Project Accountant

PROJECT ACCOUNTANT | COMPANY DOUBLING IN SIZE

Hybrid Work Schedule

Family Oriented Culture

Job Description

The Project Accountant supports all aspects of project accounting, including budget and contract preparation, client billing, and subcontractor cost management for construction and engineering projects. This role manages project financials from setup through billing and collections, ensures accurate reconciliation of billings and scopes of work, and provides key support to project managers and engineers. The position sits within a fast-growing engineering organization that designs and delivers network infrastructure for data centers and offers a stable, entrepreneurial environment where team members create lasting processes and have a direct impact on the companys growth.

Responsibilities

• Support the full construction project accounting cycle from project setup through subcontractor management, billing, and collections.
• Prepare and maintain project budgets, contracts, and billing schedules in alignment with project scopes of work.
• Perform voucher data entry with accurate coding and ensure all entries align with project and general ledger structures.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date project files, including contract changes, resource changes, and subcontractor records.
• Create and maintain project structures within the accounting software and production network to support project tracking and reporting.
• Prepare detailed Excel spreadsheets to support project financial analysis, reporting, and reconciliations.
• Assist Project Managers with expense reports, including reconciliation to receipts and company credit cards.
• Prepare lien waivers and other supporting documentation required for billing and collections.
• Contact clients regarding billing issues, outstanding invoices, and collection efforts, maintaining professional and timely communication.
• Assist with additional accounting assignments as needed, including month-end close activities, journal entries, financial reporting, accounts receivable, HR-related accounting tasks, and payroll support.
• Prepare proposals using office templates and prospect-issued RFPs, ensuring compliance with submission requirements.
• Maintain and update employee resumes, headshots, and experience information for proposal documents based on RFP requirements.
• Assist Project Engineers with binding, assembling, and preparing proposal documents for issuance.
• Coordinate travel bookings with the companys travel agent and ensure bookings align with company policies and project needs.
• Code travel bookings to the appropriate projects to ensure accurate cost allocation and reporting.
• Review and validate employee expense reports, confirming appropriate documentation, coding, and policy compliance.
• Assist Project Managers with document and spreadsheet creation to support project planning, tracking, and reporting.
• Manage vendor bid forms under the direction of the project team, ensuring timely and accurate distribution and collection.
• Work efficiently in a high-volume invoicing environment, quickly learning existing processes and contributing to improvements.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of new standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will support long-term company growth.

Essential Skills

• 35 years of accounting experience in construction projects, preferably within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry.
• Comprehensive understanding of construction accounting processes, including project setup, subcontractor management, billing, and collections.
• Hands-on experience with Deltek Vision, Deltek Vantagepoint, or similar project accounting software, with the ability to work effectively in the newest version of Deltek Vantagepoint.
• Experience with payroll software systems that integrate with Deltek or Deltek Vantagepoint.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the ability to build and maintain detailed spreadsheets for project and financial reporting.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for proposal preparation and documentation.
• Ability to perform accurate voucher data entry and coding for project and general ledger accounts.
• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure and meet month-end close and reporting deadlines.
• Experience with month-end close processes, journal entries, financial reporting, accounts receivable, HR-related accounting activities, and payroll support.

Work Environment

The role is based in a traditional suburban office located in Woodridge, IL, within a close-knit engineering organization of approximately 32 employees, with plans to grow to 45+ in the coming years. This is a hybrid position, with a strong preference for being in the office four days per week, though there is flexibility for the right person as the company continues to build an in-office culture. The culture is family-oriented and entrepreneurial, with leadership that knows employees by name, encourages independent work, and provides direct access to decision-makers. Team members enjoy long tenures, are trusted to manage their work autonomously, and play a crucial role in developing processes and infrastructure that will support significant company growth driven by demand in the data center market.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Woodridge, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $33.00 - $36.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Woodridge, IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 30, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Woodridge,IL.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.