In this role, you will own project-level financial performance, acting as a commercial partner to our delivery leadership.
You will manage the end-to-end financial lifecycle of our projects from budget set-up and change control and including but not limited to.
Protect the Margins: You will monitor Estimate at Completion (EAC) across the portfolio, spotting scope creep or resource burn early and challenging Project Managers to course-correct before margins erode.
Master the Revenue: You will own the Project Revenue Recognition (IFRS 15).
You will determine exactly when we can recognize revenue, ensuring our Work In Progress (WIP) is accurate and our billing triggers are hit on time.
Bridge the Gap: Technical teams often speak in sprints and milestones; you will translate that into cash flow forecasts, revenue projections, and resource utilisation rates for the leadership team.
Professional Qualification: ACA, ACCA, or CIMA (Mandatory).
Experience: 5–8+ years in Commercial Finance or Project Accounting within a Consultancy, System Integrator (SI), or SaaS environment.
Technical Mastery: Deep expertise in IFRS 15 (Revenue Recognition), WIP analysis, and Project P&L management.
Tooling: Advanced Excel modelling skills + hands-on experience with Xero and PSA tools (Scoro, Kimble, or similar).
Startup DNA: Must demonstrate the ability to build processes from scratch, work with ambiguity, and push back on senior stakeholders when margins are at risk.
1. Strategic Commercial Control Conduct monthly "deep dive" project reviews with Delivery leads, challenging cost-to-complete assumptions.
Manage the "Change Control" process, ensuring no new work begins without financial approval.
Partner with Sales on new deal pricing to ensure sold margins are achievable.
2. Operational Finance & Reporting Own the month-end close for the projects division: WIP calculation, revenue recognition journals, and accruals.
Produce the Weekly Flash Report: Utilization rates, billable vs.
non-billable hours, and immediate cash risks.
Maintain the Rolling 13-Week Cash Forecast for the delivery portfolio.
3. Systems & Hygiene Enforce data hygiene in Finance System (Xero) and PSA (Scoro) to ensure accurate forecasting.
Drive the reduction of "Revenue Leakage" (unbilled hours/expenses).
Primary Skills: Project Finance, Revenue Recognition (IFRS 15), WIP Management, Commercial Finance, Budgeting & Forecasting, Variance Analysis, P&L Management, Cash Flow Analysis, Financial Modeling, Project Accounting.
Tools & Systems: Xero, Advanced Excel, PSA, PPM, ERP Implementation.
Industry Keywords: System Integrator (SI), Professional Services, SaaS, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Tech Startup, Consultancy.
Soft Skills/Action: Business Partnering, Stakeholder Management, Commercial Awareness, Change Control, Margin Optimization, Strategic Planning.
Qualifications: ACCA, CIMA, CPA, ACA, MBA.
We run both T&M and fixed-price contracts.
Walk me through how you determine revenue recognition for a fixed-price milestone that is 80% complete but hasn't been signed off by the client.
How do you calculate and justify the WIP position?
This role requires you to be the bad guy sometimes.
Tell me about a time you had to stop a Technical Project Manager from spending money or starting work because the commercial paperwork wasn't ready.
How did you handle that conversation?
A Project Manager is allowing scope creep to maintain a good client relationship, but it is eroding our margin.
How do you approach the PM to enforce a Change Order without damaging the delivery momentum?
In a startup environment, cash is king.
How do you build a 13-week cash flow forecast for a project portfolio with uncertain payment cycles?
How do you handle a client who disputes a milestone invoice to reduce DSO?
Describe a time you managed the data integration between a PSA tool (like Scoro) and the finance ledger (Xero).
How did you ensure data integrity and prevent revenue leakage between the two systems?