Cost Accountant, Construction

## About The Poole and Kent Corporation The Poole and Kent Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of EMCOR Group, Inc., and stands as one of the leading mechanical contractors in the eastern United States. We bring extensive construction and service expertise—spanning both mechanical and electrical work—across a diverse range of commercial and government projects. Our portfolio includes data centers, hospitals, sports stadiums, convention centers, hotels, and research laboratories. ## The Role As a Cost Accountant in Construction (Project Support), you'll work in our Ashburn, VA office reporting directly to Project Management and the Chief Financial Officer. This is an exempt position with a Monday through Friday schedule, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This is an onsite position—we're not offering remote work for this role. You'll be essential in helping us meet our objectives and goals by performing a full cycle accounting process as it relates to the pay application process for specific projects. Your work will center on understanding and ensuring compliance with established accounting principles, practices, and procedures, along with regulatory compliance with the Sarbanes - Oxley Act and related federal and state laws, and upstream contractual requirements. ## What You'll Do Your day-to-day responsibilities will include reviewing and developing pay applications in accordance with upstream contractual requirements. You'll communicate regularly with our accounting and project operations departments, understanding their processes and the technological resources available to support the work. A significant portion of your role involves auditing accounts payable invoices specific to project pay applications. This means vetting packing slips against vendor invoices for materials purchased for applicable projects, reviewing equipment purchase orders against vendor invoices, and having the ability to discern errors in quantities, unit pricing, and taxable versus non-taxable scenarios. You'll take responsibility for payroll audit and collection of payroll-related data for the pay application process, interpreting certified payroll reports and understanding reporting obligations. Ensuring all timesheets, time cards, and other means of reporting time are fully completed with accuracy is critical—these must be approved by authorized managers within the organization, including verification of payroll coding, employee classifications, and authorized signatures, or processed correctly through our remote time entry software. On the technical side, you'll prepare and customize various Excel reports, developing source documents that feed into various rollup Excel workbooks. You're responsible for the timely and accurate development of the project pay application itself. Maintaining employee confidence by protecting payroll information in confidence and within company best practices and policies is an important part of this position. We need flexibility from you to work overtime when necessary to meet exceptional deadlines. You'll also ensure accounting compliance with accounting principles and practices, the Sarbanes - Oxley Act, and other federal and state law as required. ## Requirements You must possess a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or Construction Management. One to three years of related professional cost accounting experience is required, preferably in the construction industry. You'll need a strong grasp of general accounting fundamentals and concepts, plus a strong understanding of related accounting practices and procedures. Advanced working knowledge of accounting systems software is essential. Professional experience with certified payroll requirements and bona fide fringe benefits is highly valued. Your technical skills should include advanced end-user proficiency with Microsoft applications, particularly Excel. You'll need proficient to advanced usage and knowledge of accounting platforms and interface with Microsoft Access, as well as advanced usage and knowledge of accounting software solutions and Microsoft Excel. Proficiency as a user of automated accounts payable platforms is required. You must possess strong attention to detail and the ability to self-proof your work for accuracy. Professional written and verbal communication skills are essential. We're looking for someone who can demonstrate professional emotional intelligence and steadfast composure, with the ability to discern work assignment priorities and utilize independent thinking within the scope of authority the position provides. You should demonstrate commitment to performing duties in a safe manner within the scope of company policies, state and federal laws, and show the ability to work collectively with peers in a manner that supports teamwork in the workplace. The ability to effectively organize and manage information and processes as required by position requirements is important, as is a demonstrated commitment to company values. ## Additional Requirements A valid state driver's license is required. You must be able to meet the fitness for duty requirements as may be required of upstream clients, and you must be able to meet criminal background check requirements covering seven prior years. You must be work authorized in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for employer sponsorship now or in the future. The Company cannot offer employment to F-1 (student) visa holders who require employer sponsorship in the future or cannot work now on a full-time basis. You'll need demonstrated ability to effectively communicate, cooperate, and collaborate with multiple levels of employees, vendors and suppliers. Fluent communication in English, both verbally and in writing, is required. ## Physical Demands While performing the duties of this job, you'll be regularly required to sit, see, talk, and hear. You'll regularly use your hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. You'll be regularly required to walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. You may occasionally lift and/or move up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.