Production Accountant (Fixed Term)

We are seeking a diligent and proactive Production Accountant to join our dynamic Finance team. The Production Accountant will play a crucial role in monitoring the financial health and lifecycle of all client and house jobs, from initial quoting and approval through to final reconciliation and closure. This role requires a strong understanding of project finances, meticulous attention to detail, and excellent communication skills to collaborate effectively with client service teams and management. The ideal candidate will be instrumental in controlling job costs, and providing critical financial insights to support operational efficiency and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Management & Oversight:
• Proactively manage the financial lifecycle of all assigned client and house jobs, ensuring adherence to established financial protocols.
• Conduct regular Work In Progress (WIP) meetings with relevant teams to review job status, discuss financial forecasts, and address potential issues.
• Ensure all client and house job quotes are accurately prepared and formally approved by clients before work commences.
• Billing.
• Collaborate closely with client service teams to ensure all approved quotes are billed timeously and accurately.
• Monitor unbilled revenue on jobs and follow up with client service teams to ensure appropriate and timely invoicing.
• Cost Control.
• Oversee and monitor all purchase orders (POs) related to jobs, ensuring proper authorization and budget adherence.
• Track outstanding supplier invoices, proactively following up with suppliers and internal teams to resolve discrepancies and facilitate timely payments.
• Financial Health Monitoring & Reporting:
• Continuously monitor the overall financial well-being of all jobs, tracking expenditure against budget.
• Proactively flag potential financial risks to project teams and management, including jobs that are projected to run over budget or are experiencing delays in billing and revenue recognition.
• Provide regular updates and insights on job financial performance to management.
• Job Closure & Reconciliation.
• Execute final reconciliations for completed jobs, ensuring all costs are accounted for and revenue is recognized accurately.
• Ensure the timely and accurate closure of jobs in the accounting system.
• Ad-Hoc Support:
• Provide support for various ad-hoc financial requests and projects as directed by the Finance Director or Finance Manager.

Required Skills & Experience

Technical Proficiency:

• Excellent proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUPs)
• Experience with production systems like WORKBOOK is highly beneficial.
• Proficient in the use of Office 365 applications (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams).

Experience:

• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in an accounting role, preferably within a production, project, or cost accounting environment.
• Demonstrated experience in managing job costs, billing cycles, and supplier accounts.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills:

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex financial information clearly and concisely to non-finance stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work effectively and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.

Key Attributes & Competencies:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.
• Proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to anticipate issues and propose solutions.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, capable of managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of integrity and professional ethics.