Director of Project Accounting and Controls

Position Overview The Director of Project Accounting and Controls plays a critical role in managing financial oversight, cost control, and budget alignment for a large-scale natural gas power plant construction project. This position ensures accurate tracking of project costs, supports capital planning, and integrates financial systems with field operations. A key responsibility includes aligning the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) with the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to ensure cost and schedule integration across development, construction, and commissioning phases. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Engineering, Construction Management, or related field. 10+ years of experience in project controls, cost control, or project accounting for large capital projects. Experience with EPC, energy, utility, or industrial construction strongly preferred. Familiarity with DOE loan requirements or other federally funded capital projects is a plus. Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly dynamic project environment and embrace complex challenges with confidence and resilience. Proven skill in assessing current workflows, identifying what processes are needed, defining what "good" looks like, and helping build, refine, and implement effective solutions Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse technical and operational teams. Key Responsibilities: Financial Oversight & Reporting · Coordinate, develop, and maintain detailed project budgets, incorporating input from all business owners and management. · Monitor and track project budgets, actuals, and work-in-progress (WIP) to ensure financial accuracy and transparency. · Analyze committed costs, actuals, and variances; create journal entries and month-end close processes. · Develop and lead month-end project close processes, including: o Reviewing and posting cost accruals for open POs, services performed, and goods received. o Reconciling project-cost subledgers (A/P, PO, internal labor) to the general ledger. o Ensuring all transactions are properly coded before ledger close o Updating CIP and percent-complete actuals in line with capitalization rules. o Validating committed cost balances and clearing outdated or invalid commitments. o Preparing month-end cost reports, variance explanations, and financial packages for leadership team. · Forecast future project costs and identify budget risks using real-time data and updates. · Reconcile accounts and ensure alignment with contracts, PO's, and change orders. · Develop and execute project reporting (for example: earned value, variance analysis, spending summaries, progress reports (% complete), etc) Cost & Schedule Integration · Ensure all costs are aligned from CBS to WBS to ensure financial tracking is synchronized with the project schedule. · Support integration of cost and schedule data into project controls platforms for real-time visibility. · Participate in project meetings to assess financial impacts of schedule changes, scope shifts, and risk events. Cross-Functional Collaboration · Work closely with cross-functional business owners to align financial and contractual data. · Support capital planning and long-term financial modeling for plant construction and commissioning phases. · Collaborate with leadership to maintain transparency around cash flow, funding alignment, and project financial status. What We Offer Competitive salary commensurate with experience Comprehensive benefits package including: Medical, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) plan with company match Paid time off (PTO) and holidays Professional development support and tuition assistance A collaborative, mission-driven work environment with opportunities for career growth