Staff Accountant

Job Description

Staff Accountant | Pape-Dawson

The Tone:
The Staff Accountant will play a vital role in Pape-Dawson’s finance team, contributing to the financial health and operational accuracy of this 2,036-person civil engineering and consulting firm. This full-time position, located in San Antonio, TX, is central to the firm’s general ledger operations and the integrity of its monthly close process. You will be responsible for preparing accurate accounting records, performing critical reconciliations, and actively assisting with essential financial reporting tasks. Your contributions will ensure compliance with accounting principles, support data-driven decisions, and strengthen overall financial controls across the organization.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person San Antonio, TX

• Mission: This role supports the firm’s general ledger operations and monthly close process by preparing accurate accounting records, completing reconciliations, and assisting with financial reporting.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Excel

What You’ll Actually Do
• Journal Entries: Prepare and post routine and recurring journal entries, including accruals, reclassifications, and other close-related entries.
• Account Reconciliations: Complete monthly account reconciliations and investigate and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Close Activities: Assist with month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities in accordance with established deadlines and procedures.
• Ledger Reconciliation: Reconcile general ledger balances to supporting sub-ledgers and source-system reports, escalating unusual or unresolved items as appropriate.
• Process Improvement: Collaborate with accounting and cross-functional teams to maintain consistent processes, strengthen controls, and support continuous improvement.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree in accounting; this role is ideal for an Early Career professional seeking to build their expertise in a supportive environment.
• Experience: Foundational knowledge of general ledger accounting, month-end close procedures, account reconciliations, and journal entry preparation is key to this role.
• Skills:
• Strong knowledge and understanding of GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and fundamental accounting principles.
• Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in all financial records, with the ability to organize tasks effectively and meet established deadlines.
• Developed analytical and problem-solving skills, capable of researching variances, identifying the root cause of discrepancies, and proposing timely resolutions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including a command of common formulas and data analysis functions to support various accounting tasks.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, enabling collaborative work with colleagues across the accounting department and other functional teams within the organization.
• Bonus: Prior hands-on experience with general ledger accounting, month-end close activities, account reconciliations, and journal entries is strongly preferred. Candidates should also demonstrate accountability, initiative, and a strong willingness to learn and take on increasing responsibilities as they grow within the firm.