Project Accelerator Experienced Associate

Line of Service

Assurance

Industry/Sector

Specialism

Management Level

Associate

Job Description & Summary

A career within External Audit services, will provide you with the opportunity to provide a range of Assurance services and business advice to a variety of clients from small, fast growing clients to large entities. Our clients are often well known brands and many have broad international reach. We focus on using the latest technology to reduce the level of manual testing ensuring you’ll focus on the most valuable areas of client service and on enhancing corporate governance and the reliability of our clients’ information.

To really stand out and make us fit for the future in a constantly changing world, each and every one of us at PwC needs to be a purpose-led and values-driven leader at every level. To help us achieve this we have the PwC Professional; our global leadership development framework. It gives us a single set of expectations across our lines, geographies and career paths, and provides transparency on the skills we need as individuals to be successful and progress in our careers, now and in the future.

As an Experienced Associate, you'll work as part of a team of problem solvers, helping to solve complex project management issues from strategy to execution.

PwC Professional skills and responsibilities for this management level include but are not limited to:

• Invite and give in the moment feedback in a constructive manner.
• Share and collaborate effectively with others.
• Identify and make suggestions for improvements when problems and/or opportunities arise.
• Handle, manipulate and analyse data and information responsibly.
• Follow risk management and compliance procedures.
• Keep up-to-date with developments in the area of specialism.
• Communicate confidently in a clear, concise and articulate manner - verbally and in the materials I produce.
• Build and maintain an internal and external network.
• Seek opportunities to learn about how PwC works as a global network of firms.
• Uphold the firm's code of ethics and business conduct.

Background

PwC’s Acceleration Center Assurance Solutions Team is looking to add value to Assurance engagement teams by providing standardized project management processes and deliverables, optimization of tools, and centralization of the project management efforts via integration of a “Project Accelerator” in order to improve engagement efficiency, effectiveness and ultimately quality for our Trust Assurance engagements.

The Project Accelerator Associate will work closely with the Project Accelerator Senior Associates and Managers, the US engagement team (ET) and the Remote Team Member (RTM) Manager and the rest of the engagement team to own project management responsibilities on the engagement, allowing more time for ET /RTM Managers to perform timely reviews, coach staff, and manage audit issues.

The Acceleration Center is the Demand-side strategy and execution partner to the Lines of Service for centralized client service work. We provide the specialization, capabilities and operations to automate and scale differentiated services with quality, enhanced productivity and profitability. The Acceleration Centers will seamlessly connect with the engagement teams and professionals in the practice to innovate, automate and digitally deliver work.

Job Requirements and Preferences:

Basic Qualifications: More than 2 years experience in Audit with a minimum Degree in Accounting

Preferred Fields of Study: Accounting

Preferred Certifications: Relevant professional qualifications such as PMI Certification (or similar Project Management certification) is an added advantage.

Preferred Knowledge/Skills:

Demonstrates thorough knowledge and/or proven record of success in the following areas:

• Identifying opportunities to enhance and/or automate tools and templates, and assist with the research and evaluation of those opportunities to drive standardized delivery of service offerings; and,
• Addressing creatively business challenges through the use of software tools;
• Managing projects with effective prioritization/time management skill in order to handle multiple projects simultaneously;
• Using written and verbal communication skills, including problem/conflict resolution;
• Creating professional networks (internal and external) and building relationships at all levels of seniority and lines of the organization;
• Exercising appropriate judgment regarding confidential and sensitive information; using judgment to see the long-term impact of issues/ideas;
• Keeping stakeholders informed, including initiating and maintaining positive working relationships; -
• Leveraging and developing relationships to become a trustworthy and reliable resource capable of influencing stakeholder decisions;
• Using technology to enhance, automate. and/or standardize processes to increase efficiencies;
• Possess knowledge of the audit process and understanding of fiscal planning, management, engagement economics, and budgeting;.
• Have knowledge and understanding of project management concepts, methodologies, and tools;
• Have experience analyzing and aggregating project and program-level metrics into executive-level dashboards and/or status reports;
• Have the ability to perform structured and objective analysis & develop recommendation / make decisions given incomplete and conflicting information;
• Have the ability to prioritize and perform work with minimum direction in a complex, diverse environment with rapidly changing priorities;
• Have proficient communication skills (both verbal and written) that enable clear, effective, persistent yet tactful and tailored interaction with varied audiences (upward & downward), with sensitivity to culture;
• Sustain attention to detail to ensure high accuracy;
• Self-starter; ability to anticipate needs and define a path forward with minimal guidance;
• Self-learner, ability to use Firm resources to upskill; focusing on the project management functionality of the Assurance tools (i.e., Aura, Connect, FlexForecast); and
• Technically competent with software including but not limited to Google G-Suite and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Tableau, and Alteryx
• Fluent English speaker

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Manage and ensure the timely delivery of projects by developing (as applicable) the project plan (with the engagement team’s assistance), assessing risks throughout, driving conclusions, and reviewing / challenging the output produced by the team;
• Track progress of the project against the plan and reporting on status to key stakeholders;
• Schedule and lead, as necessary, internal taking stock or huddle US/RTM team meetings. Provide feedback on the status of the project to the team at agreed points, such as the taking stock meeting;
• Monitor that required US/RTM engagement team members will be available at the right time to complete the audit work;
• Develop positive working relationships with audit team members (on site US team members, specialists, and Remote Team Members (RTMs)) and the client (as applicable);
• Maintain record of team huddle meetings and matters discussed, including actions to be taken. Update the team’s project plan and other tools (Aura, Connect, etc) to reflect changes to actions and responsibilities;
• Recommend, as applicable, project process improvements to improve effectiveness and quality of the project;
• Act as the focal point of information relating to the achievement of the project plan (for example, the project accelerator uses information received from the team to help achieve visibility of the project status and support good knowledge sharing practices.);
• Coordinate US/RTM engagement team members’ access to tools, client systems, Google drives, etc;
• Schedule team and client meetings as needed and ensure right attendees are included and agendas are shared 24 hours ahead of the meeting;
• Assists the engagement team, including RTMs, with any other administrative/logistics matter;
• Timely Escalates issues to appropriate stakeholders and proposes solutions;
• Own inventory of engagement templates that need to be rollforward and perform template roll forwards for these (i.e., engagement letters, representation letters, opinions);
• Ability to work outside local working hours; and
• Ability to apply a logical and analytical approach to work, tracking finances.

Education (if blank, degree and/or field of study not specified)

Degrees/Field of Study required:Degrees/Field of Study preferred: Bachelor Degree - Accounting

Certifications (if blank, certifications not specified)

Required Skills

Optional Skills

Desired Languages (If blank, desired languages not specified)

English

Travel Requirements

Available for Work Visa Sponsorship?

Government Clearance Required?

Job Posting End Date