A well-established UK business is seeking a technically strong Project Accountant to join its central finance team on a 12-month fixed term contract. This is a high-profile role supporting a significant business change and technology investment programme, with multi-million-pound budgets and senior stakeholder exposure.

Reporting into the Head of Finance, you will take ownership of financial control, governance, and accounting treatment across a portfolio of projects. The ideal candidate is highly experienced in IAS 38, confident in capitalisation vs P&L decisions, and able to apply accounting standards practically to technology and project spend.

Key Responsibilities

Own financial oversight of major project and technology spend, ensuring robust control, accurate forecasting, and clear visibility against budget
Ensure correct accounting treatment of project costs, with a focus on IAS 38 compliance and Capex vs Opex classification
Provide timely project financial information to senior stakeholders, highlighting risks, opportunities, and required interventions
Partner closely with Technology, Transformation, and Project teams, attending governance forums and challenging assumptions
Support budgeting, forecasting, and phasing of project and technology spend
Maintain strong financial governance, ensuring adherence to investment approvals, business cases, and post-implementation reviews
Translate complex accounting concepts into practical guidance for non-finance stakeholders
Drive improvements in processes, controls, and ways of working related to project and technology accounting

Candidate Profile

You will be a hands-on, technically capable accountant who can both drill into the detail and see the bigger commercial picture. You thrive in a fast-moving, change-driven environment and are comfortable challenging stakeholders to ensure the correct accounting treatment is applied.

You will bring:

Strong technical accounting knowledge, particularly around IAS 38 (Intangible Assets) and capitalisation of technology/project spend
Clear understanding of Capex vs Opex treatment, and ability to explain and justify decisions
Exposure to technology, systems, or transformation programmes
Qualified accountant
Strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate complex financial data clearly