Project Accountant

Watercare; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and development opportunities

Life and income protection insurance

Generous parental leave

Employee discounts at retailers

Job summary

Watercare is looking for experienced Project Accountants to join our Finance team, supporting Auckland's capital investment programme. You will help forecast, report, and govern costs across multiple major projects with close collaboration to Project Managers and delivery teams.

This role focuses on robust forecasting, transparent cost performance, and reliable financial information to guide investment decisions.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of combined experience in project accounting or capital programme finance (if applicable).
• Strong forecasting, budgeting, cost control and financial reporting experience.
• Experience in infrastructure, utilities, construction, or large capital delivery environments.
• Experience with ERP platforms and project controls systems.
• Advanced analytical skills and the ability to challenge assumptions and improve forecast accuracy.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• CA or CPA qualification or progression toward it is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own project financial performance, forecasting, and cost reporting across a portfolio of capital projects.
• Maintain alignment between project controls systems and ERP financial data.
• Lead monthly forecasting cycles, including cashflow forecasting and variance analysis.
• Provide financial insights on project risks, contingency usage, and cost pressures.
• Support month-end processes, accruals, journals, and reporting packs.
• Ensure robust financial governance, audit readiness, and compliance with investment management requirements.
• Support capitalisation processes and asset handover activities.
• Act as a trusted advisor to Project Managers and delivery teams to improve forecasting capability.

Skills

Forecasting

Budgeting

Cost control

Financial reporting

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Tertiary qualification in Finance/Accounting

Tools

ERP platforms

Project controls systems

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Ki te ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata
When the water is healthy, the land and the people are healthy

Now is an exciting time to join Watercare, we're planning to spend $14 billion over the next 10 years to ensure we can continue to support our growing city in a climate-resilient way. When you average that out, that's an investment of $3.8 million every day!

We're looking for experienced Project Accountants to join our Finance team and play a pivotal role in supporting Watercare's significant capital investment programme.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of project delivery and financial performance, providing the insights, challenge, and financial governance that help ensure successful outcomes across some of Auckland's largest infrastructure projects.

You will partner closely with Project Managers, delivery teams, and finance stakeholders to ensure forecasts are accurate, cost performance is transparent, and investment decisions are supported by reliable financial information.

This will involve:

• Owning project financial performance, forecasting, and cost reporting across a portfolio of capital projects.
• Maintaining alignment and reconciliation between project controls systems and ERP financial data.
• Leading monthly forecasting cycles, including cashflow forecasting, estimate-at-completion reporting, and variance analysis.
• Providing meaningful financial insights on project risks, contingency usage, and emerging cost pressures.
• Supporting month-end processes, financial close activities, accruals, journals, and reporting packs.
• Ensuring robust financial governance, audit readiness, change control, and compliance with investment management requirements.
• Supporting capitalisation processes and asset handover activities.
• Acting as a trusted advisor to Project Managers and delivery teams while helping improve forecasting capability and financial discipline across the portfolio.

You're a commercially minded finance professional who enjoys partnering with stakeholders and translating complex data into meaningful insights that support decision-making.

Your skills and experience will include:

• A tertiary qualification in Finance, Accounting, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Around 5+ years' experience in project accounting, capital programme finance, or project financial management.
• Strong forecasting, budgeting, cost control, and financial reporting experience.
• Experience working within infrastructure, utilities, construction, or large capital delivery environments.
• Experience with ERP platforms and project controls systems.
• Advanced analytical skills and the confidence to challenge assumptions and improve forecast accuracy.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

It would be advantageous if you also have:

• CA or CPA qualification (or are working towards it).
• Experience working within a regulated infrastructure environment.

We offer a competitive salary and staff benefits package including:

• Training and development opportunities
• Life and income protection insurance plans
• Generous parental leave
• Employee discounts at a range of large retailers