Staff Accountant - Construction

Cogent Talent Solutions; Oxford (CT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Cogent Talent Solutions in Oxford, CT is seeking a Staff Accountant with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and at least 5 years of hands-on experience. This role is not a typical back-office position; you will build and manage an inventory tracking system as we scale, owning end-to-end accounting tasks.

You’ll oversee general ledger, AP/AR, job costing, and month-end close, while leveraging QuickBooks, ADP, and Excel to deliver accurate reporting and strong financial controls.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting is required.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience; construction/manufacturing background preferred.
• Proficient in QuickBooks, ADP, and advanced Excel for reporting.
• Experience implementing and managing an inventory system from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Sole Accounting Ownership: Manage full-cycle accounting independently, including data entry.
• Document Control & Compliance: Maintain audit-ready financial records and vendor/tax docs.
• Inventory Implementation & Oversight: Lead selection, setup, and rollout of inventory system.

Skills

Inventory management

Sole accountant

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Tools

QuickBooks

ADP

Excel

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly driven, self-starting Staff Accountant with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and 5+ years of hands‑on experience. This is not a typical back-office accounting role. A critical priority will be building our inventory processes from the ground up. We need someone eager to evaluate, implement, and manage a robust inventory tracking system as we scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Sole Accounting Ownership: Manage all full-cycle accounting functions independently, handling both high-level financial tasks and daily hands‑on data entry.
• Document Control & Compliance: Oversee complete document control for all financial files, job files, vendor records, tax documentation, and receipts to maintain immaculate records and audit readiness.
• Inventory Implementation & Oversight: Lead the selection, setup, and rollout of a modern inventory tracking system; establish best practices for physical inventory counts, raw material tracking, and valuation.
• General Ledger & Financial Operations: Oversee day-to-day accounting operations, including general ledger maintenance, accounts payable/receivable, job costing, and month‑end closing procedures.
• Systems Utilization & Payroll Support: Leverage QuickBooks, ADP, and Excel to drive efficient bookkeeping and reporting; assist with payroll-related tasks, reporting, and data entry as needed.
• Financial Integrity & Analysis: Analyze financial and job data, face facts directly identifying variances and presenting actionable solutions without sugarcoating realities.
• Cross‑Functional Team Support: Fill gaps across department operations by proactively supporting team members in areas where financial, inventory, or administrative assistance is needed.
• Organizational Advocacy: Defend organizational interests and team integrity through accurate reporting, compliance enforcement, and sound financial stewardship.

Qualifications & Skills

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting (Required).
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive accounting experience; background in construction or manufacturing is strongly preferred. Comfortable working as a sole accountant handling both strategy and daily data entry.
• Software Proficiency: Proficiency in QuickBooks, ADP, and advanced Excel for streamlined bookkeeping and reporting.
• Core Competencies: Exceptional attention to detail in data entry, document control, time management, and problem-solving.
• Inventory Expertise: Demonstrated experience or strong eagerness to implement and manage an inventory system from scratch.
• Mindset: Self-starter with high accountability, strong analytical skills, and a direct, reality-based approach to financial reporting.
• Team-First Approach: Willingness to jump in, support peers, and protect the team's shared goals and reputation.
• Adaptability: Thrives under pressure, handles shifting priorities, and excels in a high-energy, dynamic atmosphere.

$85,000 - $100,000 a year