Project Accountant

HDR; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering consultancy in London is seeking a Project Accountant to manage financial aspects of projects. Responsibilities include providing financial analysis, supporting project reviews, and ensuring compliance with accounting practices. The ideal candidate will have a degree, experience in consulting, and proficiency in accounting systems. This role fosters a collaborative work environment while maintaining high standards of excellence.

Qualifications

• Experience in fast-paced international consulting, ideally in engineering or construction.
• Understanding of WIP and project accounting.
• Ability to work collaboratively and manage a varied workload.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial analysis for project reviews.
• Support monthly business reviews with Project Managers.
• Oversee invoicing and budgeting for projects.

Skills

Communication

Analytical skills

Customer service

Teamwork

Education

Degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Office (Excel)

EBS

Oracle

Job description

About the Role

The primary duty of the Project Accountant is to be accountable for all financial aspects related to the projects that are assigned to them. This includes taking ownership of project setup, billing, project costs, purchase orders and requisitions, and ensuring timesheet completion. This role is expected to work autonomously on project accounting duties, coaching more junior colleagues where required. The Project Accountant will be required to take initiative on conducting their own reviews and analysis on a variety of finance topics, to highlight issues and propose potential solutions. There is an expectation that they will take responsibility for some of the more challenging monthly reporting activities and proactively follow up on any issues identified.

About You

We are seeking a personable and proactive self-starter who consistently projects a positive, professional, and “can-do” attitude. The ideal candidate thrives in collaborative environments, building strong working relationships across teams and the wider business. They should be comfortable working under pressure, managing a varied workload, and meeting tight deadlines — all while maintaining the highest standards of excellence. A natural communicator, they will establish excellent rapport with colleagues and contribute positively to team dynamics.

Project Accountant Responsibilities

• Provide information and analysis to support individual project reviews from a financial control standpoint.
• Be responsible for basic reconciliations and analysis where required, e.g. reconciling PO values and billing positions.
• Support monthly internal business reviews with Project Managers, sharing insights and helping to determine and follow through on necessary actions.
• Work with Project Managers and Senior PAs for the MCC (Managed Cost Centre) to ensure that risks and opportunities on projects are captured and reported to leadership.
• Be responsible for standard weekly reporting and some of the more advanced elements of the monthly accounting cycle, e.g. invoice status, PPC status, project close-outs. Taking initiative and action on any issues that are identified.
• Serve as a centralised point of contact to internal and external stakeholders.
• Work autonomously on client invoicing and client budgeting.
• Process PIFs and set-up all new projects within EBS in line within agreed timeframes.
• Raising of project related purchase requisitions and tracking purchase orders.
• Confirm Accounts Payable functions are performed relative to HDR procedures.
• Ensure all timesheets are completed accurately and in a timely fashion.
• Provide training on timecard and expense report compliance.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Educational qualifications to a degree level or equivalent
• Experience of operating in a fast paced and dynamic international consulting business preferably in the engineering or construction sector
• A good understanding of WIP and project accounting
• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of financial and non-financial people
• A strong customer service ethic applied internally and externally
• Analytical in nature with a real eye for detail
• Structured and organised in their approach
• Able to work as part as a team and collaboratively and co-operatively
• Experience of working with accounting systems and ERP, ideally EBS and Oracle
• Competency in MS Office, specifically Excel.

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.