Senior Construction Accountant / Full-Charge Bookkeeper

Full-time | Charleston, South Carolina | Reports to Managing Partner / General Manager

Residential Builder seeks an accomplished construction accounting professional to assume full responsibility for daily accounting operations, QuickBooks management, payroll, tax-ready records, job costing, cash management, and monthly financial reporting. This is a hands-on senior role with an intentional succession path toward Controller / CFO responsibilities. The successful candidate will initially own the accounting function and, after demonstrating capability and earning leadership’s confidence, progressively assume broader financial oversight.

QuickBooks & Full-Cycle Accounting

· Administer QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, preferably Contractor Edition, including chart of accounts, cost codes, job/customer records, and user controls.

· Own accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, deposits, journal entries, and bank/credit-card reconciliations.

· Complete accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual closes; maintain supporting schedules and audit-ready documentation.

· Manage intercompany accounting and reconciliations when applicable.

Construction Job Costing & Reporting

· Maintain consistent project cost codes and assign invoices, subcontractor costs, materials, labor, and change orders to the correct jobs.

· Produce job-level budget-versus-actual, committed-cost, cost-to-complete, work-in-progress, and gross-margin reporting.

· Reconcile job cost reports to the general ledger and investigate variances, overruns, and coding errors.

· Coordinate with project managers and contract administrators; reconcile Buildertrend data with QuickBooks where applicable.

Financial Statements, Budgeting & Cash Flow

· Prepare monthly profit-and-loss statements, balance sheets, cash flow reports, and management reporting packages by the 10th business day or company-established deadline.

· Monitor overhead, profitability, receivables aging, and cash requirements; explain financial results and exceptions to ownership.

· Maintain cash flow forecasts, payment schedules, and support annual budgets and projections.

Payroll, Tax Readiness & Compliance

· Administer payroll, labor allocation, deductions, reimbursements, benefits-related entries, and payroll reconciliations.

· Coordinate payroll tax deposits and returns, W-2s, 1099s, W-9s, and applicable sales/use tax and state filings.

· Prepare complete year-end workpapers and schedules for the external CPA; support income tax preparation and tax planning.

· Coordinate workers’ compensation audits, business licensing information, and other accounting-related compliance requirements.

Construction Billing, Vendors & Controls

· Administer customer deposits, progress billings, approved change orders, retainage where applicable, and collections follow-up.

· Verify subcontractor/vendor invoices, approvals, insurance documentation and lien-waiver records as required by company procedures.

· Maintain segregation of duties, payment authorization, banking security, record retention, and confidential financial records.

· Document and continuously improve accounting workflows, reporting reliability, and internal controls.

Leadership & CFO Succession

· Serve initially as the senior hands-on accounting owner, working closely with the Managing Partner and external CPA.

· Develop financial analysis, forecasting, budgeting, banking, and management reporting capabilities beyond traditional bookkeeping.

· Progress toward Controller / CFO-level oversight based on demonstrated accuracy, judgment, leadership, and company needs; advancement is not automatic or guaranteed.

Qualifications

· 7–10 years of progressively responsible bookkeeping/accounting experience; substantial construction accounting experience strongly preferred.

· Advanced hands-on QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise experience, ideally Contractor Edition; proven construction job costing and cost-code expertise required.

· Demonstrated ownership of full-cycle accounting, payroll, monthly closes, reconciliations, and financial statements.

· Strong Excel skills, analytical ability, accuracy, discretion, and ability to communicate clearly with owners and project managers.

· Preferred: custom residential construction background, Buildertrend familiarity, WIP reporting, accounting degree or professional bookkeeping credential, and experience with $10M revenue businesses.

Performance Standards

· Accurate and current QuickBooks records and project cost reports.

· Timely monthly closes and reliable financial statements.

· On-time, accurate payroll and tax-related reporting.

· Proactive identification of cash flow concerns, job-cost variances, and control weaknesses.

· Progressive readiness to take on higher-level financial management responsibilities.

Compensation & Opportunity

Competitive salary commensurate with experience and demonstrated construction accounting expertise. This role offers a defined opportunity to grow into broader financial leadership and potentially a Controller / CFO position.

Residential Builder is an equal opportunity employer. Responsibilities may evolve based on business needs and the successful candidate’s capabilities.

Pay: $45.00 - $65.00 per hour

Expected hours: No less than 45.0 per week

Benefits:

• Health savings account
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person

Salary : $45 - $65