formulas, lookups, pivot tables, and working with detailed financial data.
• Effective communication skills and the ability to work with accounting personnel, project managers, field personnel, customers, and vendors.
• Ability to prioritize recurring deadlines, maintain confidential information, and work independently while knowing when an issue needs to be escalated.

Preferred Background

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience will also be considered.
• Familiarity with construction and accounting systems such as QuickBooks Desktop, Viewpoint Vista, Procore, or similar platforms.
• Experience with AIA-style billing, schedules of values, retainage, lien releases, and related construction billing requirements.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is highly organized, self-directed, collaborative, and committed to accuracy, confidentiality, and continuous improvement. This person should be comfortable meeting deadlines, communicating professionally, developing team capacity, and supporting the broader Accounting / Finance function with sound accounting practices.

Confidentiality Notice

This is a confidential search. Additional company and role details will be shared with qualified candidates during the interview process.