Specialist I, Project Support

Job Summary:

The purpose of this position is to coordinate key work management tasks related to capital construction projects, including cost-recoverable programs, from initiation to financial close-out. Duties include project setup and maintenance in Southern Company Gas (SCG) Work Management System (WMS), asset allocation and booking in Power Plan, create and validate spot contracts, and invoice processing. This position serves as a liaison between the pipeline contractors and Southern Company Gas for system and work management issues. 

Responsibilities: 

• Coordinate key work management tasks related to capital construction projects to support initiation, execution, and financial close-out
• Validate required information to initiate projects in WMS, Gas Request, and PeopleSoft
• Create projects and all supporting work requests in SCG WMS system
• Associate work requests to appropriate contract in WMS to ensure pipeline contractor is paid based on agreed upon bill rate
• Monitor projects from initiation through completion
• Identify, analyze, and resolve project financial transaction issues
• Manage project workflow in Gas Request to ensure data being sent to PeopleSoft is correct and projects are opened and funded properly
• Monitor construction/retirement work in progress (CWIP/RWIP) reports to ensure projects are placed in service in a timely manner and projects adhere to SOX controls
• Review and report all outstanding pay items to pipeline contractors and project coordinators so that all payments can be processed, and projects closed efficiently
• Use project completion data to create and retire company assets to ensure cost recovery is achieved in a timely manner. Assets must be created/retired within the month they are placed in service
• Perform project closing tasks in PeopleSoft, Power Plan and WMS so that all data and reporting is complete and easily accessible by all departments 
• Develop in depth understanding of PeopleSoft coding and Power Plan system in order to ensure costs are properly allocated and assets booked accordingly 
• Invoice processing (including investigating aging reports)
• Monitor invoice aging reports as well as follow up with project coordinators to approve invoices in PeopleSoft to ensure timely payments to contractors
• Identify invoice processing and payment delays through invoice aging reports and collaborate with pipeline contractors, construction personnel, and Con Ops management at each utility to resolve payment delays and ensure compliance with contracted payment terms    
• Collect and confirm information needed for invoice accruals at the end of the month and submit to Plant Accounting within deadline
• Research and package all invoices and corresponding supporting data for any requests from internal audit or for the GA PSC quarterly audits of the Pipeline Replace Program
• Set up and maintain all projects in WMS system, which includes the timely creation of spot contracts with correct unit quantities and unit bid prices
• Second validate spot contracts to ensure correct quantities and pricing                                                                                                                                                                  

Business Acumen:

• Identify, analyze, and correct issues by understanding the correlation between systems and processes. This will include resolving interface errors between multiple systems.
• Apply critical thinking skills to review and improve processes.
• Process confidential information; maintaining confidentiality.
• Apply critical thinking skills to review and improve efficiencies in tasks assigned

 Engagement:

• Act as a liaison between pipeline contractors and SCG to ensure correct data set up in Work Management system, and to properly complete and invoice projects in a timely manner.
• Investigate, analyze, and resolve system and other complex issues through creative problem-solving skills.
• Complete on-going financial-related transactions to support capital construction projects.

 Driving Results:

• Ensure capital construction projects are initiated, worked and closed in a timely manner. This includes projects worked inside or outside of WMS.
• Monitor and maintain capital projects worked both inside and outside of WMS to ensure all invoices are paid, completion reports received, and assets booked accordingly.
• Ensure proper asset booking, allocation, retirement, and project closeout for capital construction projects at all SCG local distribution companies.

Education, Certifications/Licenses:

• BA/BS Degree in Business, Accounting, Finance or equivalent academic education and experience or
• High School Diploma or GED and related accounting or cost analyst work experience      

Work Experience:

Required:

• 2+ years of collaborating with people and supporting work management or financial processes (with BA/BS degree) or
• 3-5 years supporting work management or financial processes or
• Equivalent experience in SCG construction processes and systems (with High School Diploma or GED and related accounting or cost analyst work experience  

Preferred:

• Familiar with SCG Work Management System
• Familiar with Power Plan System
• Familiar with PeopleSoft Financial System
• Familiar with SCG construction processes 

Specific Skills & Knowledge:

• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
• Understanding of Microsoft Office Programs (Excel, Word, Power Point) – intermediate proficiency
• Understanding of basic accounting fundamentals