Senior Staff Accountant - Homebuilding & Commercial Construction

Colen Built Family of Companies; Ocala (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Colen Built Development team seeks a Senior Staff Accountant – Construction to oversee financial activities across residential and commercial projects. You’ll ensure accuracy of settlements, job costs, and general ledger accounts, while supporting operations, purchasing, and leadership with financial insights.

Responsibilities cover job costing, WIP, COGS, internal controls, audits, and reporting. Strong GAAP knowledge and ERP experience are essential for success in this on-site Ocala, FL

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related business discipline.
• CPA or CMA designation preferred or actively pursuing certification.
• 4–6+ years of progressive accounting with 2–3 years in construction job costing.
• Leadership or review experience of staff accountants or AP/AR teams.
• Experience managing ledgers across multiple entities or projects.
• Proficiency with Timberline/Sage 300 Construction or Sage Intacct and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Record customer deposits and closings; review PSAs and addendums.
• Finalize job cost summaries; prepare monthly WIP schedules; record COGS.
• Reconcile WIP to Trial Balance and GL accounts; review reports.
• Manage billables and commissions for GC fees on projects.
• Assist budgeting (SG&A) and strengthen internal controls.
• Support external audits and regulatory documentation.
• Provide training and guidance to operational staff.
• Propose accounting process improvements for efficiency.
• Report incidents or irregularities to the Controller.

Skills

Advanced Excel

GAAP knowledge

Job costing

Financial analysis

Intercompany accounting

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

CPA or CMA preferred

Tools

Timberline/Sage 300 Construction

Sage Intacct

Job description

The “Colen Built” legacy of building quality homes in exceptional communities that customers are proud to own lives on in every home we deliver. Just like it did when we started back in 1947.

The Senior Staff Accountant – Construction is responsible for managing financial activities across residential construction, commercial projects, and related amenity or operational facilities. This role ensures the accuracy of settlement statements, job costs, and general ledger accounts while maintaining compliance with accounting standards and company policies. Combining complex project-level cost accounting with advanced general ledger and financial reporting duties, this position supports multiple communities and works closely with construction operations, purchasing, department staff, and leadership to maintain financial integrity, review accounting work, and drive informed decision-making.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following statements describe the principal functions of this position and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may be expected to perform other duties as assigned, including working in other areas to cover absences or balance the workload. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Construction & Job Cost Accounting

• Customer Deposits & Closings: Record customer deposits in accordance with Purchase & Sales Agreements (PSAs). Record home closings (HUDs) and thoroughly review for accuracy and discrepancies against PSAs and option addendums.
• Job Cost & COGS Management: Review and finalize Job Cost Summaries, prepare monthly Work in Progress (WIP) schedules, and record Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) on closed homes.
• Reconciliations: Reconcile WIP accounts to the Trial Balance account and Purchasing Reports. Reconcile construction-related general ledger accounts including Inventory, AP, AR, retention, Prepaid and Accrual accounts.
• Billables & Commissions: Manage commercial and residential billables for General Contractor fees on closed homes and active commercial projects. Review internal and external commissions for compliance and execute payment to related parties.

Budgeting & Controls

• Budget- Assist in the review and copulation of SG&A expense accounts in preparation of yearly budget.
• Internal Controls & Compliance: Maintain and enhance internal controls across accounting and cash management processes. Ensure full compliance with GAAP, sales tax regulations, management directives, and regulatory guidelines.
• Audit Preparation: Assist with external audit requests, regulatory documentation, and year-end audit schedules.
• Operational Guidance: Provide training, guidance, and financial procedure insights to operational staff and team members.
• Process Improvements & Projects: Recommend and implement accounting process enhancements for efficiencies.
• Reporting & Safety: Immediately report incidents or accounting irregularities to the Controller. Maintain a positive, professional demeanor toward residents, visitors, and colleagues while adhering to all company safety, confidentiality, and operational standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications (Education, Experience, Technical Skills)

Education and Experience:

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related business discipline.
• Preferred: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation, or actively pursuing certification.

Experience

• Required: 4–6+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 2–3 years specifically focused on construction job costing, WIP schedules, and residential/commercial real estate development accounting.
• Leadership/Review Experience: Experience reviewing the work of staff accountants, or accounts payable/receivable team members.
• Multi-Entity Accounting: Demonstrated experience managing general ledgers, intercompany transactions, and financial statements across multiple legal entities or active development projects.

Software & Technical Skills

• ERP & Construction Accounting Systems: Proficiency with industry-standard ERP and construction accounting software (Timberline/Sage 300 Construction, Sage Intacct or similar platforms).
• Advanced Excel: Mastery of Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, Pivot Tables, dynamic financial modeling, complex formulas, and data analysis).
• Financial Reporting & Analytics: Knowledge of financial reporting Trial Balance, Balance Sheet & Income Statement. Business intelligence tools, and operational dashboard generation. Job cost variance reporting & analytics.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Solid understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) as applied to revenue recognition, COGS, and construction accounting (ASC 606).
• In-depth familiarity with HUD settlement statements, Purchase & Sales Agreements (PSAs), subcontractor retention, and commission structures.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities with high attention to detail and data integrity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross-departmental collaboration with Construction Management, Purchasing, Treasury, and Executive Leadership.

Position is located in Ocala, FL and is an on-site, in-person position.

Colen Built Development provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, Colen Built Development will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Drug free work place.