Staff Accountant

Job Title: Staff Accountant Job Type: Direct Hire (full-time employee with benefits)
Industry: Telecommunications Department: Accounting and Finance Compensation (target): $70,000 - $80,000 DOE Reports To: Assistant Controller/Accounting Director Job Location: Naperville, IL (west Chicago suburbs)

4 days in office in Naperville, 1 day work-from-home (non-negotiable)

The Staff Accountant supports financial reporting and accounting operations, with broad responsibilities encompassing general ledger accounting, fiber network construction and installation project cost accounting, construction in progress, capital and fixed assets, grant accounting and reimbursement, audit and regulatory compliance, cash/treasury accounting, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and tax accounting activities. The position partners with Finance, Engineering, Construction, Operations, Project Management and other teams to ensure timely, accurate and well-documented accounting, reinforce internal controls, and improve processes through technology and automation.

• Prepare and post journal entries and supporting schedules; assist with monthly and annual close activities.
• Prepare and reconcile general ledger, subsidiary ledger and balance sheet accounts; investigate and resolve discrepancies and elevate issues as appropriate.
• Prepare recurring accounting reports, spreadsheets, financial analyses and supporting schedules; support financial statement preparation and management reporting.
• Assist with financial statement audit requests, documentation and follow-up inquiries; maintain accurate and complete supporting records.
• Protect confidential financial information and perform other accounting, financial and administrative duties as assigned.
• Assist with revenue cycle processes, such as customer invoicing, payment posting, accounts receivable analysis, cash collections, and revenue recognition.
• Assist with ASC 842 lease accounting, including management of contracts/agreements, subledger reconciliation, and invoice matching/review.

• Maintain comprehensive fixed asset records throughout the asset life cycle, including purchases, additions, adjustments, transfers, retirements and disposals.
• Validate asset attributes such as in-service date, description, location, quantity, acquisition cost, useful life and disposal date.
• Reconcile fixed asset subledger balances to general ledger accounts, investigate differences, and maintain supporting audit schedules.
• Monitor capital additions, associated cash flows and spending against capital budgets and approvals.
• Identify and communicate potential asset obsolescence; perform periodic fixed asset audits and annual physical asset verifications.
• Monitor, track and analyze the costs of fiber network construction and customer installation projects against budgets, financial objectives and management authorizations.
• Perform regular project financial and cost variance analyses; identify exceptions, recommend corrective actions and provide financial guidance to project teams
• Ensure fixed asset activity complies with company policies, applicable GAAP and financial control requirements.
• Prepare fixed asset analyses, reports and auditor support, including responses to capital accounting inquiries.
• Track grant awards and contracts; maintain grant agreements, budgets, project cost summaries, expenditure reports, claims and complete post-award documentation in accessible electronic and physical records.
• Code and reconcile grant-related costs in the general ledger; monitor eligible expenditures, accuracy, progress relative to spending, budget and performance milestones.
• Prepare and submit, or assist with the timely preparation and submission of, grant reimbursement requests, funding claims, expenditure vouchers, quarterly reports and other financial/reporting packages through required portals or channels.

• Identify opportunities to simplify fixed asset, construction cost, grant and general accounting workflows, reduce cycle times and support growth and scale.
• Develop, document and implement improved procedures, reporting and control processes, and assist with change-management activities.
• Use Net Suite, Microsoft Excel, other Office applications, reporting tools, Power Automate and AI-enabled tools as appropriate to improve accuracy, efficiency and automation.
• Participate in cross-training and knowledge…