Senior Project Accountant

Mars Recruitment; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars Recruitment in Melbourne is seeking an experienced Senior Project Accountant to lead project accounting, budgeting and financial reporting for residential property development and management projects.

You will partner with the CFO, development teams and property managers to provide commercial insights, manage budgets, forecasts and reporting, and strengthen financial controls and governance.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Accounting, Finance or Business.
• CPA or CA qualification.
• Experience in project accounting, property accounting, real estate or a related industry.
• Strong knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting and cost management.
• Experience with accounting systems such as Xero and exposure to property management systems.
• An understanding of construction cost tracking, project funding and loan compliance requirements.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• The ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Project Accounting: Manage project budgets, forecasts, revenue and cost reporting, monitor expenditure against approved budgets, and investigate financial variances.
• Financial Reporting: Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual management accounts, project financial schedules, reconciliations and consolidated reporting.
• Property & Development Finance: Oversee rent roll reporting and rental revenue reconciliations, monitor construction draws and project funding, and support loan compliance requirements.
• Stakeholder Management: Work closely with the CFO, development managers, project teams and property management teams to provide financial insights and support commercial decisions.
• Compliance & Governance: Ensure compliance with relevant accounting standards, tax obligations, residential tenancy legislation and internal financial controls.
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve accounting systems, reporting processes and financial controls to drive greater efficiency, accuracy and transparency.
• Audit & Tax Support: Assist with year-end audits, tax schedules, annual reporting and other statutory and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Budgeting & Forecasting

Financial reporting

Project accounting

Stakeholder management

Excel proficiency

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Autonomous work

Education

Tertiary qualification in Accounting/Finance/Business

CPA or CA qualification

Tools

Xero

Property management systems

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Project Accountant to join a property business in Melbourne. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will play a key role in overseeing the financial management and reporting of residential property development and property management projects.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of project accounting, budgeting, forecasting and financial performance reporting while partnering closely with senior leadership, development teams and property management stakeholders. You will also have the opportunity to strengthen financial processes, improve reporting capabilities and provide meaningful commercial insights to support business growth and decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Project Accounting: Manage project budgets, forecasts, revenue and cost reporting, monitor expenditure against approved budgets, and investigate financial variances.

Financial Reporting: Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual management accounts, project financial schedules, reconciliations and consolidated reporting.

Property & Development Finance: Oversee rent roll reporting and rental revenue reconciliations, monitor construction draws and project funding, and support loan compliance requirements.

Stakeholder Management: Work closely with the CFO, development managers, project teams and property management teams to provide financial insights and support commercial decisions.

Compliance & Governance: Ensure compliance with relevant accounting standards, tax obligations, residential tenancy legislation and internal financial controls.

Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve accounting systems, reporting processes and financial controls to drive greater efficiency, accuracy and transparency.

Audit & Tax Support: Assist with year-end audits, tax schedules, annual reporting and other statutory and regulatory requirements.

About You

You are a commercially minded accounting professional with strong technical capabilities and a proactive approach to financial management. You enjoy working collaboratively with stakeholders, taking ownership of your responsibilities and identifying opportunities to improve business performance.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in Accounting, Finance or Business.
• CPA or CA qualification.
• Experience in project accounting, property accounting, real estate or a related industry.
• Strong knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting and cost management.
• Experience with accounting systems such as Xero and exposure to property management systems.
• An understanding of construction cost tracking, project funding and loan compliance requirements.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• The ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• A proactive, approachable and solutions-focused attitude, with a willingness to challenge existing processes and drive continuous improvement.

This is an opportunity to join a residential property business where you can make a tangible contribution to financial performance and operational efficiency. Working closely with the CFO and key business stakeholders, you will have the opportunity to influence financial processes, provide valuable commercial insights and support the successful delivery and management of residential property projects.

If you are an experienced accountant looking to apply your technical expertise in a hands-on, commercially focused role within the residential property sector, we would welcome your application.