Accounting Manager (Construction)

About the CompanyOur client is a Fort Lauderdale-based mechanical services contractor with multiple offices across the South East. The company has grown significantly over the past several years through both organic expansion and acquisition, and is now part of a national platform. The accounting team is tight-knit, with most members tenured 15+ years, and operates with a roll-up-your-sleeves, family-feel culture.This is a backfill for a long-tenured team member who is transitioning into part-time pre-retirement.About the RoleThis is a construction accounting role. The Project Accounting Manager owns the revenue-to-cash and procure-to-pay cycles for a project-driven commercial construction business, with heavy emphasis on AIA progress billing, schedule of values management, retainage, and lien rights.Reporting directly to the CFO, you will manage a team of nine (six direct reports across AIA billing, AR/collections, and AP) and partner closely with project managers, operations, and sales to keep cash flowing, projects billed accurately, and vendor relationships strong.What You'll OwnAIA Billing & Project Billing. Generate G702/G703 progress billings against schedules of values, manage retainage, lien waivers, and certificates of insurance. Reconcile billed vs. earned, coordinate with PMs on change orders, and resolve owner/GC pay-app issues.Accounts Receivable & Collections. Oversee invoicing, cash application, and proactive collections (30/60/90-day cadences). Manage customer credit limits, payment plans, credit holds, and lien rights enforcement. Own DSO and aging KPIs and produce weekly cash collection forecasts.Accounts Payable. Run the procure-to-pay cycle end to end — coding, approvals, vendor reconciliations, and payment timing optimization. Prevent duplicate payments and vendor fraud.Team Leadership. Coach, develop, and hold a 9-person team accountable. Set workflow standards and performance metrics across the three functions.Close & Controls. Reconcile AR and AP subledgers to the GL, support monthly/quarterly/annual close, partner with audit, and maintain strong internal controls.Process Improvement. Identify and drive automation in billing, collections, and AP workflows. Partner with the CFO on ERP enhancements.Required (Non-Negotiable)5–8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 2–3 years supervising AR/AP/Billing teams.Hands-on AIA progress billing experience from the contractor side. You have personally generated G702/G703s, managed schedules of values, retainage, lien waivers, and COIs. Note: AP-side exposure to AIA invoices from a customer's perspective is not a fit for this role.Construction or skilled-trades industry background — commercial GC, HVAC, MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), roofing, concrete, or a similar project-based trade contractor.Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration.Preferred (Nice to Have)Sage 300 CRE (Timberline) experience. Other construction ERPs are also welcome: Sage 100 Contractor, Foundation, Viewpoint Vista/Spectrum, CMiC, Jonas, Procore Financials.Multi-entity or multi-office accounting exposure.Experience in a high-growth or PE-backed environment.Compensation & BenefitsBase salary: $100,000–$120,000 depending on experienceAnnual bonus: 5–7% of baseProfit-sharing 401(k): 5% company contributionFull benefits package (medical, dental, vision, PTO)