Finance Manager / Senior Project Accountant (Consultancy)

Key Responsibilities

• Producing monthly management accounts and reporting on project performance across the portfolio.
• Reporting and analysing profitability, work in progress (WIP), project costs, utilisation rates, and operational KPIs to identify opportunities and risks.
• Business partnering with project leads and senior stakeholders to drive commercial performance and improve financial outcomes.
• Managing end-to-end accounting processes for multiple projects, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Reviewing project profitability, budgeting, forecasting, and revenue recognition in line with accounting standards.
• Supporting month-end reporting and providing insightful variance analysis against budget and forecast.
• Challenging and influencing stakeholders to improve project outcomes and overall financial performance.
• Reconciling balance sheet accounts on a monthly basis and ensuring data integrity.
• Delivering meaningful financial information to support strategic decision-making at board and operational levels.
• Supporting annual budgeting and forecasting processes, including scenario modelling and sensitivity analysis.
• Driving continuous improvement across financial controls, reporting processes, and project accounting procedures.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

• Professional qualification: ACA, ACCA, or CIMA (fully qualified).
• Proven experience in a Finance Manager, Project Accountant, Commercial Finance, or Business Partnering role.
• Strong stakeholder management and business partnering capabilities, with the ability to build credible relationships at all levels.
• Prior experience within a consultancy, professional services, project-based, or people-led environment is highly advantageous.
• Commercially focused with the ability to translate financial data into actionable business insight.
• Advanced Excel skills and confidence working with large volumes of data; experience with ERP systems is beneficial.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders constructively.

Skills Inventory

• Financial reporting and management accounts preparation.
• Project accounting and profitability analysis.
• Budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Revenue recognition and WIP management.
• Business partnering and stakeholder influence.
• Advanced Excel (pivot tables, lookups, data modelling).
• Data analysis and KPI reporting.
• Balance sheet reconciliation.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.