WIP/Revenue Accountant in Silverstone

Position: WIP/Revenue Accountant

Role: Full time, employed

Location: Silverstone, UK – hybrid working with global travel

Salary: Dependant on experience

About Ignition Collective

Ignition Collective is a forward-thinking, fast-paced agency that does brilliant things, together. We excel in delivering exceptional marketing and client service solutions, creating impactful experiences across sport, automotive and entertainment. We are committed to building long-term partnerships, delivering outstanding client service and fostering a collaborative culture where creativity, strategic thinking and commercial excellence thrive.

The Role:

Driven by that growth, we are adding a commercially minded WIP/Revenue Accountant to the finance team. You will take ownership of our work-in-progress, project accounting and billing processes, making sure every event and client project is accurately reflected in our results and that revenue and costs land in the right period.

Key Responsibilities:

WIP & Project Accounting

• Take ownership of the monthly WIP process across live event and client projects, ensuring an accurate position at all times
• Ensure WIP is accurately calculated, supported and reconciled each month
• Review project financial performance, including costs incurred, revenue recognised, WIP balances and expected margin
• Review projects for under/over-recovery, accrued income, deferred income and potential losses
• Monitor supplier and third-party costs against project budgets, flagging variances early
• Work with Account Managers and event teams to understand project status, remaining costs and expected final profitabilitty
• Identify and investigate unusual movements, aged WIP and projects requiring corrective action
• Ensure appropriate cut-off of income and expenditure at month-end
• Maintain a documented monthly project review, with clear owners and deadlines for resolving aged WIP, billing gaps and margin risks

Revenue & Billing

• Prepare month-end revenue recognition and accrued/deferred revenue calculations in line with company accounting policies
• Manage billing schedules and raise all client invoices within 3 working days of a billing milestone or month-end, in line with contract terms, recognising the direct impact of billing on cashflow
• Confirm purchase orders, billing details and any required client approvals ahead of invoice deadlines, escalating missing information promptly
• Monitor unbilled revenue and aged debtors with the Finance Assistant
• Identify billing opportunities and ensure completed work is converted into invoices promptly
• Work with Account Managers and event teams to resolve billing queries and discrepancies
• Help improve the link between project management, billing and finance systems

Month End Reporting

• Own the WIP and revenue elements of the monthly management accounts
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations and supporting schedules relating to WIP and revenue
• Assist with month-end journals, accruals and prepayments where required
• Produce WIP, margin and revenue reporting for the Finance Director and senior management team, including ad hoc analysis
• Support the year-end audit and provide clear supporting documentation

Commercial Partnering

• Business partner with Account Managers and event teams to track budgets vs. actuals per project
• Help project teams understand project profitability and the financial impact of changes in scope, timing, costs and client billing
• Challenge project assumptions where appropriate and provide clear, commercially focused insight
• Give early warning of projects likely to overrun budget or fall below expected margin
• Work proactively with project teams to forecast costs to complete, expected final margins and upcoming billing milestones

Process Improvement

• Help develop scalable WIP and project accounting processes, procedures and controls as the business grows
• Improve controls, reconciliations and reporting around projects and revenue
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve the quality of financial data
• Assist with implementing or enhancing finance and project management systems
• Contribute to wider finance projects as required

Skills, Knowledge & Experience (Essential)

We are looking for someone who is technically strong, commercially aware and confident working with non-finance colleagues.

Essential

• AAT qualified, or part-qualified ACCA/CIMA and actively studying
• Demonstrable hands-on experience of preparing and reconciling monthly WIP, job costing or project accounts, ideally in an agency or events business
• A track record of timely billing, with invoices raised promptly against milestones and month-end deadlines
• Prioritises work by cash and business impact, keeping billing and month-end deadlines on track during busy event periods
• Takes a practical, proportionate approach, building processes that are simple, clear and easy for non-finance colleagues to follow
• Able to work accurately at pace, completing tasks within agreed timescales
• Excellent Excel skills and confidence with large volumes of data
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain financial issues clearly to non-finance colleagues and to challenge project teams constructively
• Agency, events or motorsport background; other project-based environments (marketing, production, creative, consultancy) will also be considered
• Based near or able to commute regularly to Silverstone

Desirable additional skills & added value

• Experience with accounting and project management systems – Paprika is a bonus
• A continuous-improvement mindset and an interest in developing better ways of working

What You Will Get from Us

• The opportunity to make an impact and develop your career
• An innovative and friendly workplace with a team we’re proud to be part of
• A flexible office and working from home policy – minimum of 3 days in the office
• Pension scheme
• Workplace benefits
• 25 days holiday + public holidays + winter break
• Two wellness days per year
• Access to weekly performance, health and wellness sessions and workshops
• Quarterly team coaching sessions
• Your birthday off
• Ongoing professional training and development

Why Join Us?

At Ignition, you’ll be part of a collaborative agency working at the forefront of global motorsport sponsorship, leading one of our flagship accounts while developing your career within an ambitious and supportive team.