Project Cost Accountant

About CS Erickson

CS Erickson is a growing electrical and technology contractor delivering complex, integrated solutions for clients across the country. With expertise spanning Electrical Construction and Service, AV Technology, Structured Cabling, Building Automation, Industrial Automation, and Electrical Engineering, we are expanding what is possible through integrated electrical and technology solutions.

Our people are central to that momentum. We invest in their growth, value initiative and ownership, and create opportunities for people to expand their skills and advance their careers. As CS Erickson continues to grow, we are looking for talented people who want to do meaningful work, make an impact, and be part of a company helping lead the industry forward.

About the role

The Project Cost Accountant is the accounting partner to our project teams, from contract award through closeout. Working side by side with Project Managers, Superintendents and Purchasing, you will work to ensure proper tracking of labor, material, equipment and subcontract costs against budgets, build accurate monthly WIP and cost-to-complete forecasts, and give each team the information it needs to catch problems early, while there is still time to fix them.

What you'll do

• Provide accurate project financial reports to our project teams through our project management system, Procore.
• Ensure project teams follow company procedures for job setup, purchasing, cost coding, timesheets, change orders and billing.
• Track compliance items such as lien waivers, certificates of insurance, retainage terms and certified payroll requirements.
• Assist in training new PMs and field staff on accounting procedures and system use.
• Review weekly labor, material, equipment and subcontract charges for correct job and cost-code coding; correct misposted costs.
• Reconcile purchase orders, receipts and vendor invoices to job cost.
• Confirm job budgets and schedules of values are set up to match the estimate and contract.
• Check that billings, approved change orders and retainage are recorded correctly against each job.
• Prepare the monthly WIP schedule from project team forecasts, including over/under billings and projected margin.
• Support month-end close with accruals and job cost reconciliations.
• Assist with year-end audit, bonding-company and lender schedules.
• Support financial job closeout: final billing, retainage release and final cost review.

Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Strong understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting, reconciliations, and cost allocation.
• Knowledge of job costing, project budgets, cost-to-complete forecasting, and work-in-progress (WIP) reporting.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, and data analysis.
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize project management and accounting software, including Procore.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify discrepancies, investigate variances, and recommend corrective actions.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain financial information to individuals with varying levels of accounting knowledge.
• Ability to build effective working relationships and collaborate with Project Managers, Superintendents, Purchasing, and Finance teams.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive financial information with professionalism.
• Demonstrated initiative, accountability, and ability to work independently while contributing to a team environment.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Previous experience supporting electrical construction, commercial construction, or related trades.
• Experience using Procore or similar construction project management and accounting software.
• Familiarity with construction contracts, change orders, schedules of values, retainage, and progress billing.
• Experience preparing or supporting WIP schedules, percentage-of-completion reporting, and project profitability analysis.
• Knowledge of construction-related compliance requirements, including lien waivers, certificates of insurance, and certified payroll.
• Experience supporting month-end close, financial reconciliations, and audit preparation.
• Understanding of construction project lifecycles, from initial job setup through financial closeout.

Winning Behaviors and Competencies

• Real-time Communication is key to success: We will communicate real-time to our team members and clients. 
• Knowing our projects is key to success: Preplanning and continuous planning habits lead to success.  We will preplan every project, every time, no exceptions.
• Responsiveness is key to our success: We will deliver on time on all commitments and approach every request with a sense of urgency. This is our differentiator.
• Accountability is key to our success: I have a clear understanding of what I am responsible for and will ensure I have enabled good routines and habits that ensure successful outcomes. 
• We are professionals and will hold ourselves to the highest standards: The services and products we deliver will represent this belief. In return we will become role models for our youth, enhance our brand reputation and provide high value outcomes and exceptional experiences for our partners and clients.

CS Erickson is an equal opportunity employer

CS Erickson extends equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees regardless of an individual’s race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), disability, marital status, military service, height, weight, genetic information, or any other reason protected by law.

Assistance

CS Erickson is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. CS Erickson will not discriminate against any qualified individual who can perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Recruiter Notice

CS Erickson partners exclusively with recruiters who have a current, signed agreement in place. Recruiters without such an agreement must not present themselves as acting on behalf of CS Erickson. We kindly ask that you do not contact our employees or hiring managers or submit unsolicited resumes. Any resumes received without an approved recruiting agreement will be considered the property of CS Erickson, and no fees will be paid.