Lead Accountant - Real Estate Development

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Professional 311

Pay Range: $100,000.00 - $150,000.00

Job Description

The Lead Accountant, Real Estate Development is the accounting and financial-controls lead for WGU's large-scale construction and development program, including the new headquarters campus. This senior individual contributor owns construction draw accounting, project cost verification, reconciliations, close and capitalization support, control documentation, and audit readiness. The role partners with Development, Project Controls, Finance, Procurement, Treasury, Legal, contractors, architects, and external reviewers to protect the integrity of project financial records and payments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and operate project accounting procedures and controls, including project and cost-code setup, contract and commitment records, change-order controls, and documentation standards; lead related process, system, and reporting improvements.
• Review contractor pay applications against contracts and approved schedules of values; validate work completed, retainage, prior payments, approved changes, cost coding, calculations, and supporting documentation.
• Confirm required lien waivers or releases, certifications, and other payment conditions are complete; investigate exceptions and recommend draw or payment packages for approval under WGU's delegated-authority framework.
• Record and reconcile project costs, commitments, accruals, accounts payable, and funding activity; coordinate accurate and timely month-end and year-end close.
• Maintain construction-in-progress records and support capitalization, placed-in-service determinations, asset transfers, and related accounting in accordance with U.S. GAAP and WGU policy.
• Reconcile accounting actuals and commitments to project-controls records and finance forecasts; identify and communicate variances, emerging exposures, and data-quality issues.
• Support debt or bond draws, incentive and grant documentation, covenant reporting, audits, and other compliance requirements with complete, audit-ready records; provide functional guidance and coordinate external accounting or draw-review resources.

Qualifications

Required

• CPA or MAcc, or equivalent relevant experience under WGU policy.
• Eight or more years of progressive accounting, construction accounting, or project accounting experience, including at least three years supporting construction draws, pay applications, or complex capital projects.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, construction-in-progress and fixed-asset accounting, month-end close, reconciliations, and internal controls.
• Working knowledge of construction contracts, schedules of values, change orders, retainage, lien waivers, and payment documentation.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with ERP, project accounting, or construction-management systems; strong judgment, attention to detail, and stakeholder communication.

Preferred

• Experience with owner-side accounting for large commercial, mixed-use, institutional, or corporate headquarters development.
• Knowledge of AIA G702/G703 payment documents and construction lender or bond-draw requirements.
• Experience with Workday or a comparable ERP and Procore, Kahua, e-Builder, or a comparable project platform.

Work Arrangement

This role works on-site at WGU's Salt Lake City, Utah headquarters. Relocation assistance is available to candidates who live more than 50 miles from Salt Lake City.

Travel

This position may require occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.