Job Purpose

• The Projects Accountant is the financial steward of all project operations, responsible for end-to-end financial management — from budget origination and cost control through to final account settlement and audit-readiness. The role drives financial accuracy, compliance, and transparency across a dynamic multi-project contracting environment, partnering with project managers, quantity surveyors, and site teams to ensure every shilling is tracked, justified, and reported in real time. A key expectation of this role is the ability to leverage digital and IT tools to automate, integrate, and improve financial visibility across the project lifecycle.

Key responsibilities 

Project Budgeting & Financial Planning

• Lead the preparation, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of project-specific budgets aligned to Bills of Quantities (BoQs), contract values, and project programmes.
• Develop rolling financial forecasts (monthly/quarterly) incorporating scope changes, variation orders, and project progress updates.
• Maintain budget-vs-actual dashboards using Excel (advanced) or ERP/project management tools, with real-time visibility for project managers and senior leadership.
• Integrate budget data with project scheduling tools (e.g. MS Project, Primavera) to align financial and time-based project planning.

Financial Reporting & Management Accounts

• Prepare accurate, timely financial reports entailing project P&Ls, cost-to-complete (CTC) analyses and earned value reports on a monthly and ad-hoc basis.
• Produce variance analyses comparing actual costs vs. budgets and forecasts, with clear written commentary for management decisions.
• Consolidate multi-project financial data into company-wide project portfolio reports for the Head of Finance and the Management Board.
• Utilize ERP/accounting system reporting modules (SAP, Sage, QuickBooks, or equivalent) to generate structured management accounts.
• Produce KPI dashboards (utilization rates, cost burn, profitability by project, WIP schedules) using Excel pivot tables, Power BI, or equivalent BI tools.

Cost Management & Control

• Monitor and track all project expenditures including labour, materials, subcontractors, plant, and preliminaries against approved budgets in real time.
• Identify cost overruns, uncommitted costs, and budget threats early and recommend corrective action to project teams.
• Manage Work-in-Progress (WIP) accounting in line with IAS 11/IFRS 15 construction contract accounting standards.
• Process and validate interim payment certificates (IPCs), subcontractor payment applications, and supplier invoices against contract milestones.
• Support the Quantity Surveyor in valuations, re-measurements, and final account negotiations with clients and subcontractors.
• Administer contract retention calculations, release schedules, and bond tracking across all active projects.

IT Systems, Data & Digital Finance Tools

• Use ERP and project accounting software as the single source of financial truth across all projects.
• Build and maintain automated Excel models and macros (VBA/Power Query) for cost tracking, cash flow forecasting, and payroll reconciliation.
• Develop and maintain Qlik (or equivalent) dashboards for real-time project financial performance monitoring accessible to project and site teams.
• Integrate financial data from field systems (site timesheets, materials requisitions, fuel logs) into the accounting system, minimising manual data entry and error risk.
• Implement and enforce a digital document management protocol for all project financial records — contracts, IPCs, variations, purchase orders — using document management systems (e.g. SharePoint, Aconex, Procore).
• Evaluate and recommend IT improvements to financial workflows, including mobile-first tools for site-based data capture and approval workflows.
• Act as Finance Super-User for the ERP system: provide training to project staff, maintain chart of accounts integrity, and liaise with IT on system configuration and upgrades.
• Ensure cybersecurity best practices in handling financial data — including controlled system access, audit trails, and data backup protocols.

Procurement Financial Oversight

• Review and validate all procurement requests and purchase orders against approved project budgets before commitment.
• Monitor and flag uncommitted purchase orders and open GRNs that may affect project cost forecasts.
• Leverage procurement-to-pay modules within the ERP system to enforce three-way matching (PO, GRN, Invoice) before payment release.

Cash Flow Management & Treasury Support

• Prepare and maintain project-specific and consolidated cash flow forecasts, updated weekly or at programme milestones.
• Monitor client billing cycles, IPC submission schedules, and payment receipts to optimise working capital.
• Flag cash flow risks (payment delays, front-loaded expenditure) and propose mitigation actions to the Head of Finance.
• Prepare drawdown requests and financial reports for project financiers, banks, or development finance institutions where applicable.

Compliance, Statutory, & Financial Controls

• Ensure all project financial transactions comply with Kenyan financial regulations, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) requirements, and company internal controls.
• Manage and account for withholding tax (WHT) on subcontractor and professional fee payments in line with KRA guidelines.
• Ensure timely and accurate VAT treatment on construction contracts, including reverse charge mechanisms and VAT on retention.
• Maintain a complete, auditable project file — financial records, contracts, variations, approvals — ready for internal and external audit at all times.
• Support year-end statutory audit processes including work-in-progress schedules, accruals, prepayments, and contract asset/liability reconciliations.
• Enforce segregation of duties, approval authority matrices, and financial delegation policies across project expenditure.

Projects Payroll & Labour Cost Management.

• Oversee the processing and reconciliation of site-based payroll comprising casual labourers, artisans, and plumbers, carpenters etc ensuring accuracy and compliance with Employment Act requirements.
• Reconcile labour cost allocations per project, cost centre and activity code, feeding data into project cost reports.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary financial partner to Project Managers and Resident Engineers by attending project progress meetings, reviewing project programmes, and providing financial input to key decisions.
• Liaise with Quantity Surveyors on contract administration, claim preparation, and dispute resolution.
• Collaborate with the HR/Admin team on workforce cost management and benefits cost allocation to projects.
• Provide financial analysis to support contract bids, pricing reviews, and go/no-go decisions for new projects.
• Prepare financial packs and briefings for client project steering committees or joint venture governance meetings as required.

Process Improvement & Financial Governance

• Continuously identify and implement improvements in financial processes, reporting workflows, and systems integration to drive accuracy and efficiency.
• Develop and document Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for project financial management processes.
• Drive a culture of financial accountability across site and project teams through training, clear policies, and regular financial reviews.
• Prepare and present periodic financial governance reports to the Head of Finance and CFO.

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce, or a related field from a recognised university.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 6 years’ progressive experience in project accounting, cost accounting, or financial management.
• At least 3 years’ direct experience in the construction, civil engineering, or infrastructure contracting sector in Kenya or East Africa is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-project financial portfolios with an aggregate value of KES 500M+ is an added advantage.

Technical & IT Skills

• ERP Proficiency: Hands-on experience with at least one construction/project-focused ERP system — Sage 300 Construction & Real Estate, SAP (PS module), or equivalent. Must demonstrate ability to configure project cost codes, run reports, and extract data.
• Advanced Excel: Proficient in PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, financial modelling, and at least working knowledge of VBA macros and Power Query for automation.
• Business Intelligence: Experience with Qlik, Tableau, or equivalent tools to build and publish financial dashboards is highly desirable.
• MS Office 365 Suite: Full proficiency in Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Word for professional communication and document management in a cloud-based environment.
• Digital Document Management: Familiarity with systems such as SharePoint, Aconex, Procore, or similar for managing project documents, approvals, and financial records.
• Data Integrity & Cybersecurity Awareness: Understanding of financial data governance, access controls, audit trails, and data backup best practices.

Core Competencies

• Financial Acumen: Deep understanding of project accounting principles, construction contract revenue recognition (IFRS 15), and WIP accounting.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to synthesise large volumes of data into clear, actionable financial insights.
• Attention to Detail: High standards of accuracy in all financial records, reports, and reconciliations.
• Commercial Awareness: Understanding of contract structures (lump sum, re-measured, cost-plus), procurement models, and construction project lifecycle.
• Communication: Ability to translate complex financial information into plain language for non-finance project teams and senior management.
• Integrity & Discretion: Highest standards of professional ethics in handling confidential financial and commercial data.
• Initiative & Ownership: Proactive self-starter who identifies problems and drives solutions without being directed.
• Adaptability: Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced, multi-project construction environment.