Billing Specialist & Project Accountant

Department: Finance, HR & Legal

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: London

Description

Key Competencies

• Proven experience of billing, preferably in the professional services sector.
• Experience of project financial databases, maintaining data and supporting the monitoring of financial performance.
• High level of numeracy and an ability to problem solve.
• Ability to identify issues and areas for improvement in financial processes.
• Ability to work independently and to use own initiative.
• Team orientated, with adeptness to form good business relationships with all colleagues.
• Acting as a point of contact when other team members are unavailable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Organisational and time-management skills for meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Management of a portfolio of projects from a financial perspective.

Key Responsibilities

• Initiating and assisting with the monthly billing process, including providing quality assurance and control.
• Generating and issuing fee forecasts to all job runners prior to billing, to check for any updates/changes, and identify priority accounts.
• Raising, reviewing, and analysing all fee accounts for chargeable time.
• Resolving any errors identified in invoices (charges, expenses, etc.) to ensure compliance with all necessary regulations and project requirements and issuing credit notes where required.
• Monitoring timesheet completion and compliance to support accurate billing and project reporting.
• Chasing PAs for any outstanding chargeable project-related expenses for the directors.
• Monitoring return of invoices - chasing job runners to ensure accounts are issued and deadlines are met.
• Reviewing and drafting final invoices before director sign-off.

• Producing fee projections for review and discussion at fee meetings and daily management of the Fees Billable control spreadsheet.
• Obtaining relevant information for fees/billing/contractual documents, capturing, and forecasting new fees.
• Chasing fee agreements from job runners and ensuring all contracts are in place for new instructions.
• Notifying new projects to all staff and maintaining all fee related filing.
• Verifying documents for completeness and compliance with the project contracts, e.g. special hourly rates, commission agreements, outsourcing stages, split billing arrangements/consortiums, etc.
• Notifying the Financial Controller of overseas projects to ensure compliance with tax regulations.
• Updating Timemaster with relevant changes from fee meetings, setting up new projects and closing out completed ones.

• Support the drawing office teams in monitoring project performance and financial information.
• Preparation of project financial analysis & monthly commentaries to senior leadership.
• Monthly WIP reporting for the management accounts, and participation in the annual audit.
• Assisting with project financial reviews, monitoring and reporting write offs, and escalating WIP at risk to the Finance Controller.
• Assisting job runners in monitoring project budgets, fee arrangements and project profitability.
• Liaising with Project Managers on aged WIP and ensure billing when appropriate.
• Resolving time entry and project financial discrepancies to reduce corrections at the billing stage.

• Sound understanding of billing, WIP accounting and project financial controls.
• Experience using project management, resource planning or project accounting systems.
• Working knowledge of VAT and billing compliance requirements.
• Strong Excel skills, with the ability to analyse and reconcile financial data.
• Ability to identify, investigate and resolve financial discrepancies.
• Understanding of management reporting and financial performance monitoring.

• Ability to manage own time, work under pressure, and meet all deadlines.
• Good communication skills, both written and oral, with an ability to deal with staff at all levels.
• Motivated to work to a high standard to help maintain the success of the company.
• Proven integrity, discretion, and the ability to maintain confidentiality in relation to work.
• Excellent attention to detail and highly accurate.
• Willingness to expand knowledge and experience. 
• Willingness to learn and adopt new skills, sharing in general office duties and administration.
• Ability to work flexibly in both our London & Winchester offices. 

• Experience of CMap.
• Experience within a professional services environment.
• Experience of project financial reporting, fee forecasting and WIP management.
• An interest in developing project accounting and financial analysis skills.

• Minimum of two years' experience in a similar billing, project finance or project accounting role.
• Relevant financial, accounting or project accounting qualification desirable. 
• Study support for a relevant qualification may be available following successful completion of probation.