Are you looking for a rewarding career with a successful organization and healthy corporate culture? Christman may just be the place for you. We are seeking an experienced, self-motivated, problem-solver to fill the role of a Project Accountant in our Lansing, MI region. We define excellence as the ability to add value to a construction project through focused delivery of expertise, leadership, and partnership. We excel at delivering significant value to our clients because we hire, train, and mentor the best talent and promote from within. Our employee-owners are dedicated to fulfilling our values of: honoring all commitments with integrity, building lasting relationships, having passion for our work and a competitive spirit, and keeping Christman a great place to work. We are looking for future owners and partners to join our great company.
The Project Account role will offer opportunities to bring value by creating a smooth flow of financial and risk management transactions between the client, our Company, and trade contractors working on the project, and introduce new methods for using systems more productively. Other responsibilities include supporting the project team throughout the completion of a project, including, providing regular updates regarding project profitability, sub-contractor compliance, and any outstanding risk management issues requiring the team's attention.
Essential Job Functions Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
1. Support Construction Operations With Accurate Financial Data
Assist Project Managers with project cost projections and reconciliations through project cost reports.
Support executive project financial status review through Project Financial Status Reports (PFSR).
2. Ensure Compliance with Company Risk Management Practices
Collect and track signed contracts, builder's risk insurance policies, trade contractor insurance, waivers, sworn statements, bonds, and notice of furnishings.
Maintain accurate and detailed project financial records including client, trade contractor, and project information files to a quality level expected by auditors.
3. Serve as a Personal Point-of-Contact with Trade Contractors
Provide orientation conversations for trade contractors working with Christman for the first time.
Answer questions and provide information regarding payments and contract compliance.
4. Process Project Financial Transactions
Manage and process all financial transactions performed in the normal course of a construction project between our company, the project owner, and trade contractors using our database system.
Manage Project Start Up; load project budgets, issue subcontracts, and perform all other activities required to appropriately structure accounting systems for the project type.
Process Owner Invoices; reconcile job costs, load schedule of values, billing rates, and other information needed to support the contractual invoicing procedure and company risk management and accounting standards.
Process Trade Contractor Invoices; reconcile trade contractor invoices, batch, cut and post trade contractor payments, and print checks.
Project Changes; manage and process all financial transactions generated by changes to the original project contract and scope (owner change order and trade contractor change orders).
Project Close-Out; manage final billing adjustments, subcontract finalization, archiving, and other processes that confirm complete execution of the project contract.
5. Contribute to Corporate Financial Accounting
Each member of the project accounting team has an opportunity and responsibility to contribute to corporate financial accounting systems.
Depending on background and capabilities, contributions may include supporting tasks or system responsibility related to: bank reconciliations, cash receipts, property management, payroll administration, trade contractor evaluations, joint venture financial statements, insurance audits, sales and use tax audits, accounting and project management software enhancements, etc.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Required Education and Experience
- Associates or Bachelor Degree in Business or Accounting.
- Two (2) or more years of experience in related job field.
-or-
- Equivalent combination of the above education, training, and experience.
Preferred Education and Experience
- Detailed knowledge of project contracts and change order documents.
- Knowledge of the construction industry and industry terminology.
- Three (3) years of experience in project accounting.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications
- Proven ability to maintain the highest levels of integrity, and handle, update, and maintain sensitive information in a confidential, timely, and professional manner.
- High level of accuracy and advanced attention to detail.
- Excellent communication and writing skills.
- Ability to work independently, take initiative, set priorities and see projects through to completion.
- Employ problem-solving skills and analysis and report problems to the Project Leader and/or Controller.
- Strong service orientation and knowledge of the project structure in a client/consultant business environment.
The Christman family of companies is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.
Equal Opportunity Employer: disability/veteran
