Company Description
Octave Design and Build Inc. is a leading general contractor, land development and construction firm focused on turning ideas into sustainable, high-quality projects serving the Greater Toronto Area. We specialize in the full development lifecycle, construction management, design-build, and project development, providing complete solutions tailored to each client’s needs. Focused on low-rise residential and commercial projects.
Role Description
The Staff Accountant supports the financial operations of a residential construction company by managing full-cycle accounting, maintaining accurate job-cost records, performing financial and underwriting analyses, and ensuring compliance with Canadian accounting standards. This role plays a key part in project profitability tracking, budgeting and forecasting, proforma modeling, and financing support, while maintaining strong financial controls and efficient day-to-day financial operations.
Responsibilities
Bookkeeping & Financial Operations
- Maintain full-cycle bookkeeping using QuickBooks Online (QBO) or similar accounting systems.
- Ensure accurate and timely recording of all financial transactions.
- Maintain general ledger integrity and perform regular account reconciliations.
- Prepare monthly financial statements, including income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow reports.
- Support continuous improvement of accounting processes and financial controls.
Project & Job Cost Accounting
- Maintain detailed job-cost records for all residential construction projects.
- Track labor, materials, subcontractor invoices, equipment rentals, and change orders.
- Reconcile project budgets vs. actual and proactively flag variances to project managers.
- Support Work-in-Progress (WIP) reporting and percentage-of-completion calculations.
- Analyze project cost performance and identify risks and opportunities impacting profitability.
Financial Analysis, Budgeting & Project Proforma
- Prepare and maintain detailed project proformas, including cost estimates, revenue forecasts, and cash flow projections.
- Develop and manage project budgets and ongoing financial forecasts.
- Perform sensitivity and scenario analysis (costs, pricing, timelines, interest rates).
- Evaluate project feasibility, return metrics (IRR, ROI), and margin expectations.
- Assist in planning and tracking capital expenditures (CapEx).
- Partner with leadership and project teams to monitor performance against budgets and proforma assumptions.
Underwriting & Financing Support
- Assist with underwriting analysis for new development opportunities, including financial modeling and risk assessment.
- Prepare financial packages for lenders, investors, and internal approvals.
- Support loan draw processes by validating project costs, progress, and required documentation.
- Analyze financing structures, borrowing costs, and covenant requirements.
- Collaborate with lenders, investors, and stakeholders throughout financing and reporting processes.
Accounts Payable, Receivable & Invoicing Management
- Manage the full invoicing lifecycle, including collecting, compiling, and reviewing all vendor invoices against approved budgets prior to processing.
- Ensure all invoices are received by the 20th of each month to support timely month-end close.
- Process vendor invoices, verify pricing, match purchase orders, and ensure accurate coding.
- Manage subcontractor payments, including statutory holdbacks in accordance with provincial lien legislation.
- Collect and verify statutory declarations and required compliance documentation prior to releasing payments.
- Respond directly to vendor payment inquiries and maintain strong vendor relationships.
- Proactively notify vendors once payments have been processed.
- Prepare customer invoices, progress draws, and follow up on outstanding receivables.
- Reconcile supplier statements and resolve discrepancies.
Payroll & Timesheet Support
- Review and code weekly timesheets for field staff and trades.
- Support payroll processing in accordance with Canadian labour and tax regulations.
- Allocate labor costs to appropriate jobs and cost codes.
Month-End, Reporting & Financial Oversight
- Prepare journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations for month-end close.
- Deliver timely and accurate financial reporting packages to management.
- Provide variance analysis against budgets, forecasts, and proforma projections.
- Support cash flow monitoring and reporting.
- Maintain fixed asset registers and depreciation schedules.
Compliance, Tax & Documentation
- Ensure compliance with Canadian GAAP/ASPE, provincial tax rules, and construction-specific requirements.
- Support GST/HST filings and other tax compliance processes in coordination with external accountants or advisors.
- Assist with audits, lender reviews, and insurance reporting.
- Maintain organized digital and physical financial records.
Qualifications
- Diploma or degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
- 2–4 years of accounting and/or financial analysis experience; construction or real estate development experience strongly preferred.
- Experience with job-costing, financial modeling, proformas, or underwriting analysis is an asset.
- Working toward CPA designation is an advantage but not required.
- Proficiency in accounting software (QuickBooks Online).
- Advanced Excel skills (financial modeling, pivot tables, lookups, scenario analysis).
- Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll, GST/HST, PST, and construction holdback rules.
- Ability to build and interpret financial models and project proformas.
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
- Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret financial data and assess project viability.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, project-driven environment.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills with internal teams and external stakeholders.
- Strong problem-solving and critical thinking capabilities
Job Type: Contract full-time (The first six months are designated as a probationary period).
Work Location: Oakville, ON (L6K 0J3)
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months
Pay: $75,000.00-$85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Oakville, ON: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (required)
Experience:
- Quickbooks: 3 years (required)
- Accounting/Finance: 3 years (required)
- Canadian residential construction: 3 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
