Senior Project Cost Accountant

About the role

The Senior Project Cost Accountant will oversee financial management for fire protection projects, ensuring accurate cost tracking, billing, forecasting and compliance with contractual and accounting policies. The role works closely with project managers, procurement, contracts and finance teams to provide cost transparency and support commercial decisions throughout the project lifecycle.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain accurate project cost ledgers, recording labour, materials, subcontractor costs, plant and overhead allocations.
• Prepare and review monthly project cost reports, cost‑to‑complete analyses, forecasts, variance explanations and margin reconciliations.
• Support preparation and submission of monthly progress claims, interim valuations and final account reconciliation.
• Monitor subcontractor invoicing and retention, validate payment applications against contracts and BOQs.
• Reconcile project WIP, revenue recognition, deferred revenue and retention balances each month.
• Analyse cost drivers, build variance reports and propose corrective actions.
• Prepare accruals, provisions and month‑end journal entries related to projects.
• Collaborate with Project Managers on BOQs, change orders, claims and variations.
• Assist budgeting and tender costing with historical cost data and risk estimates.
• Maintain internal controls over project expenses, purchasing and payroll allocations.
• Respond to internal and external audit requests and support statutory audits.
• Develop and maintain standard templates, dashboards and reporting tools.
• Coach and mentor junior cost accounting staff where applicable.

Required profile

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent).
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in project cost accounting, preferably in fit‑out, fire protection or building services projects.
• Strong commercial project accounting experience in construction, fit‑out or mechanical/electrical contracting.
• Solid understanding of contract types, BOQs, variation orders, claims, retention and revenue recognition principles.

Required skills

• ACCA
• CIMA
• ACA
• Project cost accounting
• Construction accounting
• Fit‑out accounting
• Mechanical/electrical contracting accounting
• Contract types
• Bill of Quantities (BOQs)
• Variation orders
• Claims management
• Retention handling
• Revenue recognition
• Accounting standards compliance