Accounting Manager – Cincinnati
Future Director of Finance Track
Luminaut is seeking a high-performing Accounting Manager to serve as a key financial leader within the organization and a trusted partner to the CFO. This role is designed for an experienced accounting professional ready to take ownership of the day-to-day accounting function while developing broader financial and operational leadership capabilities.
Reporting directly to the CFO, the Accounting Manager will oversee core accounting operations, strengthen financial processes, support and develop the Staff Accountant, and partner with Project Managers to improve visibility into project and firm performance. By taking ownership of the day-to-day accounting function, this role will create additional capacity for the CFO to focus on strategic planning, forecasting, business performance, and the firm’s long-term financial direction.
The right candidate will bring strong accounting fundamentals, sound judgment, curiosity, accountability, and the ability to understand the business behind the numbers. Prior project accounting experience is not required, but the successful candidate must have the willingness and aptitude to learn the financial dynamics of a project-based professional services firm.
This position offers significant exposure to firm leadership and is intentionally designed for someone interested in growing into broader Controller and Director of Finance responsibilities as the individual and firm continue to develop.
Responsibilities
Accounting Leadership & Financial Operations
- Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.
- Prepare and review journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and other accounting activity.
- Maintain the integrity of the general ledger, balance sheet, and income statement.
- Review financial results and investigate unusual activity, variances, inconsistencies, and emerging risks.
- Develop and maintain strong accounting procedures, documentation, and internal controls.
- Provide day-to-day oversight, review, and development of the Staff Accountant.
- Establish clear expectations and accountability for the timely completion of accounting responsibilities.
- Serve as the primary owner of day-to-day accounting operations and a key financial resource to the CFO and firm leadership.
- Coordinate with external accounting, tax, banking, and other financial partners as appropriate.
Project Accounting & Financial Performance
- Develop a strong understanding of the firm’s project accounting processes and the financial drivers of a project-based professional services business.
- Serve as a financial partner to Project Managers, helping them understand the financial performance of their projects.
- Oversee project setup, budgets, labor allocations, consultant costs, reimbursable expenses, and contract changes.
- Monitor project performance through budget-to-actual analysis, profitability, backlog, utilization, realization, and other key project metrics.
- Support project forecasting, revenue recognition, billing, and work-in-process analysis.
- Review client billing for accuracy, timeliness, contract compliance, and alignment with project progress.
- Identify projects experiencing margin pressure, budget overruns, billing issues, or other financial risks and proactively communicate concerns.
- Help Project Managers understand the financial impact of project decisions rather than simply reporting results after the fact.
Cash Flow, Working Capital & Financial Management
- Provide oversight of accounts receivable and accounts payable, including aging analysis and working capital management.
- Monitor cash activity and partner with the CFO on cash flow forecasting.
- Identify opportunities to improve billing cycles, collections, and overall cash conversion.
- Maintain visibility into upcoming financial obligations and potential cash flow needs.
- Support banking, treasury, and other financial activities as needed.
Financial Planning & Business Partnership
- Participate in the annual budgeting and ongoing forecasting processes.
- Prepare financial analyses and models to support business decisions.
- Assist with monthly management reporting and analysis of firm performance.
- Develop a strong understanding of the firm’s key financial and operational drivers and help translate financial information into actionable insights.
- Partner with the CFO on special projects, strategic initiatives, and financial analysis as the needs of the business evolve.
- Build relationships across the organization and become a trusted financial resource to Project Managers and firm leadership.
Process Improvement & Systems
- Identify and lead opportunities to improve accounting processes, reporting, controls, and workflow efficiency.
- Standardize financial processes and reduce reliance on manual or inconsistent practices.
- Leverage technology and financial systems to improve the timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial information.
- Become a power user of the firm’s accounting and project management systems and help drive adoption of best practices.
- Look for opportunities to strengthen the finance function as the firm continues to grow.
Leadership & Growth Opportunity
This position is intended for someone who wants more than a traditional accounting management role. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to progressively assume greater ownership of the finance function and develop into a broader financial leadership position.
Development opportunities will include:
- Increasing responsibility for the overall accounting and financial reporting function.
- Developing and mentoring accounting team members.
- Greater ownership of budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and management reporting.
- Increased interaction with firm leadership and participation in business decisions.
- Building expertise in project accounting and the economics of a professional services firm.
- Development toward Controller and ultimately Director of Finance-level responsibilities based on performance, capability, and the continued growth of the firm.
The goal is to develop a finance leader who can oversee the day-to-day financial function while serving as a strong strategic partner to the CFO and firm leadership.
Qualifications Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
- Demonstrated accounting experience with increasing levels of responsibility and ownership.
- Strong understanding of financial reporting and how financial activity flows through and impacts the balance sheet and income statement.
- Experience managing month-end close activities, including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and financial statement preparation.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify issues, investigate root causes, and independently work toward solutions.
- Ability to review the work of others, provide direction, and hold team members accountable for deadlines and quality.
- Strong Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and financial analysis.
- Strong attention to detail while maintaining an understanding of the broader financial and business picture.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate financial information to both finance and non-finance professionals.
- Willingness and ability to learn project accounting, including project budgets, billing, cost tracking, revenue recognition, forecasting, and profitability analysis.
- Self-motivated with a demonstrated desire to take ownership, solve problems, improve processes, and grow into increasing levels of leadership responsibility.
Preferred
- Experience within architecture, engineering, design, construction, consulting, or another professional services environment.
- Exposure to project accounting or project-based financial management.
- Experience with Deltek Ajera or another accounting or project management system.
- Experience supervising, mentoring, or reviewing the work of accounting staff.
- Experience partnering with operational leaders, department heads, or Project Managers.
- Exposure to budgeting, forecasting, cash flow planning, and management reporting.
What Success Looks Like
Within the first year, the Accounting Manager will have established ownership of the firm’s core accounting and close processes, strengthened the reliability and timeliness of financial reporting, developed the Staff Accountant, built strong working relationships with Project Managers, and become a trusted partner to the CFO.
Success in this role means the CFO no longer needs to be the primary person driving day-to-day accounting activities. Instead, the Accounting Manager provides the ownership, accountability, and financial insight necessary to keep the accounting function running effectively while allowing the CFO to spend more time focused on strategy, forecasting, business performance, and the firm’s future.