Purpose of the Role
Financial management of a suite of projects within a the Project Delivery organisation

What are my responsibilities?

Project Mobilisation
Undertake a handover from the Tendering and Estimating team of the financial elements of a successful bid, including the baseline value and budget, CBS and baseline Project delivery Report and full set up in the SAP system.
Project Forecasting and Reporting

Review and analyse project actual and forecast spend to support Work Package Managers (WPM) and the Project Manager (PM) in the financial control and forecasting of their budgets.
Analyse new project forecasts, developing a view on robustness, timing, risk and opportunity. Review and, if necessary, challenge with both WPM and PM before finalising .
Ensuring all change is properly incorporated in cost and value, including approvals for submitting contract variations and including unagreed variations in forecast final value.
Maintain for each project the P&L, balance sheet, order book and cashflow on behalf of the PM
Working with other parts of the project team as necessary eg Commercial function, prepare project reporting to the client where required
Ensure all project audit requirements are dealt with in a timely and professional manner.

Functional Reporting and Forecasting

Ensure all project reports and forecasts are submitted to Central Finance on time, accurate, understood and approved, where necessary.
Provide meaningful supporting commentary where required on variance analysis
Act as the independent conscience of the project ensuring the integrity of the financial status and forecast, escalating issues or concerns where necessary.

Month End

Review and amend, where necessary, project accruals related to internal and agency staff, materials and major subcontractors.
Ensure the correct trading margin % and verify the traded position
Provide commentary on traded position and financial status/movement where necessary

Accounts Receivable

Manage or support the setup, submission and processing of Payment Applications, certificates and invoices, including all postings to the ledger.
Actively monitor the payment cycle ensuring any required actions are taken to maximize the cash position, chasing payments with supplier where necessary
If dealing with cost reimbursable contracts, ensure timely and accurate provision of all supporting information to enable issuing, approval and payment of project milestones in a timely manner.

Other Responsibilities

Maintenance of the project and CBS within the SAP Project Ledger.
Compliance with all Group accounting policies, but in particular with the long term contract accounting policy.

Measures for success

Cost Accountant seen as a key partner and team player by PM and WPM’s
All budgets and forecasts, together with key risks, issues and opportunities, are owned, approved and understood by all appropriate parties.
All submissions are accurate, on time and meaningful

Essential

Part qualified accountant with recent accountancy work experience
Strong communicator with the ability to challenge and influence others
Desire and ability to work closely and develop productive relationships with both finance staff and other project functions.
Strong organisational/planning skills
Advanced Excel skills

Desirable

Relevant contract/project accounting experience
A high level understanding or core contract terms and conditions which have a financial aspect.