Project Financial Advisor

WSP • Shelton, CT

4h • $65,300 - $101,800

About The Position

The Project Financial Advisor (PFA) acts as a trusted strategic finance partner to project delivery teams, ensuring alignment of financial outcomes with enterprise objectives. The role spans the entire project lifecycle, from pricing and pursuit through contract execution, revenue recognition, and close-out, by delivering disciplined financial governance, insightful analysis, and commercial advisory. PFAs advise on profitability, working capital management for projects and compliance while enabling informed decision-making and proactive risk mitigation across a portfolio of projects of varying complexity.

Requirements

• Suitable qualifications/accreditations in Accounting/Finance/Business relevant to the jurisdiction(s) you are operating within
• Bachelors degree or equivalent
• 3-5 years of project finance or commercial finance experience in engineering, construction, or professional services
• Solid grasp of project accounting, financial reporting, EAC/ETC forecasting processes, and margin analysis
• Experience in commercial support (e.g., project integration, contracts, WIP/ Revenue Recognition)
• Demonstrated experience supporting a multi-project portfolio with hands-on forecasting and reporting accountability
• Advanced Excel skills and proficiency in MS Office and ERP tools (Oracle preferred)
• Self-starter who can work independently as well as collaboratively
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities
• Exceptional stakeholder relationship management and engagement skills with the ability to influence delivery, commercial, and finance leadership
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to apply learned subject matter and technical knowledge to reach conclusions from data collation, documentation, statistical analysis, and arriving at the most effective, economical, and logical solution.
• Effective/Strong Capable interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an accounting and non-accounting audience
• Strong planning, prioritization, and time management abilities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a focus on actionable insights
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with PowerBI or other data visualization tools (advantageous)

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the sound financial management of projects by working as an active strategic financial partner to Project Managers, ensuring adherence to contractual obligations and financial terms
• Advise on bidding commercials and early-stage pursuit financial decision-making and analysis, including pricing and margin analysis, financial guardrails, risk provisions, and sensitivity trade-offs
• Provide financial input into commercial strategy and delivery planning; advise on project financial strategy and risk mitigation opportunities
• Advise on project funding, billing methods, and rates for assigned projects
• Promote a value-creation mindset by highlighting margin-improvement opportunities and cost-to-serve efficiencies
• Advise on financial impact of subcontracts to ensure alignment with prime contract and profitability objectives
• Monitor execution of customer contracts for financial nuances (fee type, caps, retentions, deliverable-based triggers i.e., scheduled billing, milestones, CPFF)
• Review and validate project structure in PPM: WBS, funding, billing methods, rates, tax, revenue method, and project/contract master data
• Ensure compliance with financial policies, delegations of authority, and revenue recognition standards
• Coordinate and review DBE/WBE/XBE reporting requirements
• Perform margin impact and financial impact calculations and provide support in identifying reasons for variability in project margins
• Monitor the monthly project-level forecast cycle for assigned projects, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with FP&A targets
• Perform project level scenario planning and variance analyses to model project revenue and margin impact under dynamic conditions
• Review project budgets and forecasts for appropriateness and adequacy of assumptions
• Track mitigation action plans to close gaps and report progress to Managers
• Perform revenue adjustment, whenever required, throughout project delivery; advise of other financial adjustments
• Manage sub-contracting activities including requisition and PO creation (in alignment with Procurement), supplier/subcontractor invoice processing, and AP payment requests
• Contribute to project portfolio reviews through analyses and commentary on key drivers (e.g., margin erosion, forecast accuracy, working capital risks, revenue recognition, change control)
• Review key measures and financial tracking, including client-specific reporting requests
• Monitor performance against KPIs and flag variances promptly to Finance Business Partners with recommended corrective actions
• Participate in review meetings with Project Managers; deliver actionable insights on key performance drivers, risks, and required decisions
• Perform root cause analysis on recurring financial variances and recommend corrective actions
• Obtain approval for Work at Risk (WAR) and monitor exposure to closure
• Prepare and maintain client closeout documentation, including final reports, retention invoice, and compliance certificates, as necessary
• Respond to customer audit requests, coordinate evidence and formal responses with Controllership and Delivery
• Review and collaborate with project team on finance-specific responses to audit requests (internal or external)
• Ensure records, calculations, and decision logs are audit-ready and retained per policy.
• Collaborate with PFOs, Billing, Collections, Cash App, FP&A, Controllership, and business teams to address escalations
• Proactively escalate recurring issues through management to contribute to process improvement initiatives that enhance financial outcomes
• Identify and assign time and cost transfers and allocations; review and adjust project costs as needed
• Ensure corporate financial governance and controls are well understood, consistently applied, and effectively communicated across the business
• Identify and address financial exceptions across a portfolio of projects, resolving issues at source to maintain project integrity
• Support Operations and Business Finance teams in delivering initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and financial performance
• Identify future cost pressures and potential loss-making projects, ensuring the business is made aware and mitigations are put in place
• Interpret P&L for specific region / business line / sector to identify key drivers of financial outcomes and opine with actionable financial insights

Benefits

• WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.
• WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs.
• Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level