Project Accountant - Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited : Job Details

Role Summary

The Project Accountant plays a pivotal role within the finance function, overseeing the financial health of projects across the organisation. This position is responsible for ensuring accurate financial reporting, maintaining budgetary discipline, and upholding compliance standards. The role also contributes to process enhancements and supports strategic financial planning. The successful candidate will be a proactive and collaborative professional with strong project management capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Produce timely and accurate financial reports for both ongoing and newly initiated projects.
• Track project budgets, comparing actual expenditures against forecasts to maintain financial oversight.
• Perform variance analysis and deliver insights to explain budget discrepancies.
• Partner with project leads and stakeholders to ensure alignment on financial goals.
• Support cost forecasting and identify opportunities for financial efficiency.
• Ensure adherence to internal financial policies and external regulatory requirements.
• Maintain comprehensive project cost documentation and assist with audit processes.
• Drive improvements in project accounting practices and systems.
• Prepare financial summaries for internal stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Analyse financial trends to highlight areas for optimisation.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Experience with IFRS16 (preferred but not essential).
• Strong background in financial and management accounting.
• Proven expertise in project accounting, ideally within the public sector and familiarity with business case development.
• Professional accounting qualifications (e.g., ACCA, CIMA, ACA, or equivalent).
• Broad understanding of financial operations and process streams.
• Experience with large-scale accounting systems in complex environments.
• Ability to lead and implement process improvements effectively.
• Excellent project management skills and a track record of delivering results.
• A solutions-oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Strategic interpretation of financial data to support decision-making.
• Proficiency in financial systems (e.g., Sage, QuickBooks, SAP, or similar).
• Advanced Excel capabilities, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and financial modelling.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Experience in budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Solid understanding of compliance, audit procedures, and regulatory frameworks.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to foster collaborative working relationships.

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