Country Accountant

Buro Happold
Dubai, UAE

Ref: HP431-156 		Buro Happold

The Role


The Role

Reporting to the Regional Financial Controller and Country Director, this role will lead the finance function in United Arab Emirates and be the first point of contact for all finance related issues in the country as well as the line management of the Finance Group Coordinator for United Arab Emirates

Responsibilities of the Country Accountant:

1). To engage with and develop a robust working relationship with all business stakeholders of both UAE and the wider Buro Happold Group.

2). Management Accounts.

Run the Management Account Process and Project Accounts on a monthly basis and ensure Management Accounts are submitted within set deadlines.

3). Monthly Operation Plan (MOP) Process for resource management:

• Own the MOP process in UAE and ensure that MOP load sheets are issued in a timely manner to the teams.
• Consolidate MOP information on Country level for sign off by the Country Director.

4). Sales Invoicing:

• Monitoring Invoicing on project and group level against reported income through constant Work in Progress analysis.
• Actively communicate invoicing needs to the country leadership team and project teams in order to ensure everything possible has been invoiced as early as possible.

5). Credit Control:

• Identify unpaid invoices and notify Project Team, Country Leadership team, Country Director and Financial Controller as appropriate when invoices become due and ensure appropriate action is taken to recover debt.
• Chase outstanding debt in liaison with Project Director/Project Leader and Financial Controller as appropriate.
• Direct contact to clients accountants/finance department.
• Monthly Credit Control Report including Aged Debt report and DSO calculation.

6). Cash Flow Planning:

• Oversee generation of short term cash flow model by Finance Group Coordinator.
• Long Term Cash Flow planning on a weekly basis by forecasting external sales invoicing and cash receipts. against forecasted cash outflow. Ensure by working with project teams that forecast invoicing schedules are in place and accurate on every active project.

7). Business Reporting/Medici/Project Maintenance:

• Being the first point of contact within the UAE Country for all queries regarding the business reporting system/Medici.
• Securing accuracy and reliability of data displayed on these systems.
• Ensure invoicing is allocated correctly across workstages and disciplines.
• Ensure cost allocation is in line with budget and project expenses are accounted for in the correct way.
• Ensure projects and workstages are closed and well maintained once zero WIP and no unpaid fees.

8). Administration of Business Trips:

• Oversee Administration of Business Trips by Finance Group Coordinator.
• Making sure that reimbursable expenses get invoiced to the client in liaison with Project Leader.

9). Timesheets:

• Monitoring timesheets and ensure miss booked hours are corrected on the
system.

10). Calculation of monthly payroll.

11). Budget/Forecast:

• Own the Budgeting and Forecasting process for the UAE business and ensure that budgets and forecasts are submitted within set deadlines.

12). Monthly Financial Summary for the UAE business:

Write monthly financial summary for the UAE business in line with agreed and standardised reporting format which is consistent with the information provided to the Middle East Board but broken down for the UAE business by cost centre

Requirements


Requirements

Essential Experience:

• Be able to communicating effectively to all
• Have had experience of line management
• Excellent Excel analytical and reporting skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English language
• Minimum of 6 years relevant experience.

Desirable Experience:

• Working within consulting engineering

Qualifications:

• A recognized accounting qualification (for example CIMA, ACCA, ACA).

About the Company


About the Company

Buro Happold aims to produce high quality engineering design in concept, in detail and in execution, on time, to programme and delivering excellent value for money.

Our distinctive culture and ethos is still based on the same principles of care, value and elegance that were established when the practice was founded.

Our engineering approach is holistic, combining different disciplines in one, integrated team. Our reputation for excellence has grown from the basis that engineering is always viewed as one important component of a project’s overall design solution.

We constantly strive for innovation. Our appreciation of a client’s social, political and economic issues and of architectural and aesthetic qualities makes Buro Happold an ideal partner, helping our range of clients to shape great solutions.
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