Project Accounting Manager - AMCI : Job Details

The AMCI Story

AMCI Europe is part of the AMCI Global organisation, based in Los Angeles, USA, where it started more than 30 years ago. To our knowledge, AMCI is the only specialist automotive experiential marketing, training and communications agency network in the world.

AMCI delivers consumer promotions, experiential marketing and events - primarily focusing on product launches and the power of creating marketing-based driving experiences that communicate the brand and/or product messages and provide participants with a positive and memorable experience that delivers warm, well-informed prospects to dealers and accelerates the purchase process.AMCI also offers dealer communication and education, whether that is delivered at an Academy-type training facility, in-dealership or as part of a centralised brand experience.

Product, Customer, Retailer - are the three areas of specific focus within AMCI - the three pillars of the automotive sector.

AMCI is passionate about its product and what it can achieve for its clients and takes a long-term view of relationships in order to create open, honest, value-added advice and dialogue in the pursuit of its clients’ goals.

AMCI opened its European operation in 2007 and quickly established client relationships with Lexus Europe and Mercedes-Benz in the UK. Then, in 2008, AMCI teamed up with TDA (The Drive Agency), an experiential automotive agency that already had a strong track record of working with clients such as Ford and Mazda in the UK.

Today, the AMCI Europe operation is based in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Our client base includes Ford, Hyundai, JLR, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volvo and Rolls-Royce.

About the opportunity

This role provides an exciting opportunity for a Project Cost Accountant with a proven track record in a similar role to join a growing company working across a broad range of projects for a variety of automotive clients.

As part of the 5 person finance team you will work closely with the US accounting office to ensure that all information provided to them is complete and accurate. You will work closely with the existing Project Accounting Manager taking on some of their work load and supporting the department in general.

Events regularly delivered by AMCI include press launches, conferences, dealer training events and general experiential marketing activity in the UK, often across Europe and sometimes beyond. This means that some budget reconciliations involve costs in multiple currencies and therefore accurate translation of these costs is key. Budgets can range from £10,000 to £1,000,000.

As the ideal candidate you will need to be able to work under pressure at times, have extremely good communication skills and a sharp attention to detail. A positive and flexible attitude is paramount, as is an exceptionally organised, methodical approach and an ability to plan your own time well. You will oversee the finance function in the UK office and supervise the two accounting staff members.

Responsibilities

• Applies the principles of accounting and contracts as part of the project team
• Responsible for setting up project job numbers, monitoring changes in budgets, ensuring we obtain correct/sufficient client approval of budgets and changes
• Review budgets before being sent to clients to ensure they are error free and in line with our normal rates and policies
• Ensure compliance with the clients’ financial and contract practices
• Responsible for complete and accurate reconciliations of each event budget in a timely manner, working closely with Project Managers to achieve this
• Conducting analysis before and after the event; creating various views and reports depending on the different audiences
• Raising sales invoices and distributing to the clients
• Active review of aged debtors and liaison with clients regarding overdue invoices
• Preparation of commission invoices
• Carry out due diligence and review clients to minimise bad debt exposure
• Posting payments to the ledgers, setting up urgent supplier payments and staff expense payments
• Prepare a basic weekly cash flow forecast for the CFO, FD & MD
• Prepare the monthly freelancer payment run
• Prepare the quarterly VAT return
• Monthly preparation of revenue forecasts
• Monthly review of completed event profit margins ensuring correct cost coding and review of unbilled revenue for the DF
• Preparation of other month end reports such as GBP & Euro bank reconciliations, GL reconciliations, project pitch costs reporting & client asset register
• Maintain accurate, current, detailed records and prepare periodic and ad-hoc reports for the MD, Project Managers and DF as required

About The Ideal Candidate

• Accounting/Finance degree, or similar qualification (ACCA/ACA) or qualified by experience
• Minimum 2 years’ of relevant experience managing numerous jobs at the same time
• Must have considerable knowledge with basic accounting principles (i.e. Journal entries, debits, credits, etc.) and accounting functions. Accurate recording of job costs and reconciliations are key for this position
• Good understanding of VAT and some basic understanding of PSA rules related to the company transactions
• Ability to work independently and complete duties and projects with little direct supervision
• Ability to work accurately under pressure in meeting deadlines
• Must have excellent organisational skills
• Must be proficient with Excel