Senior Staff Accountant - Homebuilding/Commercial Construction

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.

Team Leadership, Oversight & Administration

- 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 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.

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.