Project Assistant

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 36, people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the worlds most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

The Project Assistant performs the timely and accurate activities related to Arcadis Way of Project Management to support the project manager across the lifecycle of a project. Responsibilities may include administrative tasks around updating schedules and resource plans, maintaining project documentation, delivering supporting information to understand project progress sand support project reviews (health checks), and preparing progress reporting information. In addition, the project assistant may be called upon to schedule meetings and coordinate communication among team members and helping to monitor project progress.

Role accountabilities:

Process Delivery 

Typically supports projects up to the value of ~5m, with medium project complexity with little to no supervision and guidance of more experienced team members. 

Supervision of more junior project assistants. 

Provide guidance to other junior team members and may begin to supervise and train others in your team.

Acquire skills of the industry you are assigned to gain greater understanding of the business. Have knowledge and understanding of Oracle ERP and the Arcadis Way Project Management. 

Self-directed on all Project Assistant activities and produce outputs under no supervision but should be accountable for self-checking your work. 

Operational teams collect information and co-ordinate activities required to achieve project compliance and processes. Deliver re-occurring works with no supervision or quality checks. 

Take a proactive role in monitoring and evaluating existing processes to identify opportunities and provide advice for the improvement of processes and systems. 

Take full ownership of distinct elements project management assignments, ensuring standards of delivery meet defined objectives and contribute towards successful delivery of a project or programme. 

Clarify scope, commit to deadlines, and deliver quality outputs at agreed times. 

Proficiency & understanding of project management tools and the procedures to be followed that make process efficient. 

Take a proactive role in evaluating processes, sharing knowledge, identifying opportunities, and providing advice to help improve processes and systems. 

Provide a substantial role on less complex projects or elements of larger, less complex projects and take ownership of distinct elements of the tasks/ assignments. 

Work independently and have an in-depth technical knowledge and practical experience to complete most tasks but will seek support from senior team member on new or unusual areas of work. 

Act as a champion or sub-task led to deliver small tasks using new tools, and train others in how to use them. To facilitate effective project management by adeptly managing and analysing data, identifying potential performance risks and issues, and implementing strategies to mitigate them. 

Apply analytical skills and technical methods to complete complex, 

professional level tasks on time with value added. Version Date 2 

Understanding of time and material (T&M) and Lumpsum (Fixed Price) revenue recognition type contracts to quickly learn and understand the Project Assistant role in AWPM with project setup, project modification, and project closeout. 

Liaise with stakeholders from across the business to resolve queries and ensuring efficient and high-quality information and output to all internal clients.

Preparation of financial reports like project cost analysis report and labour forecasting report. 

Monitor processes, share knowledge, and provide feedback on existing procedures to identify opportunities for the improvement of processes and systems. 

Review and request new project setups (ACTs) including contract value, contract type, rates, pay terms, address details, taxing criteria, etc. Consult with the Project Manager and Project Finance when contract documentation is not provided. 

Review and update the Oracle workplan as needed with direction of the Project Manager. Any additional task and fees should be notified to Project Finance.

Review cash flow management that debts have been paid and invoices have been requested. Raise requisitions and attach the supporting documents to PO creation. Ensure agreements are in place for suppliers/ sub-contractors can be used and manage PO spend on the projects. 

Follow monthly deadlines from Project Finance to proactively drive the need for invoicing and communicate Project Manager related invoicing delays. Monitor the Global Invoicing Dashboard for invoicing needs and continuously check payment statuses

. Assist project compliance Collaboration Hub and ensure the mandatory documents are tagged. If not, request these from the Project Manager. 

Monitor working capital for projects in weekly/ monthly Project Manager meetings. Reviewing WIP and liaising with Project Finance to provide insight and commentary to project controller to support with working capital reviews to drive lower DRO. Highlighting and escalating to Project Finance any risks to WIP or expected delays to the billing schedule, at the project level expected changes

. Review project financial performance, including cost and revenue with the Project Manager. Liaise with Project Finance to provide insight/intervention to support performance. 

Attend project reviews for projects you directly support. Dependent on the review regime (fit to size) and take note of actions they are responsible for completing post review. 

Review project forecast changes, escalating to the Project Manager and Project Finance to support where material financial impact is expected. 

Be accountable for your project deliverables and notify the Project Manager and Line Manager if expectations cannot be met.

Be proficient in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint which is part of daily Project Assistant activities.

Qualifications & Experience:

The candidate should have;

5-10 years related experience in any project accounting and project co-ordination background. 

PMP/ APM / PRINCE2 certifications will be an add on advantage to the requirement. 

Experience operating in a global offshoring model. 

Understanding of time and material (T&M) and lumpsum (fixed price) revenue recognition and metrics 

Relevant work experience in project management and finance activities. 

Excellent written and verbal English is mandatory.

Ability to liaise with peers and key stakeholders in the countries you are supporting. 

Develop high level competency within Oracle ERP financial and project management. 

Experience in Oracle systems is preferred. 

Proficient in Microsoft applications is required (Excel, Outlook, and Word) 

Result oriented and attention to detail. Communicate effectively both verbal and written. 

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Proactive and a committed team player Can work on flexible hours to meet changing work environment and to meet tight deadlines, specifically around month end close.

For this role Arcadis values professional experience across the following priority areas:

Breadth of experience: Able and willing to communicate clearly and timely, ability to meet deadlines, deliver accurate and correct quality work.

Driving innovation: Be mindful and be curious of innovative solutions to drive an effective process. 

Data and technology: Develop skill set and competency to use tools and technology required with the role. 

Be curious: 

Demonstrate and develop curiosity in oneself and others; Include Arcadians on a journey of discovery and co-creation. Be comfortable to ask questions and find resolution. Have a global awareness, and future thinking mindset. Intrigued to learn about digital enhancements and innovative. Build stakeholder relationships that are value-adding, engaging and purposeful. Incorporate a human-centric, experimentation and continuous learning mindset to lead innovation and transformation. Actively engage diverse points of view and engage with healthy issues-based conflict. Accepting support from leaders to manage situations. 

Drive success: 

Create a sense of shared ownership and responsibility balancing this with decisiveness for own actions. Take ownership for own responsibility, creating clarity and motivating and aligning others. Internalize organizational goals, making them ones own personal stretch goals. Are outcomes focused and do not avoid challenges. Actively look to participate in shaping the future of the organization.

 Ignite passion: Personally, role model and have a commitment to improving quality of life and putting sustainability at the core. Apply an adaptive style to engagement that is culturally sensitive and appeals to the personal needs of others. Version Date 4 Bring clarity and thorough clear communication. Build trusted relationships through authenticity and demonstrating integrity.