Senior Project Accountant

HDR; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Senior Project Accountant to own financial aspects of the projects assigned, including set-ups, billing, costs, purchase orders and timesheets. This role requires autonomous management of MCC financial activities and guidance to finance teams to improve performance.

You will operate in a fast-paced international consultancy environment within engineering/construction, leveraging EBS/Oracle and driving robust project controls and reporting.

Qualifications

• Educational qualifications to a degree level or equivalent.
• Part Qualified Chartered Accountant and experience in international consulting.
• Experience in fast paced international engineering/construction sector.
• Advanced experience in WIP and project accounting.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication with financial and non-financial stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a team and cross-functional environment.
• Experience with ERP systems (EBS, Oracle) and MS Excel.

Responsibilities

• Act as ambassador for MCC and manage monthly results analysis.
• Main point of contact for stakeholders; promote best practices.
• Maintain risk register and escalate issues.
• Attend project reviews and provide coverage for other Project Accountants.
• Lead projects and initiatives to raise standards.
• Analyze and report on project controls duties (cost, EVM, variance).
• Partner with internal teams to identify control risks and influence decisions.
• Lead monthly internal business reviews with PMs.
• Ensure risks and opportunities are captured and reported.
• Manage weekly/monthly reporting and fill gaps.
• Process PIFs and set up new projects in EBS.
• Raising of purchase requisitions and tracking POs.
• Ensure AP functions per HDR procedures.
• Ensure timesheets completed accurately.
• Provide training to wider business.

Skills

WIP & project accounting

Communication

Analytical mindset

MS Office / Excel

ERP systems (EBS & Oracle)

Multi-currency projects

Teamwork / collaboration

Structured & organized

Education

Degree-level qualification

Part Qualified Chartered Accountant

Tools

EBS

Oracle

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story: 'https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organisation makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

At HDR, our employee-ownership model shapes everything we do, including how we support and care for our people. Our diverse service lines, including Water, Architecture, Building Engineering Services, Field Services, Power, Waste, Industrial, and Transportation reflect our commitment to shaping resilient, sustainable, and forward-thinking communities around the world. Across these disciplines, our teams design and deliver solutions that safeguard public health, enhance quality of life, power innovation, and drive responsible growth. Whether advancing clean water, creating healing and learning environments, engineering next-generation facilities, or building the infrastructure that moves people and energy, our work is rooted in technical excellence and a shared sense of purpose. Our employee-owners collaborate across specialties, combining creativity, precision, and deep expertise to solve the most complex challenges facing our clients and communities.

About the Role

The primary duty of the Senior 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 set‑ups, billing, project costs, purchase orders and requisitions, and ensuring timesheet completion. This role is expected to work autonomously on project accounting duties, handling complex issues and coaching colleagues where required. The Senior Project Accountant will be required to provide oversight and guidance of the finance activities for a Managed Cost Centre (MCC), paying close attention to the metrics that drive financial performance and seeking to influence them positively. There is an expectation that they will lead projects and initiatives that well help to raise standards and drive the function forward.

About You

we are looking for someone who is commercially minded and a detail-oriented finance professional with extensive experience in project accounting, ideally gained within the engineering, construction or infrastructure sectors. You thrive in complex, project-driven environments and have a strong understanding of project financial management, cost control, forecasting, and contract accounting. You are confident partnering with project managers and operational stakeholders, providing clear financial insight that supports decision-making and drives project performance. With excellent analytical skills, you can interpret financial data, identify risks and opportunities, and communicate findings effectively to both finance and non-finance audiences.

Responsibilities

• Act as an ambassador/champion for a Managed Cost Centre (MCC) with responsibilities including:
  • Support Operations Leadership by reviewing monthly results, conducting analysis of the metrics that drive performance and making recommendations where appropriate.
  • Act as the main point of contact for key stakeholders, providing guidance and education to support the adoption of best practices.
  • Maintain, review and manage the risk register, escalating issues as required.
  • Attend project reviews and business reviews for all projects within the MCC.
  • Provide cover for Project Accountants who support other projects within the managed cost centre when they are on leave.
• Be a subject matter expert for designated finance activities, which may include one or more of the following examples, Forecasting, Pricing & RFPs, Cross Border, Risk, Audit & Compliance, Systems, Billing, Timecards & Utilisation.
• Act as a champion for internal policy and process within the finance team and across the wider business.
• Provide training, guidance and supervision to Project Accountants.
• Lead special projects and initiatives as required.
• Be responsible for analysis, developing and reporting associated with various project controls job duties, such as project baseline, work package agreements, cost control, cost estimation, earned value management (EVM), projections, variance analysis, schedules, project/program/portfolio integration or technical project reviews.
• Partner with internal teams (technical/project managers etc.) to identify control risks and make recommendations to influence key decision-makers within the business.
• Play a leading role in monthly internal business reviews with Project Managers, challenging the data and determining necessary actions.
• Work with Project Managers to ensure that risks and opportunities are integrated for projects are captured and reported to leadership.
• Managing the weekly / monthly reporting needs in line with the reporting calendar, actively filling gaps in responsibility that are identified.
• Serve as a centralised point of contact to internal and external business.
• 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 to the wider business community where required.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Skills and Experience

• Educational qualifications to a degree level or equivalent
• Part Qualified Chartered Accountant
• Experience of operating in a fast paced and dynamic international consulting business preferably in the engineering or construction sector
• Advanced experience 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
• Highly 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.
• Experience in dealing with projects in different currencies

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Qualifications

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.