Senior Project Accountant at Robert Walters

• A leading organisation in Midrand is seeking a Senior Project Accountant to join their Commercial Finance division, offering an attractive salary of R700000. This role presents an exceptional opportunity for you to become a trusted finance business partner, providing end-to-end financial stewardship across a portfolio of complex and high-value projects.You will be key in ensuring financial control, accurate reporting, and analysis that supports strategic and commercial decision-making.

What you'll do:

• As a Senior Project Accountant based in Midrand, you will play a pivotal role in managing the finances of multiple concurrent projects. Your day-to-day responsibilities will involve applying advanced accounting principles to monitor financial performance through detailed reporting, forecasting, and variance analysis. You will act as the primary finance business partner for project managers and directors, guiding them on budget versus actual performance, cost control measures, utilisation analysis, profitability assessments, forecast accuracy, risk mitigation strategies, backlog reviews, and reporting requirements. Additionally, you will prepare complex journals as part of the month-end close process while assisting with management reporting packs that provide valuable insights to the business. Ensuring compliance with corporate governance frameworks is essential; you will also support internal and external audits related to project queries. Your involvement extends to new project setup activities where your financial input shapes commercial decisions. By delivering training sessions to non-finance stakeholders when required and managing accounting for cross-border or multi-currency projects with precision, you will contribute significantly to continuous improvement initiatives aimed at streamlining reporting processes and enhancing transparency.
• Provide expert project financial accounting support throughout the entire project lifecycle, ensuring accuracy and compliance at every stage.
• Lead and oversee revenue recognition processes in accordance with applicable accounting standards, maintaining consistency across multiple projects.
• Deliver high-quality analysis and insights to operational teams and senior stakeholders, enabling informed commercial decision-making.
• Champion strong corporate governance by upholding internal controls and financial best practices within the Commercial Finance function.
• Offer commercial and financial input into new and existing projects, including integration activities that enhance project outcomes.
• Proactively identify risks and opportunities within project portfolios, presenting solutions that protect profitability and drive success.
• Operate autonomously while collaborating effectively with finance and operations teams to achieve shared goals.
• Support wider commercial finance initiatives as well as ad hoc projects, contributing to organisational growth beyond your immediate responsibilities.
• Prepare, review, and post complex journals, accruals, and adjustments during month-end close processes to ensure timely reporting.
• Assist with compiling monthly management reporting packs by providing clear commentary and actionable insights for business leaders.

What you bring:

• Your proven track record as a Senior Project Accountant demonstrates your ability to manage finances across multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining accuracy under pressure. You bring advanced technical expertise in accounting principles alongside practical experience in revenue recognition processes. Your collaborative approach enables you to build strong relationships with both finance professionals and operational stakeholders; this ensures effective guidance on budgeting matters as well as cost control strategies. Proficiency in MS Excel allows you to analyse large datasets efficiently while familiarity with data visualisation tools like PowerBI further enhances your reporting capabilities. Experience using ERP systems such as Oracle adds value but is not essential—your adaptability means you can quickly learn new platforms if required. Strong communication skills empower you to deliver clear commentary during management reporting cycles; meanwhile your organisational abilities ensure timely completion of month-end close activities. Exposure to audit preparation processes equips you with the knowledge needed for compliance-related tasks. Above all else, your interpersonal skills foster an inclusive environment where knowledge sharing thrives.
• Professional qualifications such as BcomHons, CIMA, ACCA or CASA are highly desirable for this role.
• Demonstrated experience in project accounting across multiple concurrent projects is essential for success.
• Proven ability to collaborate with non-finance stakeholders by providing clear financial insights that influence decision-making.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Excel (including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP functions and formula comprehension) is required.
• Experience with PowerBI or other data visualisation tools would be advantageous but not mandatory.
• Familiarity with ERP systems (Oracle preferred) enhances your effectiveness but is not essential.
• Strong analytical skills enable you to conduct thorough problem-solving and financial analysis tasks.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills allow you to present complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Exceptional planning, prioritisation and time management abilities help you manage competing priorities efficiently.
• Interpersonal skills are crucial for building relationships across teams while influencing positive outcomes.