Project Accountant

Project Accountant is responsible for providing financial control, insight and assurance across Jersey Water's capital programme, acting as a key link between Finance, Capital Delivery, Business Planning & Delivery, the Project Management Office (PMO), and project teams to support effective governance, informed decision-making, and successful project delivery.

Sitting within the Finance team, this role brings financial discipline, challenge, and clarity to the planning, monitoring, and delivery of capital projects. The postholder will ensure project financial information is accurate, timely, and aligned with wider business reporting, governance, and control requirements. The role will provide proactive financial support and challenge to project teams, helping to maximise value, manage risk, and support the successful delivery of strategic investment programmes.

Key Responsibilities

Financial control and governance

• Maintain financial control across capital programmes, including budgets, forecasts, actuals and change control;
• Ensure accurate project cost recording, coding, and capitalisation;
• Create and maintain financial models, including cashflow and lifecycle cost analysis;
• Lead project cost control activities, monitoring spend and identifying risks and opportunities;
• Provide financial evidence for internal and audit requirements;
• Work with procurement and cost and commercial stakeholders where needed to support long term cost capture and industry variables;
• Act as key conduit between finance, business planning and deliver, project management office and capital delivery function;
• Providing support to Project managers for effective financial control, governance and reporting.

**Financial planning, reporting, and insight **

• Develop and maintain integrated cost and cashflow forecasts for capital programmes;
• Produce monthly, and adhoc when required, programme financial reporting, with variance and key movement analysis and identification of delivery risks through cash flow/ budget constraints;
• Ensure the project and governance reporting is available to inform operating reports, leadership updates and project review discussions;
• Provide constructive financial challenge and forward-looking financial insight, highlighting emerging risks, cost pressures, and opportunities, to support programme and business decision-making;
• Support scenario and options analysis where scope and delivery plans and assumptions change;
• Prepare information to support internal and external audit requests;
• Define and track realisation of financial benefits;
• Support the development and maintenance of business cases, investment appraisals and funding submissions;
• Translate financial information into clear implications for delivery, risk and outcomes;
• Contribute to programme, steering, and board reporting.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

• Part-qualified or qualified accountant (e.g., ACA/ACCA/CIMA) or equivalent experience in a relevant finance role;
• 2-5 years’ experience of project accounting within large scale capital programmes;
• Strong financial planning, forecasting and reporting skills with the ability to interpret financial data, identify trends and provide clear narrative and insight;
• Good working knowledge of financial controls, governance and audit requirements;
• Ability to manage time sensitive reporting dependencies;
• Advanced Excel skill and experience working with financial systems/ERP (experience of project cost modules desirable);
• Ability to communicate effectively with non-finance colleagues, providing constructive challenge where necessary;
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines;
• Experience with business cases, investment appraisal and lifecycle costing desirable;
• High levels of accuracy and attention to detail, with a professional and confidential approach.

Desirable

• Experience within an infrastructure delivery setting;
• Understanding of capital accounting, fixed assets and construction in progress/WIP reporting;
• Experience improving finance processes, controls and reporting (including use of AI tools);

Benefits

After completion of the probation period:

• Pension – Membership of the defined contribution scheme. Jersey Water pays 5% up to 5 years’ service and then 10%, employees pay 5%. A matching scheme is available whereby Jersey Water matches additional voluntary contributions up to a maximum of 5%.
• Death in Service – 4 times salary
• Private health scheme – Non contributory

On the non-financial front, we provide a friendly, people focussed work environment with a stimulating and rewarding quality of work. We focus on continuous improvement and support those who wish to develop their skills and experience.