Project Cost Controller

Duration: 6 months

Description:

LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY.

The role is hybrid with onsite requirement at the Oakland, CA.

*Only Client laptop will be provided.

TOP THINGS:

- financial acumen

- contract administration

- Reporting and data analysis

Role: Project Controller / Financial Analyst

The Project Controller is responsible for monitoring, managing, and reporting the financial aspects of a multi-year major IT program. This role will be working collaboratively with other Financial analysts and Departments to accurately forecast and report on monthly, quarterly and annually on expected and actual expenditures. The project controller is relied on to provide accurate and detailed accounts to ensure the program is operating within budget and, when required, collaborates with a wide set of project members to identify and explain variances. Additional duties around accessing various systems for data gathering, providing metrics, cost updates, plus other financial and operational insights are required by this role.

Key responsibilities of the Project Controller:

· Budgeting and Cost Control: Create and manage project budgets, track expenditures against capital and expense budgets, identify and explain cost variances, and implement corrective actions. Perform analysis and investigations on accounting treatment of various business expenditures (e.g. Capital vs. Expense, billable vs. non-billable per contract, etc).

· Financial Forecasting: Analyze project progress to predict future costs and generate financial forecasts for stakeholders. Prepare revised forecasts when schedule slippage or scope changes occur. Be able to present forecasts and variance analysis concisely and accurately to a wide range of stakeholder in organization.

· Performance Reporting: Work with Team leaders to track and prepare detailed project reports on cost performance, schedule adherence, and key metrics which monitor project health.

· Contract Management: Collaborate with key suppliers, internal procurement organization, and management to initiate, review, understand, administer, and investigate contractual agreements. For example, vendor deliverable completeness, quality reviews and acceptance, compliance, milestone payments, and invoice payment approval processes.

· Change Order Management: Review and manage change orders to ensure accurate cost adjustments and project scope updates to contracts, rate sheets, and payment milestones.

· Risk Management: Assist with understanding and quantifying potential financial risks associated with a project. In some cases, help develop what-if cost scenarios to aid development of mitigation strategies.

· Data Analysis: Ability to independently analyze financial and deliverable data using a variety of project and standard tools (e.g. MS-Excel, PowerBI) to identify trends, and provide actionable insights to project teams.

· Document Management: Ensure key documents are stored and retrievable in logical fashion with appropriate security per the information retention policies and procedures.

· Communication: Effectively communicate project financial status and key findings to stakeholders, including project managers, senior management, and clients.

Required skills:

· Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of financial accounting principles, budgeting, and cost analysis. Familiarity with typical corporate reporting requirements for internal and external stakeholders, shareholders, auditors.

· Project Management Knowledge: Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools, including phases, deliverable types, and labor demands – particularly as it pertains to costing.

· Analytical Skills: Ability to interpret data, identify trends, and draw meaningful conclusions.

· Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication to effectively convey complex financial information. Ideally, be familiar and able to develop meaningful visual representations of data to convey trends or explain variances.

Desired Skills:

· Software Proficiency: Expertise in Excel, Procurement / Contract management software, ERP Finance systems, project management software for financial entries, reporting, schedule analysis, and variance analysis. PowerBI, PowerApps (Microsoft), databases.

· Leadership Skills: Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and influence decision-making.

Software Knowledge Desired:

• Advanced Excel – such as producing multiple types of graphs, data look-ups and cross-references, pivot tables, or using formulas.

• PowerBI and/or PowerApp, MS- SharePoint (or similar document management software)

· MS-Office suite: Specially creating compelling PowerPoint and Word documents.

• Works effectively with personnel at all levels. Ability to work with challenging/busy stakeholders.

• Communications – Ability to form and lobby for options, disagree constructively. Effective in One on One, Small groups, or presenting to large groups a plus.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Finance or Accounting.

Work Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in Financial or Accounting role – experience with a large Software implementation program and/or IT Project experience a plus.

• 2+ years of Project Controller experience