Senior Project Accountant

Vaco by Highspring; East Brunswick Township (NJ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring is seeking a Project Accounting & Financial Reporting professional to oversee project accounting, month-end close, cash flow management, and financial reporting for active generation development projects. This role partners with project management, AP, procurement, treasury, tax, and senior leadership to ensure accurate project financials and strong controls.

Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's in Accounting, 4+ years in capital project or construction accounting, strong US

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting; Master's degree or CPA is a plus.
• 4+ years of accounting experience, with meaningful exposure to capital project or construction accounting.
• Experience in energy, power generation, construction, or another capital‑intensive industry preferred.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, capitalized costs, CWIP, and asset classification.
• Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365, ideally the Project Management module.
• Familiarity with procurement and payment systems such as D365 Procurement & Sourcing or IBM Maximo is a plus.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, financial modeling, and working with large datasets. Power Query/Fabric experience is a plus.
• Experience with Power BI and/or Microsoft Copilot preferred.
• Experience with project budgeting, variance analysis, cash flow forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
• Strong ownership mentality with the ability to identify and address issues proactively.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end project accounting for active generation development projects.
• Maintain project cost structures in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365), ensuring accurate tracking of work orders, purchase orders, and contract commitments.
• Partner with AP, procurement, and project teams on capital coding, cost capture, and resolving coding issues.
• Review requisitions, purchase orders, and construction invoices for proper project coding and budget alignment.
• Track change orders, retainage, and project commitments across active projects.
• Identify and communicate budget variances and potential cost overruns.
• Manage month-end close, including accruals, journal entries, and reconciliations of CWIP, AP accruals, and retainage.
• Monitor CWIP and coordinate plant-in-service transfers and asset classification.
• Support audits, special projects, and process improvement initiatives.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Ownership mentality

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting

Master's degree or CPA

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365)

Power BI

Excel

Copilot

Job description

Our client is seeking a Project Accounting & Financial Reporting professional to oversee project accounting, month-end close, cash flow management, and financial reporting for active generation development projects. This role will serve as a key partner to project management, AP, procurement, treasury, tax, and senior leadership, ensuring accurate project financials and strong financial controls.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Accounting & Month-End Close

• Own end-to-end project accounting for active generation development projects.
• Maintain project cost structures in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365), ensuring accurate tracking of work orders, purchase orders, and contract commitments.
• Partner with AP, procurement, and project teams on capital coding, cost capture, and resolving coding issues.
• Review requisitions, purchase orders, and construction invoices for proper project coding and budget alignment.
• Track change orders, retainage, and project commitments across active projects.
• Identify and communicate budget variances and potential cost overruns.
• Manage month-end close, including accruals, journal entries, and reconciliations of CWIP, AP accruals, and retainage.
• Monitor CWIP and coordinate plant-in-service transfers and asset classification.
• Support audits, special projects, and process improvement initiatives.

Cash Flow & Financial Reporting

• Assist with monthly cash forecasting and maintain a rolling 12-month project cash forecast.
• Partner with project managers, treasury, and senior management to align funding with project milestones and expenditures.
• Monitor cash positions and identify potential cash flow risks.
• Prepare monthly project spend reports and management reporting using D365, Power BI, and AI-powered tools such as Microsoft Copilot.
• Support capital budgeting, monthly variance analysis, and explanations of timing differences, scope changes, and cost overruns.
• Prepare investor reports, lender compliance packages, and project-level financial statements.
• Support quarterly and annual financial statement preparation and external audits.
• Serve as the primary point of accountability for accurate project cost data within D365.
• Maintain project cost coding standards and ensure proper classification of capital versus operating costs.
• Perform periodic reviews to identify miscoded transactions, duplicate charges, and unapproved commitments.
• Establish month-end review and project close-out procedures.
• Escalate budget overruns, control issues, and unusual cost activity.
• Support tax teams and external advisors with project cost schedules and asset classification documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve D365 workflows, automated controls, and financial reporting processes.

Project Controls & Financial Integrity

• Serve as the primary point of accountability for accurate project cost data within D365.
• Maintain project cost coding standards and ensure proper classification of capital versus operating costs.
• Perform periodic reviews to identify miscoded transactions, duplicate charges, and unapproved commitments.
• Establish month-end review and project close-out procedures.
• Escalate budget overruns, control issues, and unusual cost activity.
• Support tax teams and external advisors with project cost schedules and asset classification documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve D365 workflows, automated controls, and financial reporting processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting; Master's degree or CPA is a plus.
• 4+ years of accounting experience, with meaningful exposure to capital project or construction accounting.
• Experience in energy, power generation, construction, or another capital-intensive industry preferred.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, capitalized costs, CWIP, and asset classification.
• Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365, ideally the Project Management module.
• Familiarity with procurement and payment systems such as D365 Procurement & Sourcing or IBM Maximo is a plus.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, financial modeling, and working with large datasets. Power Query/Fabric experience is a plus.
• Experience with Power BI and/or Microsoft Copilot preferred.
• Experience with project budgeting, variance analysis, cash flow forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
• Strong ownership mentality with the ability to identify and address issues proactively.

Our client is seeking a Project Accounting & Financial Reporting professional to oversee project accounting, month-end close, cash flow management, and financial reporting for active generation development projects. This role will serve as a key partner to project management, AP, procurement, treasury, tax, and senior leadership, ensuring accurate project financials and strong financial controls.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Accounting & Month-End Close

• Own end-to-end project accounting for active generation development projects.
• Maintain project cost structures in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365), ensuring accurate tracking of work orders, purchase orders, and contract commitments.
• Partner with AP, procurement, and project teams on capital coding, cost capture, and resolving coding issues.
• Review requisitions, purchase orders, and construction invoices for proper project coding and budget alignment.
• Track change orders, retainage, and project commitments across active projects.
• Identify and communicate budget variances and potential cost overruns.
• Manage month-end close, including accruals, journal entries, and reconciliations of CWIP, AP accruals, and retainage.
• Monitor CWIP and coordinate plant-in-service transfers and asset classification.
• Support audits, special projects, and process improvement initiatives.

Cash Flow & Financial Reporting

• Assist with monthly cash forecasting and maintain a rolling 12-month project cash forecast.
• Partner with project managers, treasury, and senior management to align funding with project milestones and expenditures.
• Monitor cash positions and identify potential cash flow risks.
• Prepare monthly project spend reports and management reporting using D365, Power BI, and AI-powered tools such as Microsoft Copilot.
• Support capital budgeting, monthly variance analysis, and explanations of timing differences, scope changes, and cost overruns.
• Prepare investor reports, lender compliance packages, and project-level financial statements.
• Support quarterly and annual financial statement preparation and external audits.

Project Controls & Financial Integrity

• Serve as the primary point of accountability for accurate project cost data within D365.
• Maintain project cost coding standards and ensure proper classification of capital versus operating costs.
• Perform periodic reviews to identify miscoded transactions, duplicate charges, and unapproved commitments.
• Establish month-end review and project close-out procedures.
• Escalate budget overruns, control issues, and unusual cost activity.
• Support tax teams and external advisors with project cost schedules and asset classification documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve D365 workflows, automated controls, and financial reporting processes.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting; Master's degree or CPA is a plus.
• Own end-to-end project accounting for active generation development projects.
• Maintain project cost structures in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365), ensuring accurate tracking of work orders, purchase orders, and contract commitments.
• Partner with AP, procurement, and project teams on capital coding, cost capture, and resolving coding issues.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries('we,' 'our,' or 'Vaco by Highspring') are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations.

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

the individual's skill sets, experience and training;

licensure and certification requirements;

office location and other geographic considerations; and

other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).