Assistant Project Accountant

Who are we?

Atkins, Balfour Beatty and Egis Road Operations UK We are part of a consortium, creating Connect Plus Services, a unique partnership with a collective strength in highways asset care from finance, through to design, build, maintenance as well as day to day operation.

As part of our 30-year remit to manage and improve the capital’s orbital motorway network, we deliver major improvement projects, such widening 38 miles of the M25, refurbishing tunnels and bridges, and installing hundreds of variable messaging signs and gantries, helping to maximise the use of the network and deliver more reliable journeys. We also manage the Dartford River crossing, and operate and maintain 440 kilometres of motorway providing our customer and road user with a world-class highway service.

We value diversity and celebrate individual differences, believing that our inclusive culture helps the business continue to grow as a strong, dynamic and innovative organisation.

culture.

Main Purpose of the Job:

• To provide support to the directorate Finance Business Partner in the financial management of the Project Delivery & Asset directorates, including the provision of meaningful and accurate financial information
• Assist with ensuring that there is robust cost capture at project level which is fully reconciled to business management accounts

Key Responsibilities/Duties:

Internal reporting:

·         Assist in the financial management of the Project Delivery & Asset directorate, through:

o    Assisting with the production of monthly internal reporting

o    Investigating and understanding variances and reporting thereon

o    Assisting in forecasting

o    Contributing to the annual budget process

·         Reconciliation of cost centre reporting to management accounts

Query investigation & resolution:

·         To assist in identifying and resolving queries, particularly around cost capture and allocation, and to ensure the queries are closed out

·         Process any adjustments via journals as necessary

·         Support the project managers and designers with any finance related issues

Staff time reporting:

• Production and management of the staff utilisation process, undertake a monthly reconciliation of staff time capture with budget estimates
• Production and management of overhead time reporting
• Reconciliation of staff costs from Timesheet 24/7 to HE timesheet records
• Support Project Delivery & Asset directorate staff in accurately reporting their time
• Management of the task number process

Invoicing:

• Produce reciprocal invoices to Connect Plus, mirroring those raised to Highways England on their behalf.
• Reconcile local invoicing to the central sales invoice register
• To contribute towards minimising directorate(s) work in progress balance
• To assist in reducing directorate(s) debtor days

Qualifications / Skills / Experience:

• CIMA / ACCA / ACA part qualified or willing to study
• Strong Excel skills and experience of using an ERP system
• Experience of working in a project environment / desire to work in operational, as opposed to core, finance
• Proven track record of contributing to high quality internal financial reports
• Ability to work both within a team and independently
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Articulate and confident with people at all levels
• Ability to build relationships and influence people

Personal attributes:

• ·         Good communication skills
• ·         Excellent attention to detail
• ·         Tenacious and delivery focussed
• ·         Commercially focused / aware
• ·         Able to exercise judgement and make decisions
• ·         Self-starter