Projects Accountant

Company Overview

Burhani Engineers Limited is a well-established engineering firm based in Nairobi, Kenya, with more than 40 years of experience delivering dependable engineering services. The company has earned its reputation through innovation, strong technical capability, and consistent service delivery.

Its work spans electrical, mechanical, civil engineering, and instrumentation services, allowing it to handle a broad mix of projects across different sectors. The organization is driven by experienced professionals who focus on quality, safety, reliability, and cost-effective solutions tailored to client needs.

Role Summary

The Projects Accountant will oversee the financial administration of project operations from the initial budget stage through cost monitoring, final account closure, and audit preparation. This role is responsible for ensuring that project finances remain accurate, controlled, compliant, and transparent in a fast-moving environment with multiple live projects. The position works closely with project managers, quantity surveyors, and site teams, and is expected to use digital tools and IT systems to improve financial tracking and reporting across the project lifecycle.

Key Duties

Project budgeting and planning

• Prepare, roll out, and continuously review project budgets that align with Bills of Quantities, contract values, and work programmes.
• Create monthly and quarterly financial forecasts that reflect scope adjustments, variation orders, and project progress.
• Keep budget-versus-actual tracking dashboards updated in advanced Excel or ERP/project management platforms for visibility to project leaders and senior management.
• Connect budget data with planning tools such as MS Project or Primavera so financial planning stays aligned with the project timeline.

Reporting and management accounts

• Compile accurate and timely project financial reports, including profit and loss statements, cost-to-complete analysis, and earned value reporting.
• Carry out variance reviews comparing actual spending against budgets and forecasts, and provide clear written insights to support management decisions.
• Bring together financial information from several projects into portfolio-level reports for the Head of Finance and the Management Board.
• Use ERP or accounting reporting tools such as SAP, Sage, QuickBooks, or similar systems to prepare structured management accounts.
• Build KPI dashboards showing utilisation, cost burn, project profitability, and work-in-progress schedules using Excel pivot tables, Power BI, or comparable BI tools.

Cost control and monitoring

• Track project costs in real time across labour, materials, subcontractors, plant, and preliminaries against approved budgets.
• Spot budget overruns, uncommitted costs, and emerging financial risks early, then recommend corrective actions to project teams.
• Handle work-in-progress accounting in line with IAS 11 and IFRS 15 construction contract standards.
• Review and process interim payment certificates, subcontractor claims, and supplier invoices against contractual milestones.
• Assist the Quantity Surveyor with valuations, re-measurements, and final account discussions with clients and subcontractors.
• Manage retention calculations, release schedules, and bond tracking for all active projects.

Systems, data, and digital finance tools

• Use ERP and project accounting software as the central source of financial information for all projects.
• Create and maintain automated Excel models and macros using VBA and Power Query for cost control, cash flow forecasting, and payroll reconciliation.
• Develop Qlik or similar dashboards that allow project and site teams to view live financial performance.
• Pull together financial data from site systems such as timesheets, materials requests, and fuel records to reduce manual entry and errors.
• Maintain a disciplined digital document management process for contracts, payment certificates, variations, and purchase orders using platforms such as SharePoint, Aconex, or Procore.
• Identify and recommend technology improvements for financial processes, including mobile-friendly tools for site data capture and approvals.
• Act as the ERP finance super-user, supporting staff training, chart of accounts control, and coordination with IT on configuration and upgrades.
• Apply cybersecurity best practices when handling financial records, including access controls, audit trails, and backup procedures.

Procurement financial oversight

• Check procurement requests and purchase orders against approved budgets before commitments are made.
• Monitor uncommitted purchase orders and open GRNs that could affect project forecasts.
• Use procurement-to-pay ERP functions to ensure three-way matching between purchase orders, GRNs, and invoices before payment is released.

Cash flow and treasury support

• Prepare project-level and consolidated cash flow forecasts, updating them weekly or at key programme milestones.
• Track client billing cycles, IPC submission dates, and payment collections to support working capital management.
• Identify cash flow exposures such as payment delays or front-loaded spending and recommend mitigation measures to the Head of Finance.
• Prepare drawdown requests and financial reporting for project financiers, banks, or development finance institutions where relevant.

Compliance and financial controls

• Ensure all project financial activity follows Kenyan regulations, Kenya Revenue Authority requirements, and internal company controls.
• Administer withholding tax on subcontractor and professional fee payments in line with KRA rules.
• Apply VAT correctly on construction contracts, including reverse charge treatment and VAT on retention.
• Maintain full and auditable project files covering records, contracts, variations, approvals, and related financial documentation for internal and external audit readiness.
• Support year-end statutory audit work, including WIP schedules, accruals, prepayments, and contract asset/liability reconciliations.
• Enforce segregation of duties, approval limits, and financial delegation policies across project spending.

Payroll and labour cost management

• Oversee the processing and reconciliation of site payroll for casual labourers, artisans, plumbers, carpenters, and similar workers, ensuring accuracy and compliance with the Employment Act.
• Reconcile labour costs by project, cost centre, and activity code for inclusion in project cost reporting.

Collaboration and stakeholder engagement

• Act as the main finance contact for Project Managers and Resident Engineers by attending progress meetings, reviewing work programmes, and contributing financial input to decisions.
• Work with Quantity Surveyors on contract administration, claims preparation, and dispute resolution.
• Coordinate with HR and Admin on workforce cost tracking and the allocation of benefits costs to projects.
• Provide financial analysis to support bid submissions, pricing reviews, and decisions on whether to pursue new projects.
• Prepare financial packs and presentations for client steering committees or joint venture governance meetings when needed.

Process improvement and governance

• Regularly review financial processes, reporting routines, and systems integration opportunities to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Develop and document standard operating procedures for project finance processes.
• Promote financial accountability across site and project teams through training, clear policy guidance, and regular reviews.
• Prepare and present periodic financial governance reports to the Head of Finance and CFO.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate should hold a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce, or a related discipline from a recognized university.

A minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in project accounting, cost accounting, or financial management is required. Prior experience of at least 3 years in the construction, civil engineering, or infrastructure contracting sector in Kenya or East Africa is strongly preferred. Experience managing multi-project financial portfolios with a combined value of KES 500M or more will be an added advantage.

Technical Requirements

Candidates should have hands-on experience with at least one construction or project-focused ERP platform such as Sage 300 Construction & Real Estate, SAP PS, or an equivalent system, including project cost code setup, reporting, and data extraction. Advanced Excel skills are essential, including PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, financial modelling, and working knowledge of VBA macros and Power Query. Experience with business intelligence tools such as Qlik or Tableau is highly desirable. Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools such as Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Word is also expected. Familiarity with digital document management platforms like SharePoint, Aconex, or Procore is important, along with an understanding of data governance, access control, audit trails, and backup practices.

Core Competencies

The role requires strong project accounting knowledge, especially construction contract revenue recognition under IFRS 15 and WIP accounting. The successful candidate should be highly analytical, detail-oriented, commercially aware, and able to communicate complex financial matters in simple terms for non-finance stakeholders. Professional integrity, sound judgment, initiative, ownership, and adaptability in a busy multi-project environment are essential.

Additional Information

Applications will be accepted until 19th June 2026. Only candidates who are shortlisted will be contacted.