Project Accountant - Solar & Renewable Energy

Bearconstructioncompany; Rolling Meadows (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

BEAR Construction is seeking a Project Accountant for Solar & Renewable Energy in Rolling Meadows, IL. The role interfaces between Project Management and Accounting to ensure accurate setup, tracking, reporting, and billing of solar projects through all phases of delivery.

The position requires 2–5 years in related roles, strong detail and organizational skills, and proficiency with Excel and project software.

Qualifications

• 2 to 5 years of experience in project accounting, construction accounting, or a related financial role.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, including Outlook and Excel.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to effectively prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to effectively partner with operations teams and project leadership.
• Basic understanding of construction contracts, billing procedures, and project financial reporting.

Responsibilities

• Project setup, budget entry, and subcontract/purchase order issuance for solar and renewable energy projects.
• Furnish and issue change orders to clients, subcontractors, and vendors.
• Track project costs, commitments, and budget performance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Perform project audits to identify and correct financial or system discrepancies.
• Review job billing status reports to ensure projects are invoiced accurately and timely.
• Prepare monthly owner billings, pay applications, and milestone-based invoices.
• Create and process time and material billings, where applicable.
• Work closely with Project Managers to monitor profitability, cash flow, and project financial health.
• Identify and communicate cost overruns, budget variances, and financial risks to project and accounting leadership.
• Support monthly forecasting, WIP reporting, and project financial reviews.
• Assist with tracking retention, lien waivers, and subcontractor compliance documentation.
• Review and approve Accounts Payable invoices when assigned.
• Monitor project receivables and assist with collection efforts.
• Support project closeout activities, including final billings and financial reconciliation.
• Maintain accurate financial records using company-approved software and accounting systems.
• Assist in developing and improving project accounting processes, reporting tools, and department procedures.

Skills

Project accounting

Construction accounting

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Written & verbal communication

Microsoft Excel

Problem-solving

Self-motivation

Cross-functional collaboration

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration

Tools

Vista by Viewpoint

Procore

Microsoft Office

Job description

TheProjectAccountant-Solar&RenewableEnergyreportstotheProjectAccountingManagerandplaysakeyroleinthefinancialmanagementofrenewableenergyconstructionprojects.ThispositionservesastheliaisonbetweenProjectManagementandAccounting,ensuringtheaccuratesetup,tracking,reporting,andbillingofsolarandrenewableenergyprojects.TheProjectAccountant-Solar&RenewableEnergyisresponsibleforsupportingprojectsfrominitialsetupthroughcloseoutbymonitoringprojectcosts,managingbillingprocesses,trackingfinancialperformance,andensuringcompliancewithclient,contractual,andcompanyrequirements.ThisrolerequirescollaborationwithProjectManagers,Engineers,Superintendents,subcontractors,andvendorsthroughoutallphasesofprojectdeliveryandsupportsthecontinuedgrowthofBEARConstruction'sSolarDivision.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Projectsetup,budgetentry,andsubcontract/purchaseorderissuanceforsolarandrenewableenergyprojects.
• Furnishandissuechangeorderstoclients,subcontractors,andvendors.
• Trackprojectcosts,commitments,andbudgetperformancethroughouttheprojectlifecycle.
• Performprojectauditstoidentifyandcorrectfinancialorsystemdiscrepancies.
• Reviewjobbillingstatusreportstoensureprojectsareinvoicedaccuratelyandtimely.
• Preparemonthlyownerbillings,payapplications,andmilestone-basedinvoices.
• Createandprocesstimeandmaterialbillings,whereapplicable.
• WorkcloselywithProjectManagerstomonitorprofitability,cashflow,andprojectfinancialhealth.
• Identifyandcommunicatecostoverruns,budgetvariances,andfinancialriskstoprojectandaccountingleadership.
• Supportmonthlyforecasting,Work-in-Progress(WIP)reporting,andprojectfinancialreviews.
• Assistwithtrackingretention,lienwaivers,andsubcontractorcompliancedocumentation.
• ReviewandapproveAccountsPayableinvoiceswhenassigned.
• Monitorprojectreceivablesandassistwithcollectionsefforts.
• Supportprojectcloseoutactivities,includingfinalbillingsandfinancialreconciliation.
• Maintainaccuratefinancialrecordsusingcompany-approvedsoftwareandaccountingsystems.
• Assistindevelopingandimprovingprojectaccountingprocesses,reportingtools,anddepartmentprocedures.
• Abilitytoaccommodateadditionalresponsibilities,asassigned.

POSITIONREQUIREMENTS

• 2to5yearsofexperienceinprojectaccounting,constructionaccounting,orarelatedfinancialrole.
• Strongattentiontodetailandorganizationalskills.
• Excellentwrittenandoralcommunicationskills.
• ProficiencyinMicrosoftOfficeproducts,includingOutlookandExcel.
• Abilitytoworkwithminimalsupervision.
• Abilitytoeffectivelyprioritizetasksandmeetdeadlines.
• Stronganalyticalandproblem-solvingskills.
• Abilitytoeffectivelypartnerwithoperationsteamsandprojectleadership.
• Basicunderstandingofconstructioncontracts,billingprocedures,andprojectfinancialreporting.
• Abilitytoaccommodateadditionalresponsibilities,asassigned.

PREFERREDQUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor'sDegreeinAccounting,Finance,BusinessAdministration,orequivalentprofessionalexperience.
• 3+yearsofexperienceintheConstructionIndustry.
• Experiencesupportingsolar,renewableenergy,utility,electrical,orinfrastructureprojectspreferred.
• ExperienceusingVistabyViewpointandProcore.
• KnowledgeofAIAbilling,retainagetracking,lienwaivers,andchangeorderprocesses.
• ExperiencewithprojectforecastingandWork-in-Progress(WIP)reporting.
• Familiaritywithutility-scale,commercialrooftop,batterystorage,EVinfrastructure,orotherrenewableenergyprojectspreferred.
• Understandingofprojectlifecyclemilestoneswithinrenewableenergyconstructionenvironments.

BEARConstructionprovidesequalemploymentopportunitiestoallemployeesandapplicantsforemploymentandprohibitsdiscriminationandharassmentofanytypewithoutregardtorace,color,religion,age,sex,nationalorigin,disabilitystatus,genetics,protectedveteranstatus,sexualorientation,genderidentityorexpression,oranyothercharacteristicprotectedbyfederal,stateorlocallaws.