WIP Accountant

Talentedge; Farringdon; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Talentedge in Central London is seeking an experienced WIP Accountant to join a fast-paced, commercially focused finance team. You will oversee Work in Progress, revenue recognition, and project profitability across multiple client engagements, providing reliable financial insight to support decision-making.

This role partners with operations to improve processes, strengthen governance, and deliver accurate monthly reporting.

Qualifications

• Part-qualified, finalist, or fully qualified ACCA/ACA/CIMA.
• Experience in WIP, project or management accounting.
• Strong understanding of revenue recognition principles.

Responsibilities

• Manage and review WIP balances across multiple client projects.
• Ensure project costs and revenue are accurately recorded.
• Investigate and resolve aged WIP balances.
• Conduct regular project financial reviews with key stakeholders.
• Monitor project performance against budgets, scopes of work, and purchase orders.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date project financial records.
• Lead monthly revenue recognition activities.
• Review forecasts, budgets, and actual project performance.
• Analyse project profitability and identify commercial opportunities.
• Highlight risks relating to revenue leakage, overspend, and unrecoverable costs.
• Support financial planning and performance reporting.
• Prepare regular WIP, revenue, and profitability reports.
• Support month-end processes, including accruals, prepayments, and journals.
• Reconcile project balances and investigate variances.
• Assist with audits and compliance requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement across reporting and financial control processes.
• Collaborate with operational stakeholders to improve financial performance.
• Provide financial guidance and support to non-finance teams.
• Deliver insights around forecasting, profitability, and project management.
• Build strong relationships across the wider business.

Skills

Stakeholder communication

Analytical thinking

Financial modelling

Education

ACCA/ACA/CIMA – part-qualified or finalist or fully qualified

Tools

Excel

Job description

Location: Central London/Farringdon (Hybrid)

Take Ownership of Project Profitability in a Dynamic Business

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced WIP Accountant to join a fast-paced and commercially focused organisation. This role sits at the heart of the finance function, providing critical oversight of Work in Progress (WIP), revenue recognition, project profitability, and financial controls across a portfolio of client projects.

This position would suit a commercially minded accountant who enjoys partnering with operational teams, driving process improvements, and delivering valuable financial insight to support decision-making.

The Opportunity

Working closely with finance and operational stakeholders, you will be responsible for ensuring project financial data is accurate, revenue is recognised appropriately, and profitability is maximised across the business. You'll play a key role in strengthening financial governance while supporting business growth and performance.

Key Responsibilities

Work in Progress Management

• Manage and review WIP balances across multiple client projects
• Ensure project costs and revenue are accurately recorded
• Investigate and resolve aged WIP balances
• Conduct regular project financial reviews with key stakeholders
• Monitor project performance against budgets, scopes of work, and purchase orders
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date project financial records

Revenue Recognition & Analysis

• Lead monthly revenue recognition activities
• Review forecasts, budgets, and actual project performance
• Analyse project profitability and identify commercial opportunities
• Highlight risks relating to revenue leakage, overspend, and unrecoverable costs
• Support financial planning and performance reporting
• Prepare regular WIP, revenue, and profitability reports
• Support month-end processes, including accruals, prepayments, and journals
• Reconcile project balances and investigate variances
• Assist with audits and compliance requirements
• Drive continuous improvement across reporting and financial control processes

Business Partnering

• Collaborate with operational stakeholders to improve financial performance
• Provide financial guidance and support to non-finance teams
• Deliver insights around forecasting, profitability, and project management
• Build strong relationships across the wider business

About You

• Part-qualified, finalist, or fully qualified ACCA, ACA, or CIMA status
• Previous experience within WIP accounting, project accounting, or management accounting
• Strong understanding of revenue recognition principles
• Advanced Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUPs, and financial analysis
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills
• Confidence working with and influencing stakeholders at all levels
• Experience within a creative, media, marketing, advertising, or professional services environment
• Exposure to project-based accounting and time-and-materials revenue models