Positions we recruit: Construction and Real Estate Accounting

Controllers own the financials for projects or property portfolios. They report to senior leadership and manage team workflows. Managers handle mid-level accounting oversight. They review job costs and monthly closings. Staff roles focus on daily transaction entry. They track billings and subcontractor compliance.

Choose a controller for high-level oversight. Choose a manager for team supervision. Choose a project accountant for site-specific billing tasks. Align the level with the volume of active projects or real estate holdings. Too many sites for one person creates reporting delays.

Clarify the scope of project accounting tasks early to avoid bad hires. Ask candidates to explain how they reconcile job cost reports to the general ledger when project data lags behind payroll or materials invoices. A strong candidate provides a clear answer regarding the timing of accruals for unbilled labor and materials. If they cannot explain how to tie a Work-in-Progress report to the trial balance without hesitation, they lack the necessary grasp of construction revenue recognition. Probe further by asking how they handle subcontractors who submit incomplete lien waivers or missing insurance certificates. You need someone who actively holds back payments until documentation is complete rather than someone who just processes data as received. If a candidate suggests they simply enter whatever the project manager submits without verifying the underlying job cost codes or verifying the contract value for change orders, they present a risk to your project budgets. Test their specific knowledge of how overbillings are tracked versus underbillings to confirm they know how to prevent cash flow traps. A competent hire knows which specific modules in your software track retainage and can demonstrate how to clear those accounts upon project closeout. Verify if they know how to handle the nuances of bond requirements if your upcoming projects include sensitive public contracts.

Hiring a senior controller costs more but secures accurate reporting. A mid-level manager might save money but needs oversight on complex bond issues. You must weigh the depth of knowledge against the immediate daily workload.

Contract options work for seasonal spikes. They help during high-volume periods or system migrations. Permanent hires build deep knowledge of your property portfolio. Choose based on your long-term project pipeline.