What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cost Accountant Manager position at Cain?
Project Cost Auditing & Analysis
- Lead forecasting, budget, and variance analysis for lender and executive reporting.
- Audit GMP, Lump Sum, and Cost-Plus contracts across multiple GCs and trade packages to flag scope gaps, pricing variances, and exposure.
- Own the buyout process end to end - tracking awarded scopes vs. budget, quantifying savings/overruns, and reporting status to leadership.
- Administer change order workflow from submission through approval and budget incorporation.
- Track contingency usage and drawdown trends; prepare cost-to-complete forecasts and budget-vs-actual analyses by phase.
System Integration & Data Integrity
- Maintain real-time data integration across Procore, Textura, and MRI, ensuring consistency and audit-readiness across all cost records.
- Own accuracy of all project cost data (contracts, POs, change orders, payment applications) and resolve discrepancies with the corporate GL.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
- Partner with Project Managers/Executives on cost forecasts, financial risk, and mitigation strategies.
- Represent finance at site meetings, bid reviews, and owner/lender reporting meetings.
- Liaise with consultants, lenders, and compliance advisors to satisfy JPMorgan senior loan and VICI mezzanine financing reporting requirements.
- Support Estimating on phase closeouts (cost histories, buyout reconciliations, benchmarking) and help build a scalable project finance function.
Required
- Minimum 5-7 years in project cost accounting/cost management on large-scale vertical construction or mixed-use development.
- Ability to audit GMP, Lump Sum, and Cost-Plus contracts, including buyout, change order, and contingency management.
- Hands-on with Procore cost modules, Textura, and a construction ERP (MRI, Sage, CMiC, or NetSuite).
- Working knowledge of construction loan administration, lender draw requests, and financing compliance.
- Advanced Excel (cost modelling, pivot tables, variance analysis) and strong communication skills with PMs, executives, and external stakeholders.
Preferred
- Experience in a multi-GC program delivery environment with overlapping contractor scopes.
- Working knowledge of WIP accounting and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition.
- Prior experience on a luxury residential, hospitality, or mixed-use project valued over $500M.
- Background supporting structured/institutional construction financing reporting (mezzanine loan or equity partnership compliance).