Project Accountant

leonardo company; Yeovil; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading company in Aerospace, Defence, and Security as a Project Accountant. In this role, you'll provide critical financial direction on significant helicopter contracts, ensuring compliance with IFRS and other governance standards while working with a diverse team. Strong analytical skills and attention to detail are essential, along with a qualified accountant background. Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package and opportunities for professional growth in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Generous leave and flexi-days

Pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution

Free mental health support and financial advice

Bonus scheme for eligible employees

Access to 4,000+ online courses

Referral programme with financial rewards

Flexible benefits package worth up to £500

Hybrid working options available

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant or with suitable financial experience.
• Good business acumen with willingness to see through change.
• Ability to liaise with senior managers.

Responsibilities

• Manage financial reporting and forecasting for long-term contracts.
• Provide financial leadership to programme and project managers.
• Ensure compliance with financial governance and reporting standards.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Business acumen

Education

Qualified accountant

Tools

SAP

BI

Job description

Would you like to utilise your finance experience to become a key member in a project team, working on significant helicopter contracts? As a Project Accountant at Leonardo Helicopters, you will work in an Integrated Project team (IPT), alongside subject matter experts from across the business to provide financial direction and advice to the programme leadership on long term contracts. You will provide financial control, governance and support on specific existing aircraft contracts to ensure controls are implemented and maintained and budgeting, forecasting and reporting of the programme financials are compliant with IFRS and contractual obligations.

This is a level 6 position in the job family framework (JFF).

What will you do as a Project Accountant?

• Have financial responsibility for specific long-term contracts, including monthly reporting, forecasting and budgeting.
• Provide financial leadership and advice to the programme managers and relevant functional managers involved in all the contracts under your responsibility and financial control.
• Manage the timely delivery of contract forecasts under your responsibility, ensuring accuracy and robust forecasts to complete and outturn profitability, with clear understanding of risk register, opportunities and dependencies alongside project manager. To include:
  • Contract costs to complete along with associated schedules
  • Cash forecasting and support to treasury management for the programme, income and expenditures
  • All Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet items pertinent to the contract
  • Milestone reporting
  • Order Intake & Order Book forecasting
  • Variance analysis.
• Manage the timely and accurate month-end financial reporting as appropriate, ensuring correct use of SAP in terms of contract structure and maintenance thereof, compliance with IFRS applications to enable performance reporting.
• Working with business as necessary to support ad hoc requests from the Financial Controller.
• Ensure compliance with SSRO (legal) requirements and support the delivery of cost certificates to the customer as required for these contracts.
• Work closely with international stakeholders to provide correct consolidated actuals and forecast performance, and to ensure group consolidated performance is understood.
• Support external and internal audit requirements.
• Undertake additional duties that will arise from time to time and are consistent with the nature of this role.
• Support new bids as required, working closely with the bid finance team to ensure smooth handover of responsibilities as bids transition into delivery.

What you’ll bring

• Qualified accountant or with suitable financial experience.
• Good business acumen with the willingness and drive to see through change.
• The ability to liaise with senior project managers, commercial, engineering, manufacturing and supplier organisations as necessary.
• Good critical thinker; analytical skills; strong attention to detail.
• Knowledge of SAP and BI would be an advantage.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!