Project Analyst - Billing

Altus Fire & Life Safety is a full-service fire and life safety services platform, providing design, engineering, installation, inspection, and servicing of fire and life safety systems, as well as training, consulting, crisis management, and business continuity services.

Cross Fire & Security Co., an Altus Fire & Life Safety company, is seeking a Project Analyst to lead project-finance processes and strengthen coordination between Finance, Project Management, Operations, Sales, and Service.

This role provides financial leadership across the project lifecycle—from project setup and work-in-progress (WIP) tracking through forecasting, billing readiness, revenue recognition, and closeout. The Analyst will turn project and financial data into clear projections and actionable insights, helping teams understand current performance, anticipate financial outcomes, and make informed decisions.

The ideal candidate brings strong construction-finance and project-accounting experience, a thorough understanding of WIP, and the ability to improve financial practices while leading and developing a team. Experience with NetSuite and ServiceTrade is strongly preferred.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive pay: $90,000 - $95,000 annually
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits
• Retirement savings opportunities
• Paid time off and holidays
• Ongoing technical training and professional development
• Career advancement opportunities within a growing national organization
• Supportive team environment focused on safety, quality, and customer service

Responsibilities

Project Analyst and WIP Leadership

• Lead and strengthen project-finance processes throughout the project lifecycle, from setup through completion and closeout.
• Oversee WIP reporting, review WIP activity and project status, and ensure information is complete, accurate, and useful for decision-making.
• Connect project progress, labor, materials, subcontractor costs, change orders, and other job-cost information to financial projections.
• Identify unbilled work, billing risks, cost variances, margin concerns, and other issues that may affect project financial performance.
• Develop and communicate project forecasts, financial projections, and risk assessments to Finance and operational leaders.
• Help Project Managers understand project financial status and the actions needed to support accurate forecasting and timely billing.
• Ensure project financial information is reconciled and aligned with operational records and supporting documentation.

Billing, Revenue, and Financial Controls

• Provide oversight and guidance for project billing processes, including progress, milestone, time-and-material, service, and contract billing.
• Ensure billing reflects verified project progress, contract terms, approved change orders, and customer requirements.
• Oversee the preparation and review of AIA billing documents, Schedules of Values, retainage, and related construction billing records, as applicable.
• Partner with the billing team to improve billing accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
• Support revenue recognition and month-end close activities in accordance with GAAP and company policies.
• Establish and maintain appropriate controls, documentation standards, and review procedures for project-finance activities.
• Coordinate with Accounts Receivable and other Finance staff to ensure project billing information supports collection efforts and accurate account reporting.

Team and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead, coach, and support Finance team members responsible for project accounting and billing-related processes.
• Establish clear roles, expectations, workflows, and accountability across project-finance activities.
• Serve as a financial partner to Project Management, Operations, Sales, Service, and Finance leadership.
• Facilitate regular reviews of project performance, WIP, forecast changes, billing status, and financial risks.
• Explain financial information clearly to colleagues who may not have a finance background.
• Promote collaboration and timely communication when financial or project issues arise.

Systems and Process Improvement

• Use NetSuite and ServiceTrade to support accurate project setup, WIP tracking, billing, reporting, and financial analysis.
• Improve processes and reporting by identifying gaps, reducing manual work, and strengthening coordination between systems and teams.
• Develop or refine dashboards, reports, and procedures to make project performance and financial forecasts easier to understand.
• Support system improvements, workflow changes, and training related to project-finance processes.
• Maintain accurate financial records and recommend practical improvements that support a more efficient and reliable operation.

Skills & Qualifications

Required

• Significant experience in project finance, construction accounting, project accounting, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of construction billing, job costing, WIP reporting, project forecasting, and project financial performance.
• Experience working with project managers and operational teams in a construction or project-based environment.
• Working knowledge of GAAP and month-end close processes.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze financial and operational information, identify risks or discrepancies, and recommend solutions.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, lookups, and financial analysis.
• Ability to manage priorities, meet deadlines, maintain confidentiality, and exercise sound judgment.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Construction Management, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Experience with **NetSuite ERP** and **ServiceTrade**.
• Experience in the fire alarm, life safety, security, electrical, mechanical, or specialty-construction industry.
• Knowledge of AIA billing, progress billing, Schedules of Values, retainage, change orders, and contract requirements.
• Experience leading or developing a finance or project-accounting team.
• Project-management experience or relevant project-management training.
• Experience with union construction projects or certified payroll processes.