Senior Professional, Project Accounting

This Opportunity

Experienced senior-level project accountant professional providing accounting and financial specialist support to one or more Project Managers and/or project team(s).  Develops project work breakdown structure, project budgets, margin analysis, and creates associated funding in Oracle for larger and/or more complex projects. Ancillary important tasks include evaluating project charges, completing cost transfers, ensuring that all project data in Oracle is up-to-date, generating robust project accounting reporting for infrastructure / transportation / professional services projects, and working with project leadership on recommendations for addressing problem project corrective strategies.  Also works collaboratively with the Billing function and project managers on pre-billing information review, cost estimates, and invoicing.  Ensures that responsibilities are delivered and adhered to with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable industry standards, supporting the delivery of future-ready solutions to clients.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• For assigned project(s), manage and analyze the collection, recording, and allocating of project costs and revenue, ensuring accurate project profit and loss calculations, and communicating project financial performance and profitability to project/program management.
• Responsible for lifecycle project accounting from creating project accounts in Oracle, to tracking projects and project budget, validating invoicing, project close-out, and reconciling overall project payables and receivables to project budgets. 
• Perform detailed and involved accounting tasks related to managing project contract, billing events and billing transaction exceptions revenue for larger and/or multi-faceted complex projects.
• Partner with the Project Manager and project team to establish the project budget, updating budgets, and making project accounting recommendations as needed when contract modifications or budget changes arise.
• Generate project financial reports and visualization, evaluating the reports for accurate presentation of data and findings, including developing analysis on labor breakage, cost trending or other various project related financial reports to be escalated for review by the Project or Finance Management.
• Monitor and analyze revenue and unbilled balances to ensure proper revenue recognition.
• Authorize access to project accounts, and the transfer of expenses into and out of project-related accounts in compliance with established accounting practices and guidelines.
• Maintain quality control standards and procedures for generating accurate and precise project-related financial records using Oracle, spreadsheets, and software.
• For assigned projects, apply learned accounting expertise relating to project resources, labor and expenses, investigating project variances and submitting variance reports to management.     
• Verify contract and change order characteristics for projects that are large and /or of a higher level of complexity, including reading and interpreting contract language, method of compensation, modifications, purchase orders, and subcontract/consultant terms.   
• Monitor key indicators for managing and analyzing problem projects, keeping project managers and/or project accounting manager informed on any noted concerns.
• Responsible for ensuring draft invoices from billing are accurate based on the contract requirements agreed upon with the client, identify any corrections needed, obtain Project Manager documentation and signature, finalize the invoice approval with the Project Manager/billing team and submits the invoice to the client.
• Subcontract management and coordination with Contract Administrators. This includes evaluating subcontractor invoice submittals for accuracy, establishes and maintains purchase orders for subconsultants, and requests and follows up on subcontractor payment requests with Accounts Payable.
• Identify and record unpaid contract billings, following up on any delinquent accounts receivable and/or unbilled costs. 
• Respond to requests for more detail from clients, investigate all project expenses not billed to clients, and create or approve all project-related billings to clients.
• Attend or coordinate project-related meetings to inform the team regarding the current status of project financials, articulating problem projects and following up on any identified actions as discussed.
• Create and submit government reports related to projects.
• Compile information for internal and external auditors and formal audit responses as required.
• Work with cross-functional finance teams (e.g. Billing, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Project Set-Up) in executing project work. 
• Comply with regulatory requirements pertaining to the data integrity, documentation, procedures, training, monitoring systems, and record compliance and retention.
• Interact with regulatory agencies, subcontractors, and clients in a confident and professional manner.
• Mentor and/or train other project accountants and/or interns as needed, including reviewing of billing and project budgets to perform QA/QC.
• Remain current in latest project accounting principles and subject matter.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business, or closely-related discipline (or demonstrated proven equivalent experience) (or equivalent experience).
• 5 to 7 years of relevant post education experience in accounting, project contracts and change management documents. 
• Proficient knowledge of project accounting principles, practices, and methods and their application to project work-related issues. 
• Ability to make technical computations and calculations involving the application of accounting principles, understanding plans and specifications and making factual comparisons to the appropriate regulations and/or contract stipulations.
• Ability to coordinate with various stakeholders and understand contract requirements, scope, and schedule.
• Highly capable interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an accounting and non-accounting audience.
• Highly capable self-leadership with attention to detail, multi-tasking, and prioritization of responsibilities in a dynamic work environment.
• Ability to work independently and provide guidance and leadership to junior team or project members, with strict adherence to QA/QC.
• Advanced proficiency with technical writing, office automation and accounting software, technology, math principles, MS Excel, pivot tables, formulas, data format/sort/filter, VLOOKUP, predictive models, and tools. 
• Developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to apply learned subject matter and technical knowledge to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, statistical analysis and arriving at the most effective, economical, and logical solution.
• Ability to collaboratively and assertively work with others such as subcontractors, consultants, and clients on outstanding accounts receivables.
• Awareness of and adherence to WSP USA’s Project Delivery Handbook.
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• This is a professional role and as such work deadlines and work hours may extend beyond a typical workday.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.
• Master’s Degree is preferred (but not required).
• Familiarity with Oracle preferred (but not required).

Preferred Qualifications or “Great to Haves”:

• Master’s Degree is preferred (but not required).
• Familiarity with Oracle preferred (but not required).