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Director, Project Accounting
Job Location:
Job Location:
Normal, IL - USA
Yearly Salary:
USD 150000 - 220000
Yearly Salary:
Posted:
23 September 2026 (19 hours ago)
Posted:
Application Deadline:
21 December 2026
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Vacancies:
Job Summary
FarnsworthGroupis seeking a Director of Project Accounting. This is a senior-level leader responsible for overseeing all project accounting operations across the firms architecture engineering and survey practice groups. This role manages a team of 1015 Project Accountants who serve as the primary financial resource for Group Leaders and Project Managers throughout the full project lifecycle from contract setup and invoicing through revenue recognition and closeout.
The ideal candidate brings deep experience in AEC project accounting within a mid-to-large firm with annual revenues well in excess of $100 million. Expert-level proficiency in Deltek VantagePoint or Deltek Vision is essential as is a demonstrated ability to lead develop and retain a high-performing team while maintaining the financial rigor and accuracy that complex multi-contract project environments demand.
Posting Locations:Champaign Lisle Normal Peoria Springfield IL; Dallas TX; St. Louis MO; Waukee IA
What Youll Do:
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead manage and develop a team of 1015 Project Accountants supporting multiple practice groups and Group Leaders across the firm.
- Establish clear performance expectations conduct regular one-on-ones and deliver timely constructive feedback and formal performance reviews.
- Design and deliver structured onboarding and ongoing training programs to build team proficiency in project accounting fundamentals and Deltek VantagePoint/Vision workflows.
- Identify individual development opportunities and support career growth paths for team members at all experience levels.
- Foster a team culture grounded in accuracy accountability client service and continuous improvement.
- Manage workload distribution across the team balancing assignments to Group Leaders and project portfolios equitably and strategically.
- Recruit interview and onboard Project Accountants as the team grows or turnover occurs partnering with HR on hiring practices.
Project Setup & Contract Administration
- Oversee accurate and timely project setup in Deltek VantagePoint/Vision including contract values fee structures billing terms phases tasks and labor categories.
- Review and interpret prime contracts subconsultant agreements and task orders to ensure billing plans and revenue structures are configured correctly.
- Ensure all contract modifications amendments and scope changes are reflected in the project accounting system promptly and accurately.
- Establish and enforce project setup standards and naming conventions to support consistent reporting across the firm.
- Partner with Group Leaders and Project Managers during contract negotiation to advise on financial terms billing structures and fee adequacy.
Client Invoicing & Accounts Receivable
- Direct the full invoicing cycle for the firms project portfolio ensuring invoices are prepared reviewed and issued accurately and on schedule.
- Review draft invoices prepared by Project Accountants for completeness accuracy contract compliance and appropriate backup documentation.
- Manage the invoice approval workflow in coordination with Project Managers and Group Leaders ensuring timely client delivery.
- Monitor accounts receivable aging across the portfolio; escalate delinquent accounts and support collection efforts in coordination with project leadership.
- Ensure proper handling of retainage subconsultant pass-through costs and reimbursable expenses per contract terms.
- Support the preparation and submission of billing on government federal and cost-plus contract types including compliance with FAR billing requirements where applicable.
Revenue Recognition & Project Financial Reporting
- Oversee monthly revenue recognition for the firms project portfolio ensuring compliance with applicable accounting standards (ASC 606 / percentage-of-completion).
- Review and approve earned value calculations percent-complete estimates and EAC (Estimate at Completion) updates prepared by Project Accountants.
- Prepare and deliver monthly project financial reports to Group Leaders including contract status revenue earned billed-to-date backlog and profitability metrics.
- Identify projects with financial risk: budget overruns write-downs scope creep or stalled billings and escalate proactively to leadership.
- Coordinate with the Sr. Controller and Finance Director on month-end close activities related to project revenue unbilled receivables deferred revenue and WIP adjustments.
Deltek VantagePoint / Vision System Management
- Serve as a subject matter expert and internal resource for Deltek VantagePoint (or Vision) providing guidance to Project Accountants Project Managers and Group Leaders on system use.
- Oversee the accuracy of the project accounting database including periodic audits of project setup labor posting expense coding and billing data.
- Partner with IT and finance leadership on system upgrades module implementations and workflow enhancements within VantagePoint/Vision.
- Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for all VantagePoint/Vision project accounting processes and train team members accordingly.
- Leverage reporting and business intelligence tools within VantagePoint/Vision (e.g. Reporting Dashboards AI) to produce actionable financial data for stakeholders.
Group Leader & Project Manager Partnership
- Serve as the primary liaison between the Project Accounting team and Group Leaders Practice Leaders and Project Managers across all service lines.
- Facilitate regular project financial review meetings with Group Leaders to discuss backlog billing pipeline collections and project profitability.
- Educate and coach Project Managers on financial responsibilities contract awareness timesheet compliance and project cost management.
- Translate financial data into clear accessible reporting that enables non-financial project leaders to make informed decisions.
- Act as a trusted advisor to Group Leaders on matters of fee negotiation scope management cost recovery and financial performance improvement.
Subconsultant & Vendor Cost Management
- Oversee the processing and tracking of subconsultant invoices ensuring alignment with executed teaming agreements contract budgets and project phase allocations.
- Ensure subconsultant costs are accurately posted billed to clients and reconciled to commitments in VantagePoint/Vision.
- Work with Project Managers to monitor subconsultant budget utilization and flag potential overruns before they impact project profitability.
- Coordinate with Accounts Payable to ensure timely and accurate payment of subconsultants in accordance with contract pay-when-paid provisions.
Budgeting Forecasting & Backlog Reporting
- Support the Finance Director in the annual revenue budgeting process by providing project-level data pipeline insights and portfolio-level projections.
- Maintain and update the firms project backlog and revenue forecasting models in coordination with Group Leaders and business development leadership.
- Provide monthly net revenue and billing forecast data to finance leadership to support cash flow planning and financial reporting.
- Analyze trends in utilization project profitability write-up/write-down rates and collection performance to inform management decisions.
Compliance Internal Controls & Process Improvement
- Establish and enforce internal controls over project accounting processes including invoice review thresholds approval workflows and audit trail requirements.
- Ensure compliance with firm-wide accounting policies GAAP and contract-specific billing and reporting requirements.
- Lead or support internal and external audits as they relate to project accounting WIP and revenue recognition.
- Continuously evaluate and improve project accounting workflows reducing manual effort increasing accuracy and shortening billing cycle times.
- Develop and maintain the Project Accounting departments policies procedures manual and training documentation.
What Youll Need:
Education- Bachelors degree in Accounting Finance Business Administration or a related field required.
- CPA or CMA designation a plus but not required.
Experience
- Minimum of 810 years of project accounting experience with at least 35 years in a supervisory or management role overseeing a team of project accountants.
- Experience at a mid-to-large AEC (Architecture Engineering and/or Survey) firm with annual revenues well in excess of $100 million strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated expertise in all phases of AEC project accounting: contract setup invoicing revenue recognition WIP management and project closeout.
- Proven track record managing a team of 10 or more direct reports in a fast-paced multi-project environment.
- Experience supporting multiple Group Leaders or Practice Leaders simultaneously across diverse project types and contract structures (lump sum T&M cost-plus IDIQ etc.).
- Familiarity with government and federal contracting billing requirements including FAR-compliant invoicing a plus.
Technical Skills
- Expert-level proficiency in Deltek VantagePoint or Deltek Vision required; ability to train others and navigate system administration tasks is highly valued.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel including pivot tables VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and financial modeling.
- Proficiency in Microsoft 365 suite including Outlook Word PowerPoint and SharePoint/Teams.
- Experience with business intelligence or reporting tools (Power BI Deltek Reporting etc.) a plus.
Who We Are
Join Farnsworth Group a nationally recognized architectural engineering and surveying firm where your career can thrive! For ten consecutive years weve been certified as a Great Place to Work and our engineers architects surveyors and scientists channel their passion and expertise into making meaningful contributions to the world around us. With almost 650 talented professionals across 24 offices we collaborate with clients ranging from small communities to some of the worlds largest brands. Our success is built on our people - their passion creativity and commitment to excellence. Here youll find a supportive culture that champions your growth embraces challenges values work-life balance and empowers you to make a lasting impact for our clients and the communities we serve. Join us and move your career forward.
A Great Place to Work Certified
For ten consecutive years Farnsworth Group has earned the prestigious Great Place to Work certificationthanks to our employees! Each year our staff participates in a survey administered by the Great Place to Work organization measuring perceptions of credibility respect pride fairness and camaraderie. The results are benchmarked against the nations leading companies and only top performers receive the certification. Insights from the survey help us continually enhance our work environment and foster a culture that makes Farnsworth Group an even greater place to work.
Featured benefits and perks include:
- 401(k) with 100% Company Match up to 5%
- Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
- Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
- Short & Long-Term Disability
- Maternity and Paternity Leave
- Professional Development and Training
- Mentoring Program
- Paid Time Off
- Wellness/Fitness Reimbursements
- Pet Insurance Plan
- Hybrid Work Program
Farnsworth Groupappreciates that flexibility and work-life balance are important aspects of the careers and lives of our employees. Our Hybrid Work Program offers employees a flexible work arrangement while contributing to the Companys culture and success.
Salary Range: $150000 - $220000(Salary to be determined by the education experience knowledge skills and abilities of the applicant as well as internal and external equity)
Statement on Diversity and Inclusion
Farnsworth Group is a collection of employees with unique backgrounds and perspectives that all come together to make us a better Company. It is our goal to recruit hire develop retain and promote a diverse group of people. Join usand lets make a difference together.
Farnsworth Group Inc. is proud to be a M/F Disabled and Veteran EEO/AA employer.
For immediate considerationplease Apply Online by clicking on the Apply for this Position tab below.
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Required Experience:
Director
About Company
Farnsworth Group is a national engineering and architecture firm with 500 professionals who are passionate about solutions that move our clients forward.
