What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Accountant position at Preston Refrigeration?
Certified Industrial Partners (CIP) is a growing network of specialized industrial companies delivering refrigeration, controls, automation, and technology solutions across North America. Our partner companies-including Preston Refrigeration, Panatrol Automation, Highland Refrigeration, North American Refrigeration, and FieldTech-work collaboratively to deliver high-quality engineering, construction, service, and technology solutions.
Our businesses operate in project-driven environments spanning construction, service, and SaaS, requiring strong financial discipline, accurate job costing, and scalable systems to support growth.
Position Summary
The Senior Accountant is responsible for owning the integrity of financial reporting across multiple entities, leading the close process, and ensuring audit readiness. This role serves as the final reviewer and sign-off authority for accounting deliverables and plays a key role in year-end due diligence, audit coordination, and process standardization.
This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a multi-entity, project-driven environment and is comfortable operating as a bridge between accounting operations and leadership.
Key Responsibilities
Close Ownership & Review
- Own and drive the monthly, quarterly, and year-end close process across multiple entities
- Perform final review of journal entries, reconciliations, and supporting schedules
- Ensure completeness, accuracy, and consistency prior to close sign-off
- Establish and enforce close timelines, checklists, and deliverables
Financial Reporting & Balance Sheet Integrity
- Own the accuracy of balance sheet accounts, including complex and intercompany accounts
- Review and approve account reconciliations across all entities
- Ensure proper classification, cutoff, and adherence to accounting policies
- Support consolidated financial reporting processes
Audit & Due Diligence Leadership
- Lead preparation and ownership of year-end audit and due diligence processes
- Serve as primary liaison with external auditors and third parties
- Review and finalize all audit support schedules and deliverables
- Ensure audit readiness throughout the year (not just at year-end)
Multi-Entity & Intercompany Oversight
- Oversee accounting across 6 entities within a shared services structure
- Review and approve intercompany transactions and reconciliations
- Ensure proper eliminations and alignment across entities
Project Accounting & WIP Oversight
- Review job costing accuracy across construction and service operations
- Oversee WIP schedules, revenue recognition inputs, and related journal entries
- Partner with operations to ensure financial alignment on projects
Team Leadership & Quality Control
- Act as final reviewer for Staff Accountants and accounting outputs
- Provide guidance, training, and feedback to junior team members
- Establish and maintain accounting standards and best practices
Systems & Process Improvement
- Identify and implement improvements in accounting workflows and systems
- Support automation, integrations, and data integrity initiatives
- Help scale accounting infrastructure across a growing platform
Qualifications
Required
- 8 years of accounting experience
- Strong experience in:
- Multi-entity accounting
- Financial close ownership
- Balance sheet management and review
- Proven ability to lead audit and year-end due diligence processes
- Experience as a final reviewer/sign-off authority for accounting deliverables
- Advanced understanding of:
- Journal entries and accruals
- Intercompany accounting
- Financial statement preparation
Preferred
- Construction or industrial services experience
- Strong familiarity with:
- WIP schedules and revenue recognition
- Project/job costing environments
- Experience in a shared services or multi-company structure
- Experience with QuickBooks Online or similar systems
- CPA or CPA-eligible (preferred but not required)
Key Competencies
- High attention to detail with strong review and quality control mindset
- Ability to operate at both strategic and detailed levels
- Strong organizational and deadline management skills
- Effective communicator across finance and operations teams
- Systems-oriented thinker with a focus on scalability