Intermediate Project Financial Advisor

Intermediate Project Financial AdvisorWSP is currently looking for an Intermediate Project Financial Advisor in Valhalla, NY, Houston, TX, or Austin, TX to support our Transportation and Infrastructure business line. The PFA serves as a trusted business partner to Project Managers, helping to drive project profitability, financial compliance, forecasting accuracy, and overall financial performance across a portfolio of projects. The role spans the entire project lifecycle across project budget setup review, revenue recognition, and timeline project financial reviews, by delivering disciplined financial stewardship and analysis. PFAs advise on profitability monitoring, working capital management for projects and compliance while contributing to sound decision-making and risk identification across a portfolio that ranges in a complexity of projects independently and supporting more complex projects with guidance.Job Duties and Responsibilities:Financial Partnering & Project SupportContribute to the sound financial management of projects by working as an active financial partner to Project Managers, ensuring adherence to contractual obligations and financial termsProvide guidance on initial project setup, including Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) development, budgeting, rate selection, and pricing tool development inputsAdvise on project financial planning and risk identificationSupport the review of category rates and labor structures to help maintain project recoverability and financial performanceReview labor structures (e.g., non-billable time, cap rates, and labor breakage) to identify and flag areas for rate optimization and margin improvementAdvise on project funding, billing methods, and rates for assigned projectsIdentify and communicate margin-related observations and cost-to-serve considerations to support financial performanceSupport the assessment of financial impact of subcontracts to ensure alignment with prime contract and profitability objectivesFinancial aspects of Contract Execution, Structure & Policy ComplianceMonitor execution of customer contracts for financial nuances (fee type, caps, retentions, deliverable-based triggers i.e., scheduled billing, milestones, CPFF [Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee])Review and validate project structure in Project Portfolio Management (PPM): WBS, funding, billing methods, rates, tax, revenue method, and project/contract master dataEnsure compliance with financial policies, delegations of authority, and revenue recognition standardsCoordinate and review Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)/ Women Business Enterprise (WBE)/ all business enterprise categories (XBE) reporting requirements [US and CA-specific, different terminology in the UK&I, confirm regional application/terminology]Forecasting, Planning & Financial AlignmentPerform margin impact and financial impact calculations and provide support in identifying reasons for variability in project marginsMonitor the project-level forecast cycle for assigned projects, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with FP&A targetsReview project budgets and forecasts to support the Project Manager in validating assumptions and financial accuracyMonitor mitigation action plans as directed by the Project Manager and report progress to the PFA ManagerPerform revenue accruals, whenever required, throughout project delivery; advise on other financial adjustmentsManage sub-contracting activities including requisition and Purchase Order (PO) creation (in alignment with Procurement), supplier/subcontractor invoice processing, and partner with PFO Managers on Accounts Payable (AP) payment requestsProject/Portfolio Performance ManagementContribute to project performance reviews through analyses and commentary on relevant financial indicators (e.g., forecast accuracy, working capital, revenue recognition, change control)Review key measures and financial tracking, including client-specific reporting requestsMonitor performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and flag variances promptly to Finance Business Partners with recommended corrective actionsParticipate in review meetings with Project Managers; deliver actionable insights on key performance drivers, risks, and required decisionsInvestigate recurring financial variances and escalate findings with observations to the PFA ManagerValidate proper contract setup controls to ensure revenue recognition in-line with company policiesSupport active monitoring of Work at Risk (WAR), including tracking, business impact assessment, reporting, and follow-up to support timely contract execution and complianceProvide guidance to Project Managers (PMs) on project closeout in cases where specific contractual requirements apply (e.g., retainage, final payment confirmation)Audit, Assurance & Customer/Regulatory ResponsesRespond to customer audit requests, coordinate evidence and formal responses with Controllership and DeliveryReview and collaborate with project team on finance-specific responses to audit requests (internal or external)Ensure records, calculations, and decision logs are audit-ready and retained per policy.Cross-Functional Integration & Escalation ResolutionCollaborate with PFOs, Billing, Collections, Cash App, FP&A, Controllership, and business teams to address escalationsProactively escalate recurring issues through management to contribute to process improvement initiatives that enhance financial outcomesIdentify and assign time and cost transfers and allocations; review and adjust project costs as neededFinance Business Partnering ActivitiesFoster a strong understanding and consistent application of corporate financial governance and controls across the businessIdentify and escalate any financial exceptions to PFA Manager to resolve issues at source to maintain project integritySupport Operations and Business Finance teams in delivering initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and financial performanceSupport project financial performance monitoring and documentation, and assist the PFA Manager and Finance Business Partners (FBP) in explaining variances and impact on P&LSupport in identifying future cost pressures and potential loss-making projects, ensuring the business is made aware and mitigations are put in placeWho You AreRequired QualificationsBachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business, or closely-related discipline, (or demonstrated proven equivalent experience)1 to 3 years of project finance or commercial finance experience in engineering, construction, or professional servicesSuitable qualifications/accreditations in Accounting/Finance/Business relevant to the jurisdiction(s) you are operating withinProficiency expectation is mostly Developing / Working, with some Practiced capability in recurring activities such as Project Target & Performance tracking and Project-Based AccountingSolid grasp of project accounting, financial reporting, Estimate at Completion / Estimate to Complete (EAC/ETC) forecasting processes, and margin analysisExperience in commercial support (e.g., project integration, contracts, Work in Progress (WIP)/ Revenue Recognition)Demonstrated experience supporting a multi-project portfolio with hands-on forecasting and reporting accountabilityAdvanced Excel skills and proficiency in MS Office and ERP tools (Oracle preferred)Experience with PowerBI or other data visualization tools (advantageous)Self-starter who can work independently as well as collaborativelyComfortable working in a fast-paced environment with multiple prioritiesExceptional stakeholder relationship management and engagement skills with the ability to influence delivery, commercial, and finance leadershipCritical thinking and problem-solving skills required to apply learned subject matter and technical knowledge to reach conclusions from data collation, documentation, statistical analysis, and arriving at the most effective, economical, and logical solution.Effective/Strong Capable interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an accounting and non-accounting audienceStrong planning, prioritization, and time management abilitiesStrong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a focus on actionable insightsWSP Benefits: WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee's career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings. Compensation: Expected Salary (all locations): $73,000-$95,000