Construction Accounting Manager

JHM is assisting a client search for an Construction Accounting Manager in Chattanooga, TN.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Construction Accounting Manager to lead the accounting and financial reporting functions of a growing construction company.

This is a key office leadership position responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, strengthening accounting processes, and providing ownership and project managers with timely, reliable financial information. The position will oversee the monthly close, job costing, work-in-progress reporting, billing, cash-flow reporting, subcontractor compliance, and other construction-related accounting processes.

This is not an entry-level bookkeeping position. The successful candidate must have hands-on construction accounting experience and understand how job costs, contract billing, retainage, change orders, committed costs, and project performance affect a contractor’s financial results.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting and Financial Reporting

Manage the monthly and year-end close

Maintain the general ledger and review transactions for accuracy

Prepare bank, credit card, and balance-sheet reconciliations

Prepare monthly financial statements, cash-flow forecasts, and management reports

Establish consistent accounting procedures and internal controls

Coordinate with the company’s external CPA on financial reporting, tax compliance, and audits

Maintain organized accounting records and supporting documentation

Construction Accounting and Job Costing

Maintain accurate project-level job cost records

Review costs for proper project, cost-code, and expense classification

Prepare and analyze WIP schedules, including contract values, costs incurred, estimated costs to complete, billings, retainage, and over- or underbillings

Work with ownership and project managers to identify job cost discrepancies, margin changes, budget issues, and billing concerns

Maintain contract values and approved change orders

Prepare project profitability, backlog, and other management reports

Billing, Accounts Receivable, and Accounts Payable

Manage customer billing, including AIA G702/G703 pay applications, schedules of values, and retainage

Monitor accounts receivable and follow up on outstanding invoices and retainage

Oversee accounts payable, invoice coding, approvals, and payment scheduling

Maintain subcontractor and vendor records, including W-9s, certificates of insurance, licenses, and lien waivers

Monitor subcontract commitments, purchase orders, invoices, and change orders

Reconcile vendor statements and support year-end Form 1099 reporting

Payroll and Administrative Support

Oversee or support payroll processing, reporting, and PTO tracking

Assist with contracts, subcontracts, business licenses, permits, and insurance documentation

Support project closeout and warranty documentation as needed

Communicate with ownership, project managers, field personnel, subcontractors, vendors, clients, lenders, and municipalities

Required Qualifications

At least three years of construction accounting or project accounting experience

Experience with job costing and project-level financial reporting

Experience independently preparing AIA G702/G703 pay applications

Understanding of retainage, schedules of values, change orders, and committed costs

Experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and monthly close

Hands-on QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel experience

Experience maintaining subcontractor compliance documentation

Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills

Ability to manage competing priorities and meet accounting and billing deadlines

High degree of accuracy, confidentiality, accountability, and follow-through

Preferred Qualifications

Five or more years of construction accounting experience

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field

Experience preparing WIP schedules and analyzing over- and underbillings

Knowledge of percentage-of-completion accounting

Experience with cash-flow forecasting, project profitability, and backlog reporting

Experience supporting financial statement, tax, insurance, or workers’ compensation audits

Experience supervising or reviewing accounting personnel

Schedule and Work Environment

This is a full-time, in-office position in the Chattanooga area.

The Construction Accounting Manager will work closely with company ownership, project managers, superintendents, subcontractors, vendors, clients, lenders, insurance representatives, municipalities, and the company’s external CPA.

Compensation

Compensation will be based on experience and qualifications.

2 weeks PTO, 5 days of sick/personal leave

Eligible for an annual discretionary bonus based on company and individual performance.