Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation.
Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.
Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.
What we're building
We now need a Project Accountant to support the transformation and the future growth of the business within the finance function, so it can be a trusted and commercial partner that influences the business to make good financial decisions, by delivering excellent support, expertise and high quality management information.
Job summary
The purpose of this role is to act as a subject matter expert in all aspects relating to project finance from investment evaluation, through month end close, forecasts to benefit realisation. Assist with monitoring and development of project reporting to meet monthly, quarterly, annual and ad hoc requirements and ensure compliance with corporate accounting policies. Develop & enhance existing processes and drive incremental improvements. Through collaboration with the key stakeholders and a provision of timely and accurate financial information enable data driven decision making.
We are looking for an experienced project accountant/financial analyst, adaptable to change and highly organised. While this role is very much in the detail and hands on it also require a collaborative team player who establishes relationships with ease and communicates effectively at all levels.
What you'll do
Routine Monthly Duties
• Ensure the project codes are set up timely and accurately working closely with PMO
• Provide oversight and review for the accruals, prepayments and any other ad hoc journals by validating all information and checking for completeness for the project portfolio in scope
• Provide support to project managers on project actuals and forecasts
• Consolidate, interpret and challenge the project forecasts & forecast on forecasts variances and communicate the key changes effectively
• Oversee & improve the monthly management reports relating on the project portfolio
• Hold monthly review meetings to review the financial performance of the projects against the budget with PMs and Senior Management
• Produce & maintain the documentation around the finance processes relevant to the projects from month end close, forecasts to budgeting
Investment Appraisal
• Support the preparation of the business cases and appraisal of financial investments (NPV, IRR, Payback calculation) by partnering with operational departments and colleagues
• Consolidate the anticipated financial benefits and approved cost increases as anticipated during the business case review
• Set up, maintain and manage the financial risk and opportunity register
• Ensure accounting is consistent across the projects and accounting memo is produced for all projects that are amortised
• Produce documentation on financial investment appraisal and work with the team to set up templates, standards and guidance for users to drive consistency across the business cases presented to management
Budget
• Assist with monitoring the development of the annual expense budget for project portfolio, being key point of contact for the project portfolio budget
• Assist with setting up of cost centre templates and providing assistance to cost centre owners on completion of templates
• Assisting senior managers in the development of the rolling 5 year business plan and taking ownership of the financial build up, ensuring all risks and opportunities are considered and reported
Miscellaneous Duties:
• Continual emphasis on making processes more efficient and effective
• Ensure appropriate risk management procedures are followed to control, monitor and report on business activities
• Assistance with the R&D Tax credit review for the project portfolio
• Ad-hoc reporting as required
Who you are
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work to deadlines and timetables
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Excel, basic knowledge of Microsoft Outlook
• Basic bookkeeping experience to enable creation of GL journals
• Good organisation to meet internal deadlines and to ensure vendor invoices are paid on time
• Demonstrates willingness to investigate issues and propose solutions
• Customer service skills in particular when dealing with external suppliers
• Experience in navigating and working with GL systems
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills e.g. pivot table
What you’ll like about working here
As a Canada Life UK colleague, you’ll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance, along with a generous pension and bonus scheme. You’ll also receive the support you need with your personal and professional development.
Diversity and inclusion
Canada Life is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Our role as an employer of choice is to provide the right environment for talented people to do their best work, by respecting, understanding and valuing individual differences
