Location - Milton Keynes (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)
Reporting to - Group Commercial Accountant
Band - 3.2
Salary - £57,000 to £61,000 (depending on location and proven ability)
Working hours - Full time (9 day fortnight)
Contract type/duration - Permanent
Closing date - 25th February 2025
Who Are We?
Connected Places Catapult is the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and places. We provide impartial ‘innovation as a service’ for public bodies, businesses, and infrastructure providers to catalyse step-change improvements in the way people live, work and travel. We connect businesses and public sector leaders to cutting-edge research to spark innovation and grow new markets. We run technology demonstrators and SME accelerators to scale new solutions that drive growth, spread prosperity, and eliminate carbon.
Purpose of the role
We are looking to appoint a Qualified Accountant as a Senior Project Accountant on a fixed term contract basis until 31 May 2026.
Reporting to our Commercial Accountant, you will work as part of a small finance team and be responsible for working with Project Management and Delivery teams on financial analysis and commentary on project finances, and liaising with other departments within the business as necessary.
This is a pivotal role which would suit someone with energy, excellent communications skills, good technical experience, and strong financial acumen who is looking to be part of a high performing team in an exciting and dynamic organisation.
Key Responsibilities
* Reporting and analysis of project finances.
* Acting as the financial expert for a number of Project Management and Delivery colleagues to provide a value-add service.
* Provide of constructive challenge and advice to ensure forecasts are reliable and accurate.
* Driving commercial and collaborative revenue stream cost management initiatives.
* Maintenance and management of our Excel based project finance workbook.
* Provide support and assistance with customer invoicing and project grant claim submissions.
* Month end project and intercompany journals, as required.
* Assistance with the annual R&D Tax Credit claim.
* Support the Commercial Accountant to provide day to day project finance support.
* To deputise for the Commercial Accountant as required.
* Ensure an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.
* You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.
Requirements
Required skills and experience
* Qualified ACCA / CIMA / ACA.
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
* Strong Excel skills.
* Experience working in either a project or timesheet-based organisation.
* Experience with financial grant management.
* Project accounting experience.
* Experience of Microsoft Dynamics or extensive alternative ERP systems.
* Ability to learn new systems quickly.
* The ability to deliver to tight timescales and deadlines consistently.
* Excellent day to day planning and organisational skills.
* Dynamism, aptitude for problem solving and teamwork, practicality, reliability, flexibility, and results oriented.
* The ability to engage and influence colleagues to achieve common goals and objectives.
Benefits
* 9 day fortnight for everyone, we have a full company shutdown every other Friday.
* 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off.
* Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future.
* Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities.
* Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.
* Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute.
* Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being.
* Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations.
* Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities.
* Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates – provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion.
Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.