Accounting Manager

osition: Accounting Manager / Senior Accountant

WP&E Technologies & Solutions – Atlanta, GA

Role Overview

The Accounting Manager will be responsible for managing the company’s day-to-day accounting operations, financial reporting, and project cost tracking. The role will work closely with the CEO and project teams to ensure accurate financial records, effective cash flow management, and clear visibility into project profitability across domestic and international operations.

This is a hands-on role suited for a professional who is comfortable working in a dynamic engineering and project-driven environment.

Key Responsibilities
Financial Operations

Manage day-to-day accounting operations including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and expense tracking

Maintain accurate financial records within the company’s accounting system

Ensure timely processing of vendor payments and customer invoicing

Monitor cash balances and assist with short-term cash flow planning

Financial Reporting

Prepare monthly financial statements including profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow reports

Maintain organized financial records for internal management and external stakeholders

Coordinate with external CPA firms for tax filings and year-end financial reviews

Project Accounting & Cost Tracking

Track project costs and expenses across multiple projects and subsidiaries

Monitor project budgets and identify cost variances

Support preparation of financial summaries for project proposals and bids

Assist management in evaluating project profitability and cost performance

International Office Coordination

Coordinate financial information and accounting activities with international offices including Saudi Arabia and other regions

Work with local teams to ensure proper documentation of project expenses and vendor payments

Occasionally travel to international project offices to understand operational activities and improve financial controls

Vendor & Contract Management

Track vendor contracts and payment milestones

Support procurement teams by monitoring vendor invoices and payment schedules

Maintain records of major supplier commitments and outstanding obligations

Banking & Documentation Support

Prepare financial documents required for banks, lenders, and project bids

Assist management in responding to financial information requests from banks and partners

Maintain organized financial documentation for project financing discussions

Process Improvement

Identify opportunities to improve financial processes and cost controls

Support implementation of financial systems and procedures to improve operational efficiency

Assist management in developing better financial visibility into projects and operations

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

5–10 years of accounting experience

Experience with project accounting, engineering firms, or infrastructure projects preferred

Strong knowledge of accounting software (QuickBooks or similar)

Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment

Willingness to occasionally travel to international project locations

✔ This structure gives you someone who:

manages accounting operations

understands project economics

coordinates with Saudi/Qatar offices

improves financial discipline

without paying for an underutilized controller role.

If you’d like, I can also show you three interview questions that quickly reveal whether an accounting candidate actually understands project-based companies (EPC / engineering firms). Those questions will help you avoid hiring someone who only knows basic bookkeeping.

recruiters I can contact

Hari, since you want to hire an Accounting Manager / Senior Accountant who is willing to travel and work closely with project operations, the most efficient path is to use mid-market finance recruiters rather than executive search firms. These firms specialize in placing accountants, accounting managers, and finance professionals in the $70k–$120k range.

Below are reputable recruiters you can contact directly in the U.S. (including strong presence in Atlanta).

1. Robert Half

One of the largest recruiters for accounting and finance roles.

Why they are good for this hire

specialize in accountants and accounting managers

large candidate database in Atlanta

can provide candidates quickly (often within 1–2 weeks)

Typical placements:

Senior Accountant

Accounting Manager

Project Accountant

Website:
www.roberthalf.com

2. Lucas Group

Well-known recruiter for mid-level finance professionals.

Strengths

good network of experienced accountants

strong in the Southeast U.S.

good at candidates with operational finance experience

Website:
www.lucasgroup.com

3. Selby Jennings

Primarily known for capital markets and investment banking placements, but they also recruit corporate finance professionals.

Useful if you later want someone with strategic finance or project finance background.

Website:
www.selbyjennings.com

4. Vaco

Very strong for hands-on accounting professionals.

Why many companies use them

fast hiring process

flexible candidates

many professionals comfortable with project environments

Website:
www.vaco.com

5. Randstad

Another large recruiter with strong accounting placement capability.

They often provide candidates who are:

willing to travel

flexible in responsibilities

comfortable with operational roles

Website:
www.randstadusa.com

Best Approach When Contacting Recruiters

Tell them clearly you want:

Title:
Accounting Manager / Senior Accountant

Key traits:

willing to travel occasionally internationally

experience with project accounting or engineering firms

comfortable interacting with operations teams

hands-on with payables, receivables, and project cost tracking

Salary range:
$85k – $100k

This will attract the right candidates.

Tip for WP&E

Mention that the company:

works on international environmental technology projects

has operations in Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

offers exposure to project finance and global operations

This will attract ambitious accountants who want growth.

✔ My suggestion for you specifically:

Start with Robert Half and Vaco.
They typically produce qualified accounting candidates within 1–2 weeks.

If you want, I can also tell you something extremely useful:

Where many engineering companies actually find their best accounting managers (and it’s not recruiters).
That method often produces much better candidates who understand project businesses like WP&E.

less expesnive recruiters

Hari, if you want cheaper recruiters, you should avoid executive search firms. Those usually charge 20–30% of salary (often $20k–$35k per hire).

Instead, use staffing firms or contingency recruiters that focus on accounting roles. They are usually much cheaper and sometimes offer contract-to-hire options.

Below are lower-cost recruiting options that companies commonly use.

1. Goodwin Recruiting

Good for small and mid-size companies hiring accounting staff.
They place roles like accountants, accounting managers, and finance staff in the Southeast U.S.

Why it’s cheaper:

contingency-based search

smaller firm

flexible pricing

2. Kelly Services

Very commonly used for accounting and finance staffing.

Benefits:

contract or contract-to-hire

lower placement fees

large candidate pool

Many companies use them for:

accountants

bookkeepers

financial analysts.

3. Scion Staffing

Often used by small businesses and startups.

Advantages:

lower placement fees

nationwide reach

flexible hiring models.

4. Adecco Staffing

One of the largest staffing providers in the U.S. offering temporary and permanent placements for many professional roles.

Advantages:

cheaper than executive search firms

large candidate pool

quick placements

5. Local Atlanta Accounting Recruiter

FirstPRO 360

They specialize specifically in accounting and finance hires in Atlanta and offer both permanent and contract placements.

Often good for:

accounting manager

senior accountant

project accountant

Cheapest hiring strategy (many founders do this)

Instead of paying large recruiter fees:

Use one staffing firm (like FirstPRO or Kelly).

Offer $90k–$100k salary.

Ask for candidates with project accounting experience.

Ask for people willing to travel occasionally internationally.

You should receive 3–6 candidates within 1–2 weeks.

✔ My recommendation for WP&E

Start with:

FirstPRO 360 (Atlanta)

Kelly Services

Goodwin Recruiting

These tend to be much cheaper than executive recruiters.

💡 One more thing that may save you $20k+ in recruiter fees:

There is a much better place to find accountants who understand project companies (engineering, EPC, construction). Many companies hire from this source instead of recruiters.

If you want, I can tell you where engineering companies usually find the best accounting managers.

how much do I pay the staffing firm if salary is 90k per yr

Hari, recruiter fees depend on the type of staffing firm and hiring arrangement. For a $90,000/year Accounting Manager or Senior Accountant, the typical costs are below.

1. Contingency Recruiter (Most common)

This is when you pay only if you hire their candidate.

Typical fee: 15% – 20% of annual salary

For $90k salary:

Fee % Cost
15% $13,500
18% $16,200
20% $18,000

Many mid-market recruiters will negotiate down to 15% if asked.

2. Contract-to-Hire (Often cheaper)

The recruiter hires the candidate first and places them with you.

You pay an hourly rate for several months, then convert to full-time.

Example:

Candidate salary equivalent:
$90k (~$43/hr)

Staffing firm charge:
$60–$70/hr

Markup:
$17–$25/hr

After 3–6 months, you hire them permanently.

Advantages:

you test the candidate

sometimes no placement fee

3. Retained Executive Search (Avoid this)

These firms charge:

25% – 30% of salary

For $90k role:

$22k – $27k

These are usually used for CFO or VP roles, not accounting managers.

4. Cheapest realistic option

If you negotiate well:

Expected cost:
$12k – $15k

Many recruiters will accept this.

5. How to negotiate lower fee

When contacting recruiter say:

“This is an Accounting Manager role in the $85k–$95k range. We are speaking with a few recruiting firms and prefer a contingency arrangement around 12–15%.”

Many will agree.

6. Example cost breakdown for WP&E

Salary: $90k

Recruiter fee (15%):
$13,500

Total first year cost:
$103,500

Still much cheaper than paying $120k+ for a controller.

7. One alternative you should consider

For accounting roles specifically, many companies skip recruiters entirely and hire through a very effective source that costs almost nothing.

It often produces better candidates than recruiters, especially for project accounting.

If you want, I can show you the two places most engineering companies use to hire accountants quickly without paying recruiter fees.

recruiting websites for accountng manager

Hari, here are recruiting websites specifically useful for hiring an Accounting Manager or Senior Accountant. I’ve listed them in three tiers: best accounting-specific sites, general job boards, and low-cost options.

1. Accounting-Specific Job Websites (Best for qualified candidates)
American Accounting Association Career Center

Website: https://careercenter.aaahq.org

Dedicated accounting job board used by accounting professionals

Strong pool of CPAs and experienced accountants

Good for Accounting Manager / Senior Accountant roles

Job postings are sent to association members by email.

iHireAccounting

Website: https://www.ihireaccounting.com

Over 60,000 accounting jobs listed on the platform

Candidates specifically searching for accounting roles

Allows employers to search resumes directly.

AccountingJobsToday

Website: https://jobboard.accountingjobstoday.com

Focused job board only for accounting professionals

Good for mid-level accountants and accounting managers.

2. Finance Job Boards (Good for higher quality candidates)
eFinancialCareers

Website: https://www.efinancialcareers.com

Global finance hiring platform

Useful if you want someone with finance + accounting background.

Accounting Crossing

Website: https://www.accountingcrossing.com

Aggregates accounting jobs from many sources

Good for experienced accounting candidates.

3. Low-Cost / Free Hiring Options
American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers Job Board

Website: https://aipb.org/job-board

Free job board for bookkeeping and accounting roles

Many experienced bookkeepers and accountants.

General job boards (cheap and high reach)

These still produce many accounting hires:

Indeed

CareerBuilder

They are widely used for accounting recruiting and reach large candidate pools.

4. Best Strategy for Your Role (Accounting Manager $90k)

To find candidates quickly:

Post job in 3 places only:

iHireAccounting

Indeed

American Accounting Association job board

This usually produces 20–40 resumes in 1–2 weeks.

✔ Tip for WP&E

In your job description emphasize:

project accounting

international exposure (Saudi / Middle East projects)

engineering / infrastructure company

Those keywords attract the right accountants who understand project businesses.

If you want, I can also show you one hiring method many engineering companies use that produces extremely strong Accounting Managers without paying recruiter fees (and often in under 10 days).