ACCA Vacancy at Crown Agents

Job Title : Senior Project Accountant

Number of Vacancy : 1

Qualification : ACCA

Experience : Not Required

Job Description

Function of Dept

The Finance function’s role is to provide a complete accounting and financial management service to enable the Board and Management to meet statutory requirements and exercise effective financial control over the Crown Agents businesses
Job Purpose

Reports to the Head of Project Accounting. The role is responsible for supporting Project Managers to manage project finances and for performing month-end project accounting tasks. As a qualified accountant you will use your accounting knowledge to improve all forms of project reporting and assist finance leadership in continuous process improvement. As a Senior Project Accountant, you will be required to take on greater leadership of cross cutting initiatives that improve processes or other projects to improve performance, and to manage Project Accountants and / or Junior Project Accountants in the Project Accounting Team
Responsibilities

Project Finance

• Prepare high quality and timely monthly financial reports to clients
• Supporting Project Managers in day to day project finance management
• Facilitate the preparation of monthly invoices to be sent to clients along with the financial and spend reports
• Understanding and interpreting the month’s performance with insightful commentary on variances of programme spend
• Monitor programme budgets and ensure funds are allocated to agreed budget lines
• In coordination with Programme Managers prepare robust and timely financial forecasting
• Work with the programme’s Procurement and in country finance teams to prepare forecasting and support the end to end finance processes
• Review and analyse changes to programme budget in line with corporate and client requirements, proactively identify risks and propose mitigations
• Perform an advisory role to PM, PD and Procurement team on budgets and FX
• Join internal and client meetings to lead on programme finance discussion
• Develop systems and processes to ensure efficient and effective management of project finances and reporting, including monitoring spend against implementation plans/projections
• Ensure all project related documentations, including audit trail are appropriately stored
• Lead on project audits both internally and externally
• Provide oversight and support to the Regional Finance Managers to ensure that forecasts are accurate and realistic, adjusting for risk if needed so that variance against monthly forecasts are minimal
• Manage Project Accountants and Junior Project Accountants in the exercise of their responsibilities

Corporate Finance

• Ensure appropriate project accounting from inception to closure
• Ensuring robust forecasting is undertaken
• Ensuring accurate and consistent journals are posted in accordance with revenue recognition policy.
• Working with Project Managers to complete project submission forms and provide commentary on variances/risk
• Processing project submission forms in a timely and efficient manner
• Reconciling information on the project accounting system (T&E) to the Accounting system (SUN) and resolving discrepancies
• Active engagement in monthly practice review meetings
• Meeting audit requirements.
• Balance sheet reporting is consistent and accurate
• Ensuring Project budgets are on the system

General

• Support implementation of best practice processes
• Undertaking any necessary training associated with the duties of the post and participates in training and development procedures
• Complying with Company Health and Safety policies and legislation

About you

Skills and Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant or equivalent working experience
• Experience of working effectively where strong organizational skills are required
• Demonstrate a robust and commercial mindset
• Strong understanding of technical accounting as it relates to projects
• Work effectively with people across all levels
• Able to spot errors and/or anomalies and highlight and quantify risks and opportunities
• Knowledge of process from data inputs and system interfaces through to preparation of management accounts (P&L and supplementary analysis, balance sheet and cash flow statements)
• Understanding of budget/forecast processes and tools. Able to support and guide users in the preparation of project budgets and forecasts
• Use all tools at disposal to provide analysis and to present it clearly to project managers
• Interprets stakeholder needs and expectations to build working relationships and deliver appropriate solutions
• Ability to communicate well in a multi-stakeholder environment, as well has having excellent written communication skills
• Full knowledge of accounting for long term projects under FRS102, revenue recognition, provisions, bad debts, milestones, cost plus, % stage of completion
• Understands the importance of identifying ways to improve processes and maintain a continuous improvement mind-set
• Confident in the use of accounting systems and willingness to work on the enhancement of existing systems and processes

Crown Agents is piloting certain provisions of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), hence will request information from the applicant’s previous employers relating to any findings of sexual misconduct during employment, or incidents involving the applicant under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the applicant confirms understanding of these recruitment procedures.

To apply visit: Senior Project Accountant