Project Accountant

Project Accountant is responsible for providing support to the Project Team and Division Management by maintaining accurate financial records for projects based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, best practices and company policies, as well as assisting with forecasting, cost to complete, revenue and cash flow projections, and reviewing, identifying and communicating project/financial risk to the Project Manager.  

Essential Responsibilities

• Effectively communicate with Project Managers (PM), Project Team members and Senior Management

• Review contract documents, change orders and other contract modifications and communicate risks, opportunities and contingencies.

• Completes order entry validation and secondary commercial review to insure accurate order entry and to capture financial risk elements.  

• Prepares revenue and cash flow projections based on project timing and milestone billings.  Evaluates progress against projections.  

• Monitors project performance against budgeted cost and hours; alerting projection managers when variances are spotted.

• Prepares and distributes customer invoices; follows up with the customer to ensure the invoices are complete and have been received by the correct customer approver.  

• Collection follow-up to ensure timely cash flow.  Works with Cash Application to ensure proper resolution of payment discrepancies.

• Assist with forecast cost updates, including evaluation of shortages and progress updates from operations.  Maintains accuracy in estimated cost to complete.  PM remains responsible for approving changes to project financials.  

• Prepare special project analysis for Senior Management and PM’s.

• Preparation of periodic Project Management metrics.

• Capturing and communicating potential discrepancies between operational activities and pricing tool assumptions – feedback to estimating

• Project close out.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or Accounting is required.

• 2-5 years relevant experience in a project environment is required.

• Knowledge and understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

• Requires strong communication skills to effectively interface and coordinate activities with company executives, employees and customers.

• Knowledge of project planning, fiscal planning, and contract management preferred.

• Able to manage multiple priorities and projects.

• Strong organizational and time management skills.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Demonstrated working knowledge of MS Office Suite Experience with Adobe Pro, Primavera, Microsoft Projects, and Oracle Preferred.

Working Conditions

• The employee typically performs duties in a normal office environment. There will be some work in a manufacturing environment and exposure to the elements of our factory.  Additionally there may be some work performed in the field with exposure to construction sites or active customer facilities.

• It is the policy of Powell Industries to promote safe working conditions for ALL employees, to make available where necessary special equipment to protect employees against specific hazards, to reduce accidents through prevention programs and to establish rules that are designed for the safety of all. It is the responsibility of each employee to adhere to this policy, as well as to observe all safety practices and exercise every precaution for the safety of accidents.

Physical Requirements

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

• Regularly required to use hands to touch, hold, handle, or feel.  

• Frequently required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear.

• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 65 pounds.

• Maintaining body equilibrium and agility to prevent falling when walking, standing, crouching, ascending or descending stairs.

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