Project Cost Accountant

Fahrenheit Advisors; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A consulting firm is seeking a Project Cost Accountant to join a client in the construction industry in Virginia. The role involves project cost accounting experience, ensuring accurate billings, and providing financial reporting. Ideal candidates are collaborative, strong communicators, and have a passion for process improvement. Full-time position in a dedicated team focused on cost control and financial insight.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in project cost control or project accounting on heavy-civil, industrial, or large commercial jobs.
• Experience in setting up construction accounting systems.
• Strong communicator who can translate numbers into plain language.

Responsibilities

• Update costs and change-order log within systems or trackers.
• Issue monthly variance reports and explain the deltas.
• Track retainage, lien waivers, and collections.

Skills

Project cost control

Construction accounting systems

Advanced Excel skills

AIA billing

Cost variance analysis

Strong communication

Coaching teams

Tools

Spectrum Viewpoint

Job description

Fahrenheit Advisors is assisting our client, Liesfeld Contractor, in the search for a Project Cost Accountant to join their growing team. This role requires project cost accounting experience in the construction industry and the primary responsibilities are standardizing job cost practices, ensuring accurate monthly billings, managing projects and providing financial reporting to Project Managers and company leadership.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a newly established team dedicated to strengthening cost control and financial insight across the organization. Our ideal candidate is a collaborative problem solver who takes ownership of their work and enjoys improving processes.

Liesfeld is a 50-year-old family-owned commercial contracting business that has grown from a basic excavating company into a turnkey site development firm that offers transportation, emergency, environmental, mining support and client services across Central Virginia. Their leadership values fast, data-driven decisions and is a dedicated, tight-knit group with long-standing relationships.

Responsibilities

• Keep budgets current – Update costs and change-order log within systems or trackers.
• Watch committed vs. actual – Issue monthly variance reports and explain the deltas.
• Own pay apps – Straightforward AIA billing; track retainage, lien waivers, and collections.
• Validate invoices – Match subs and vendors to contracts and pay items; audit one supplier and one subcontractor each month.
• Forecast cost-to-complete & cash flow – Flag overruns or savings early; roll forecasts into WIP.
• Coach the team – Train PMs and field staff on cost coding and best practices.
• Ensure controls & compliance – Keep our cost data clean and ready for internal audit.

Requirements

• 5+ years in project cost control or project accounting on heavy-civil, industrial, or large commercial jobs.
• Experience setting up construction accounting systems and/or using Spectrum Viewpoint.
• Advanced Excel skills creating pivot tables, vlookups and dashboards.
• Comfortable preparing AIA pay apps, tracking retainage, and managing lien waivers.
• Able to spot cost variances quickly, explain them clearly, and propose fixes.
• Strong communicator who can translate numbers into plain language for field crews, PMs, and leadership.
• Enjoy coaching teams on cost coding and using reports.
• Nice to have: experience on data-center or hyperscale projects.

Senior Level

Mid-Senior level

Employment Type

Full-time

Job Function

Accounting/Auditing

Industry

Construction