Project Accountant

Role & responsibilities

As a Project Accountant with Worley, is to develop project accounting procedures for project(s) assigned. Considers complex situations related to the contract, staff size, geographic location, etc. Helps ensure compliance with Company policy, project requirements, and good accounting procedures. Your skills and expertise will be utilised across a range of domestic and international projects, starting in the bid phase, continuing to award, start up and execution. This role supports teams across multiple time zones and will require working hours aligned to global operations.

Project initiation

• Accountable for the financial implications of the set up and maintenance of projects in the business system in accordance with policies, pricing schedules, customer details, calendars, payment plans.
• Interprets the contract terms and conditions and ensures commercial terms are built into project set up
• Ensures projects are financially closed
• Leads/Supports Audits

Reporting & Analysis

• Ensures processes in place to enable accurate revenue recognition
• Regularly reviews margins, WIP, debtor and cash flow
• Ensures intercompany payables or receivables reconciled with counterpart and ensure prompt payments
• Link between Accounts Payable and project for coding invoices, ensuring that missing/expected invoices are accrued for/accounted timely
• Create and validate forecast/budget for chargeable hours, sell/cost rates, resulting margin and ensure target is reasonable
• Produces and analyses trend and variance report as needed
• Gathers project accruals and provision information as needeed
• Owns the accuracy of financial data as reported in monthly WPRs through collaboration with project team
• Work closely with project controls and finance analysts to produce monthly reports and estimates
• Works closely with project operations, controls and billing coordinators to improve project administration processes and effectiveness.

Business Partnership

• Participates in processes that enable the project team to effectively manage its costs and risks. Identifies and implements specific cost reductions and/or leakages, providing input into risk management exercises.
• Day to day finance business partner to the project management team and representative of Finance function to them

Cash Management

• Ensures invoicing plan is in place to maximise DSO

• Reviews DSO reports and assists in the development of corrective action plans

• Works with customers to ensure invoices have been received, approved, and actioned providing status to Project Team

• Provide input into cash forecast to ensure accuracy and appropriate challenge to expedite cash collection

• Reviews WIP/AR reports with project Managers to ensure timely billing and collection

• Attest/review project transaction documents and accounts for accuracy and completeness, including sub-charges, data sheets, time reports, expenses, subcontractor invoices etc.

• Ensures accurate production of customer invoices, credit notes and back up documentation

• Ensures billings do not exceed approved budget limits and works with project managers and project Controls to resolve issues

• Drives timely recording of 3rd. Party vendor invoices

  Commercial Support

• Actively participates in preparation and at monthly project reviews to challenge the financial and commercial health of projects

• Interprets commercial terms and conditions, including Fx, tax, credit and system implications on bids and tenders to ensure accurate and timely costing and revenue recognition

• Complete working papers to capture use, accrual and draw down of contingencies and provisions; complete working papers to address how we will account for project incentives.

• Identifies areas of potential project gross margin improvement; ensures accurate recovery of all costs as defined in the contract and ensures non-billable costs are minimise.

• Ensures the DOA is adhered to for any write off time, expense or invoice, non-billable time is approved per DOA, request for continuance of work where required

• Submission of variation, KPI and contract amendment requests and claims in accordance with contract requirements.

Qualifications

To be considered for this role it is envisaged you will possess the following attributes:

• Educational Qualification: Qualified CA / Inter CA or MBA Finance
• Experience: 5-12 years in Finance and Accounting
• Domain experience: Project Accounting