Project Accountant

Position: Project Accountant 

Reports To: Operations Accountant 

Classification: Exempt 

Summary

Project Accountant is responsible to establish and maintain financial records for design projects assigned to the office in which they are located. In addition, the Project Accountant will provide support to Principals-in-Charge (PICs) and Project Managers (PMs) in fulfilling their responsibility to ensure each project is completed in a financially responsible manner. Although this position ultimately reports to the Operations Accountant, there will be mutual accountability to/from the PICs and PMs.

Essential Functions:

• Ensure signed contracts are received in a timely manner and properly filed.
• Ensure all insurance requirements are satisfied.
• Review client contract to gain an understanding of billing terms and payment terms.
• Establish and maintain project budget. Review financial results and provide timely project reporting.
• Calculate and prepare client billings monthly and enter them into VantagePoint.
• Manage Accounts Receivable.
• Calculate consultant expense incurred and enter amount into VantagePoint.
• Coordinate payment of consultant invoices.
• Reconcile consultant expense incurred to consultant invoices.
• Prepare, maintain, and analyze office forecast.
• Review and approve general accounts payable and expense reports.
• Set-up new clients and projects in VantagePoint.
• Contract Administration and Review

• Contract Administration

1. Client contract – monitor status through the life of the project including ensuring signed contract is received in a timely manner and properly filed (physical and electronic).
2. Consultant contract – monitor status through the life of the project including ensuring signed contract or agreement is received in a timely manner and properly filed (physical and electronic).
3. Ensure all insurance requirements are satisfied (certificate of insurance is sent to clients and received from consultants).
4. Contract Review
5. Review client contract to gain an understanding of all billing terms (amounts, timing and documentation).
6. Effectively communicate with PM and PICs regarding contract documents, change orders and other contract modifications, approvals and any additional services and their impact on billing.
7. Review consultant contracts to gain an understanding of all payment terms (amounts, timing, and relationship to client billing).

• Project Financials 

1. Establish and maintain project budget.
2. Work with PIC and/or PM to establish budget
3. Enter budget into Vision
4. Monitor projects
5. Review financial results (budget vs. actual) on a timely basis.
6. Provide timely project reporting to PICs and PMs.
7. Monitor hours charged to projects. Be especially aware of hours posted to projects that are not profitable, are no longer billable or are missing a signed contract.
8. Monitor activity that is outside our basic service agreement and should be billed as an additional service.
9. Identify problems/red flags early and address concerns with PICs, PMs and Operations Accountant.  
10. Meet regularly with PICs and PMs to review findings and discuss project status. Information gathered in these meetings will be used during the billing process and in maintaining the office forecast.
11. Provide resource to research questions or issues identified by PICs and PMs.
12. Maintain project master records (project location, project and phase start and end dates, etc.)
13. Project close-out
14. Identify and monitor projects in closeout.
15. Work closely with PICs and PMs to ensure project close-out is concluded in a timely manner.

• Client Billings

1. Calculate and prepare client billings monthly and enter them into VantagePoint.
2. Manage Accounts Receivable
3. Apply payments received,
4. Distribute aging reports to PICs and PMs on a timely basis, and
5. Monitor aging and work with PICs, PMs and/or clients when amounts age past a reasonable point.

• Consultant Payments

1. Calculate consultant expense incurred and enter amount into VantagePoint.
2. Coordinate payment of consultant invoices.
3. Reconcile consultant expense incurred to consultant invoices.

• Office Forecast

1. Prepare, maintain, and analyze office forecast.
2. Communicate results and concerns to PICs and Operations Accountant.

• General Accounting

1. Review and approve general accounts payable
2. Review and approve expense reports
3. Set-up new clients in VantagePoint
4. Set-up new projects in VantagePoint
5. Handle other accounting functions applicable to their specific geographic area, such a local tax, etc.
6. Generate hour’s reports for PIC meetings.

Competencies:

• Effective interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Exceptional organizational skills, ability to compete multiple projects simultaneously effectively and successfully with attention to detail. 
• Demonstrates trust and reliability. Highly ethical business practices.
• Able to operate under deadline situations and respond to changes in priorities.
• Willingness to take initiative, set priorities and see projects through to completion in an orderly and efficient manner.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and with minimal supervision. Must be a reliable self-starter and have a strong service-oriented demeanor.
• Must be perceptive with ability to establish relationships and communicate effectively with:

1. Internally – PICs, PMs, Operations Accountant, and rest of the finance staff
2. Externally – Client and consultant representatives

• Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. Prepared to learn and challenge conclusions or requests.
• Thorough knowledge of standard contract terms, including hourly, lump sum, not-to-exceed and how they are applied to the billing process.
• Ability to employ problem solving skills and analysis, and report findings effectively to PIC, PM, Operations Accountant. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Deltek VantagePoint software.

Certification Requirements

• None 

Supervisory Requirements

• Required to work closely alongside a Finance /Accounting team

Work Environment

• This position operates in a professional open office environment with low to moderate noise levels including collaborative work areas for team meetings. Each office provides collaborative work areas and shared resources such as video conferencing, printing/scanning and a café for dining.

Physical Demands

• Hand/Wrist/Finger dexterity for 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week
• Ability to lift or move up to 15 Lbs.
• Ability to sit for long periods of time

Position Type/Hours expected to work

• This is a full-time position with a minimum expectation of 40 hours per week

Travel

• Rare 

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree with emphasis in Accounting or equivalent work experience
• A minimum of three years of accounting experience
• Experience in Architecture/Engineering/Construction or other project-based industry
• Experience with Deltek VantagePoint a plus

Work Authorization

• Sponsorship may be considered

AAP/EEO Statement

NAC is committed to the principle of equal opportunity employment. As a result, all qualified employees and prospective employees will be recruited, selected, and trained without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. All applicants are carefully screened, and full consideration is given to their training, education, skills, experiences, growth potential and previous work record. This same non- discriminatory consideration will be used in all other aspects of the employment relationship.

NAC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with a disability to the extent that doing so does not create an undue hardship on NAC, Inc. NAC encourages employees and applicants to communicate any special needs by engaging in an interactive process with NAC to formulate reasonable accommodations.