Project Accountant

Cheltenham, England, United Kingdom

12/15/2024

We are Ultra Precision Control Systems

Ultra PCS is a leading developer of mission and safety critical equipment in the defence and aerospace industry. Our team of experts are at the heart of our success, which is why we are dedicated to fostering a safe working environment and a positive culture where every staff member feels valued and respected.

We solve our customers' problems, providing engineering solutions to safety and mission critical challenges in the air and on the ground. Our solutions can be found in the latest military aircraft and vehicles, in civil aircraft, and in unmanned vehicles.

We also offer innovative products optimised to support the unique challenges of the dismounted soldier. We help to ensure our customers get to where they need to be safely, achieve their objectives and keep on going back.

Flexible Working

Wherever possible, we will consider a variety of working options to suit your lifestyle, whether that be hybrid home/office working, flexible working and part or full time employment. It's the 'innovating' and 'empowering' values that we ASPIRE to be. We welcome the challenge to work in new ways and have trust in you when getting the job done because we recognise, our business is our people.

Job Description

Ultra Precision Control Systems (PCS) are looking for a Project Accountant to join the Finance Function. This role reports into the Financial Controller and has responsibility for project accounting in the PCS UK (and with oversight responsibility for project accounting in PCS US).

The ideal candidate will be responsible for owning the financials associated with the project accounting, ensuring the robustness of the numbers and the integrity of the numbers included within the P&L, Balance Sheet and Cashflow. In addition, providing clear communication to the senior program leadership team on financial performance against operational plans and budgets. It is essential that this candidate brings analytical and organisational skills to best support the program and enjoys the pace and challenge of a growing changing business.

Role Responsibilities:

• Quality, accuracy and timeliness of all accounting entries with respect to projects. Ensuring month end reporting and associated numbers are correct and supportable
• Ensure accounting is maintained in compliance with appropriate IFRS revenue recognition principles
• Manage cost incurred to date, estimate costs at complete (EAC) and percentage of completion metrics amongst others
• Evaluation of risks and opportunities, performing rate impact analysis, understanding impacts of changes on program baselines and EACs, and reporting financial performance through monthly Contract Status Reviews (CSR)
• Partner with various functions, primarily Program Management but also Commercial (Contracts), Supply Chain and Operations teams in ensuring daily operations and strategies align, real-time forecast are maintained, risks & opportunities are noted and kept up to date etc
• Financial point person responsible for ensuring program execution on cost and schedule, and partner with the project managers to ensure the accuracy reporting for the program
• Prepare, provide status and provide financial leadership at monthly program reviews. Maintain interim meetings with all relevant stakeholders to mitigate against surprises
• Assist in the development of various cost/bid proposals and negotiations
• Lead the financial cost audits conducted by the various UK & US government departments, ensuring compliance with the required accounting requirements
• Co-lead, with the relevant program managers, the optimisation of working capital across the project portfolio
• Lead the year end financial audit in respect of providing comfort on the program accounting elements
• Embedding robust internal controls and processes throughout the finance function
• Management of one other project accounting resource
• Working closely with the FP&A function to support the creation of meaningful forecasts, budgets etc
• Working closely with the Finance Business Partner to ensure end to end operational engagement on key balance sheet areas such as inventory
• Working closely with the Data Analysis and Business Systems team to improve the quality of data, reporting and systems across the business
• Ad hoc tasks as are required from time to time
  
  

Required Skills & Experience:

• A qualified accountant
• This desired candidate will have experience within an operational/manufacturing/engineering finance team
• The desired candidate will have experience of government cost audits
• An ambitious, inquisitive and motivated individual looking to take on additional responsibility, develop their career and make a meaningful impact
• Someone who will not be put off by the size of the task, rather will be motivated by the opportunity to clearly demonstrate the impact they are having on the team and the wider finance environment
• A person with an ability to work collaboratively with finance and non-finance colleagues and inspire others
• A detailed understanding of accounting dynamics, including operational accounting interactions within an ERP system. Experienced in and extremely comfortable working with the dynamics and interactions of cost centres, projects (WBS), labour and overhead rates, material handling rates, percentage of completion accounting (‘over time’) etc
• Very well-developed analytical skills
• Very well-developed Excel skills
• Comfortable working with BI and data warehouses
• Comfortable working with, and experienced linking and reconciling ERP and financial model data/outputs to, group reporting systems
• Known for always creating high quality and commercially meaningful outputs, including robust audit trail, process notes etc
• Has a high-tempo, output driven, pride in outputs approach
• Operates with a data, systems and ‘one source of the truth’ mindset
• Routinely adopts a root cause data analysis approach rather than putting in place manual fixes and overrides
  
  

Benefits:

Every employee is critical to our success and as such we offer a range of flexible employee benefits along with career development opportunities.

• Flexible working within core working hours
• 25 days holiday with the option to buy/sell 5 days plus bank holidays.
• 4 times your annual salary in life assurance
• Flexible benefits package (benefits such as, retail vouchers, gym discounts, health screening and more!)
• Pension Scheme - Less than 5 years' service up to 5.5% employer contributions, 5 years' service + up to 7.5% employer contributions.
• Sports and Social club
• Supportive and friendly working environment with regular team events
  
  

You couldn’t be joining the team and Ultra at a more exciting time. Therefore if this sounds of interest, please follow the application process.

Nationality Requirements

Candidates must be able to work in the UK without restrictions in accordance with UK National Law and be prepared to successfully undertake an appropriate level of UK National Security Vetting according to UK Government National Security Vetting criteria.

Diverse & Inclusive Employer

Ultra PCS is an equal opportunities employer that values diversity, inclusion, equity and equality. Underpinned by our values, behaviours, and policies, we want you to feel empowered to be your best and authentic self.

We promote a workplace that welcomes people from all backgrounds and cultures; believing that this will increase our diversity of thinking, and ultimately ensure we continue delivering on our commitments to our customers.

We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status and welcome applications from all candidates.