Senior Project Accountant

Job Location:

The Senior Staff Accountant will be responsible for working closely with the project development team to ensure a thorough financial oversight of key development projects.  The position will require an in depth understanding of the budget, contracts, change orders, billing process, general conditions, supporting documentation requirements, and all other aspects surrounding the financial controls, development and construction process.  The position will be responsible for assisting in oversight of multiple projects.  The position will work primarily with the Simon Development and Construction departments to complete its duties, but reporting oversight of the position will be through the Development Accounting department.

Responsibilities

• Detailed understanding of the project budget to ensure proper cost coding and reporting.
• Review all vendor, consultant, contractor agreements and associated change orders; ensure proper coding to job cost.
• Review all invoices from vendors, contractors, and consultants to ensure amounts are billed in accordance with the related contracts and supported by the required documentation, such as conditional and unconditional lien waivers from the general contractor and the subcontractors.
• Detailed review of the GC’s monthly billing, including the review of general conditions and general requirements to ensure proper labor rates, insurance, fees, etc.
• Track contract buyouts against the schedule of values and report on status of funds available to project management.
• Work with the team to ensure all required estimates to complete are accounted for and reported properly utilizing the available systems.
• Work with the Financial Reporting department to ensure proper monthly project reporting, as well as to provide recommended accruals of accounts payable.
• Track and report on all usage of allowances and contingencies within the GC’s contract, as well as the use of owner contingency.
• Review and report on potential cost exposures as they are identified
• Review all proposed change orders and ensure costs/exposures are captured in periodic budget updates/forecasts.
• Update supplemental project schedules on a periodic basis to reflect actual committed costs, estimate to complete, projected final costs and forecasted savings / exposures.
• Calculate or confirm cost allocations between project scopes, as needed.
• Assist Financial Reporting with the preparation of any cost re-allocations that may be needed throughout the project term.
• Preparation of funding request packages to be submitted to municipalities, banks or partners.
• Review, calculate and coordinate tracking of sales and use tax, including preparation of support for tax accrual entries.
• Provide assistance, when needed, to internal and external audit in relation to pre-construction audits, interim audits, and post-audits.
• Assist project manager with the close-out process to ensure proper documentation is obtained.
• Prepare any final vendor reconciliations/contract adjustments at closeout to ensure project has no exposures or commitments pending.
• Ensure vendor, contractor and consultant insurance requirements are met and maintained.
• Any other tasks required to assist in the financial oversight of the project.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting
• Previous construction audit experience, as well as experience interacting with construction contractors on the owners behalf
• Previous experiences in managing finances on construction projects
• Understanding of general contractor billing process in relation to construction insurance, salaries, burden rates. etc.
• Ability to travel to project sites each month, as needed
• Self-starter, energetic, enthusiastic
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Computer proficiency of Microsoft and construction industry software platforms
• Understanding of construction processes and documents
• Capacity to multi-task in a composed and professional manner