Project accountant in Belfast

Belong to something amazing… Catalyst is seeking a Project Accountant to play a central role in our Finance Team. You will help manage the financial delivery of a diverse portfolio of funded projects, ensuring budgets, claims, reporting and funding income are accurate, compliant and delivered on time.

About the Role:

We are seeking an experienced Project Accountant to support the financial management of a portfolio of projects. Applications are welcomed from both professionally qualified accountants and experienced part-qualified finance professionals who can demonstrate a strong track record in project accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting. Relevant practical experience will be considered equally alongside professional qualifications.

Key Information:

• Contract- Full-time, fixed-Term 2029, with opportunity to be extended
• Competitive salary – up to £50,000 depending on experience
• Based at the Innovation Centre, Queen’s Road, Belfast (hybrid working arrangement available)
• Reporting to the Financial Controller

Employee Perks:

• Generous pension contribution.
• Generous life assurance policy.
• Enhanced parental leave packages.
• Free open access to company organised events.
• Free parking onsite.
• Free access to onsite gym.

About Catalyst:

We are a non-profit organisation that supports science and technology innovation in Northern Ireland with buildings and hubs in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry where companies can use our flexible workspaces to operate from. We use the profits generated from our property portfolio to deliver entrepreneurial support programmes, facilitate funding, inform policy and accelerate technology-based research and development, by linking with academia and government.

Working at Catalyst:

A certified Great Place to Work® and recognised as one of the top 100 Workplaces in the UK for 2024, receiving awards for Best Place to Work, Best Workplace for Development, Best Workplace for Employee Wellbeing, and Best Place to Work for Women, Catalyst is one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting employers. With a strong vision of Opportunity for all from world-leading innovation, this is a workplace brimming with ambition to create social, cultural, and economic advantage. We are a force for good, bold in our approach with integrity at our core and passion in everything we do.

Diversity and Inclusion at Catalyst:

Diversity and inclusion aren’t boxes to tick on a CSR list. At Catalyst, they are part of our DNA, lived, breathed, seen, and heard across our community, projects, and co-working spaces. We not only want to foster and empower a culture of innovation, but also an environment where people can be their true, authentic self and thrive, and we are proud to be recognised by the Diversity Charter for achieving silver status, with ambitions to progress to Gold. As an equal opportunity employer, we recruit based solely on the individual’s ability to perform the role, and that’s allowed us to create an inclusive workplace which celebrates the diversity of our teams and community.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage project budgets, ensuring expenditure is accurately recorded, monitored and reported against approved funding allocations.
• Review and submit project claims prepared by the Project Finance Assistant.
• Monitor project income, costs and cashflow, identifying variances, risks or underspends and escalating these to relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure project expenditure complies with funder rules, procurement requirements, contractual obligations and internal financial controls.
• Maintain accurate project financial records within the finance system, including budgets, cost codes, journals, income and expenditure allocations.
• Complete regular reconciliations of project expenditure, income and claims, investigating and resolving discrepancies promptly.
• Support month-end and year-end reporting by preparing project reconciliations, schedules, accruals and financial information.
• Produce clear and timely financial reports for project managers, funders and internal stakeholders, highlighting financial performance and key issues.
• Work closely with project managers to support budget management, forecasting, financial planning and informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support the review, approval and submission of procurement documentation and supplier costs in line with funder requirements.
• Maintain organised, audit-ready project files and provide supporting documentation for internal audits, external audits and funder verification checks.
• Build positive working relationships with internal teams, funders, suppliers and external partners, providing clear and timely advice on project finance matters.
• Support continuous improvement of project finance processes, controls and reporting, including the effective use of the finance system.

Essential Criteria:

• Significant experience in a project accounting, management accounting, finance business partnering, or similar finance role.
• Demonstrable experience of preparing and monitoring project budgets, forecasts, financial claims, and management reports.
• Strong understanding of financial controls, reconciliations, and reporting processes.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience using financial systems.
• Ability to analyse financial information and communicate findings to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of grant-funded, capital, or externally funded projects.
• Experience preparing financial claims, budget monitoring, forecasting, and project financial reporting.

Special Requirements:

Proof of right to work in the UK. Criteria may be enhanced to facilitate shortlisting. Exceptional candidates who do not meet all criteria may still be considered where relevant skills and experience are demonstrated.