Project Accountant

Leonardo; Yeovil; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company in Yeovil seeks a Project Accountant to provide financial direction on helicopter contracts. The role involves managing reporting, budgeting, and compliance with IFRS. Candidates should have relevant accounting qualifications and strong analytical skills. This position offers flexible working options and a comprehensive benefits package including generous leave and a strong pension scheme.

Benefits

Generous leave entitlement

Pension scheme with 15% employer contribution

Mental health support

Bonus scheme

Online courses access

Flexible benefits package

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with suitable financial experience.
• Good business acumen with willingness to see through change.
• Ability to liaise with senior project managers.
• Good critical thinker; analytical skills; strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Manage financial reporting for specific long-term contracts.
• Provide financial leadership and forecasts to programme managers.
• Ensure compliance with IFRS and contractual obligations.
• Support external and internal audit requirements.

Skills

Financial responsibility

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

Qualified accountant or suitable financial experience

Tools

SAP

Business Intelligence (BI)

Job description

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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, and compliance with IFRS applications to enable performance reporting.
• Work with the 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 organizations 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, which could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance, please visit:

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.