Senior Project Controller

GEA Group•Columbia, SC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Project Controller will establish constructive working relationships with NPE (Nutrition Plant Engineering) NAM Leaders and Key Business Partners. This role owns key project activities, including project reviews according to global project controlling guidance, tracking of risk and opportunity registers, and ensuring the accuracy of the project work breakdown structure and financial performance analysis. The Senior Project Controller will collaborate with Project Managers to ensure comprehensive project budgets, cost recognition, and estimates for completion are accurate within the ERP system. They will maintain the accuracy of reported project financials, evaluate project cash flow against planned models, and escalate deviations. This role involves capturing, summarizing, and reporting quarterly revenue forecasts, cash flow forecasts, project risks, and mitigation plans. The Senior Project Controller will communicate key risk areas to leadership, coordinate with intercompany partners for accounting, and partner with other Project Analysts for month-end closing tasks. They will also drive continuous improvement through automation and enhanced reporting, coordinate with the Accounting team for monthly close, and provide finance expertise to business partners. Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance (strongly preferred but not required), demonstrating a working knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and financial analysis principles (IFRS knowledge a significant plus)
5+ years of progressive responsibility in any of the following functions: finance, accounting or audit.
Minimum of 2 years of financial planning and analysis responsibility, demonstrating the ability to execute complex analysis, prepare comprehensive, clear, concise and action-oriented reporting.
Strong leadership skills, ability to influence Senior Management
Resilient in a fast-paced, changing environment.
Strong working knowledge of ERP/Financial Systems and Application
Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office, including advanced Excel skills required
Access or other multi-dimensional analysis experience (ability to build a relational database and queries is strongly preferred)
Experience with reporting tools such as Cognos, Tableau, BW (CBI) or PowerBI (preferred)
Microsoft Dynamics or SAP (preferred)
Strong data analysis experience, demonstrating the ability to understand business needs, obtain and validate data, build queries to address targeted analysis, interpret results, root cause anomalies and generate meaningful results
Percentage of Completion Accounting Experience (strongly preferred)
Manufacturing/Costing experience a plus
Knowledge of Finance or accounting professional certification, is a plus
Solid time/project management skills and demonstrated ability to balance multiple tasks
Effective written communication skills, demonstrated technical writing skills through development of training materials, example worksheets for costing and other relevant templates to convey new system functionality to key stakeholders
Ability to “think on your feet” and respond constructively with action-action-oriented ideas during meetings with Key Stakeholders and Senior Management
Desire to consistently learn and take on additional responsibilities
Knowledge of finance operational cycles, preferably gained through hands-on experience, a plus.
Other duties as assigned.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

IFRS knowledge a significant plus
Ability to build a relational database and queries is strongly preferred
Experience with reporting tools such as Cognos, Tableau, BW (CBI) or PowerBI (preferred)
Microsoft Dynamics or SAP (preferred)
Percentage of Completion Accounting Experience (strongly preferred)
Manufacturing/Costing experience a plus
Knowledge of Finance or accounting professional certification, is a plus
Knowledge of finance operational cycles, preferably gained through hands-on experience, a plus.

Responsibilities

Establish constructive close working relationships with the NPE (Nutrition Plant Engineering) NAM Leaders and Key Business Partners.
Ownership of key project activities: Project Reviews according to global project controlling guidance (risk and frequency) and proactively communicate status and results of reviews.
Tracking of risk and opportunity register throughout the life of the project
Accuracy of project work breakdown structure
Analysis of project financial performance compared to baseline
Collaborate with Project Managers to ensure comprehensive project budgets (including change orders), cost recognition and estimates for completion are updated and accurate within the local ERP and other applicable systems.
Maintain the accuracy of reported project financials including gross margin, billing plan, overdue receivables, cost to complete, cost overruns, percentage of completion, risks and contingencies, change orders and accruals
Evaluate project cash flow versus planned cash flow model within contract and escalate significant deviations for resolution.
Capture, summarize and report quarterly revenue forecast, cash flow forecast, project risks and related mitigation plans.
Communicate key risk areas or projects requiring increased focus to Business Line and Finance Leadership.
Coordinate with intercompany partners to ensure timely documentation and accounting for percentage of completion on project-related intercompany purchases.
Partner with other Project Analysts within the legal entity to complete all required closing tasks and analysis to deliver month end financials, project summaries and a rolling quarterly estimate based on existing backlog.
Liaison with Shared Services team to facilitate transactional processing, timely vendor invoice processing, customer billing, collections and accurate financial records
Drive continuous improvement through automation, data modeling, and enhanced reporting to improve visibility and decision-making speed
Coordinate with Accounting team to ensure timely and accurate monthly close and financial ledger
Provide finance expertise to assist others in better understanding financial information to drive better business results