Accountant - Accounts Payable and Payroll

Overview

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration – through conceptualization – to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 60 years we’ve led with vision, contributing to many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 51^st largest global architecture firm and the #1 Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2024 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you’ll discover more than just a job – you’ll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counselling services and regular workplace clinics. You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun-runs, in-house sports teams and beach clean ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, employee referral rewards.

Responsibilities

Our newest opportunity is for a talented Accountant - Accounts Payable and Payroll to join our team based in Porto, Portugal.

This position is responsible for the day-to-day accounting and finance activities of EuroKEO in Portugal. The role ensures accurate financial records, timely supplier payments, reliable payroll processing, and compliance with applicable Portuguese statutory and regulatory requirements. Itrequires hands-on experience in Portuguese payroll, accounts payable, general accounting, and financial reporting. The role holder is expected to work independently while coordinating effectively with internal stakeholders, external accountants, payroll providers, suppliers, and advisers.

European scope and location: Be fully dedicated to European operations, directly processing Portuguese payroll and coordinating or supporting with local payroll / accounting operations in Spain, Ireland and the UK.

We envisage success in this role to include;

Accounts Payable

• Managing the end-to-end accounts payable process, including receipt, verification, coding, and recording of supplier invoices.
• Ensuring supplier invoices are accurately recorded in the accounting system and allocated to the appropriate general ledger accounts and cost centers.
• Verifying invoices against purchase orders, contracts, and supporting documentation where applicable.
• Monitoring supplier payment due dates and prepare payment schedules to ensure timely settlement.
• Performing supplier statement reconciliations and investigate outstanding balances and discrepancies.
• Ensuring appropriate VAT treatment is applied to supplier invoices in accordance with Portuguese tax requirements.
• Assisting with employees expenses claims and other operational payments.

Portugal Payroll - Performed in coordination with the Human Resources and Payroll teams.

• Portuguese payroll ownership and expertise: Independently manage end-to-end Portuguese payroll, with essential hands-on experience in Portuguese payroll legislation and payroll software, including overtime, absences, statutory allowances and final settlements.
• Payroll internalization and HR collaboration: Supporting the transition from outsourced to in-house Portuguese payroll under Finance, working closely with HR Portugal on payroll inputs, monthly validation, discrepancies and employee-related matters.
• Maintaining accurate employee payroll records, including salaries, allowances, benefits, deductions, and employee changes.
• Verifying payroll calculations, including gross-to-net salaries, income tax withholding (IRS), and employee and employer Social Security contributions.
• Coordinating payroll input and changes, including new joiners, leavers, salary adjustments, leave, and absences.
• Reconciling payroll reports against payroll-related general ledger accounts and payment records.
• Ensuring payroll-related payments, declarations, and statutory submissions are completed within applicable deadlines, working with external payroll providers where necessary.
• Supporting the accounting and reconciliation of salaries, bonuses, leave accruals, and other employee-related costs.

General Accounting and Financial Reporting

• Recording day-to-day accounting transactions and maintain accurate general ledger records.
• Assisting with monthly closing activities, including accruals, prepayments, journal entries, and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Reconciling bank accounts and investigate outstanding or unusual transactions.
• Assisting with year-end closing and the preparation of schedules required by external accountants and auditors.

Tax and Statutory Compliance

• Assisting with payroll tax and Social Security reporting and compliance.
• Coordinating with external accountants, tax advisers, and other service providers on accounting and compliance matters.
• Monitoring compliance deadlines and escalate potential issues to the Finance Manager.

Internal Controls and Process Improvement

• Following company accounting policies, procedures, and internal control requirements.
• Ensuring appropriate supporting documentation and approvals are obtained before recording transactions and processing payments.
• Identifying accounting discrepancies and outstanding items and follow up until resolution.
• Identifying opportunities to improve the efficiency and accuracy of accounting and finance processes.

Qualifications

To be successful in this dynamic opportunity, we envision that your career journey to date will include 3-5 years work experience in accounting and finance, preferably within a Portuguese company or an international organization operating in Portugal partnered with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field. 

Furthermore, you should demonstrate:

• Practical knowledge of Portuguese payroll processes, including salary calculations, IRS income tax withholding, Social Security contributions, employee benefits, and payroll-related accounting entries.
• Hands-on experience in Accounts Payable (AP), including supplier invoice processing, invoice verification, general ledger coding, payment preparation, and supplier statement reconciliations.
• Working knowledge of Portuguese VAT (IVA), including the review of supplier invoices and the appropriate accounting and tax treatment of transactions.
• Good understanding of general accounting principles, including journal entries, accruals, prepayments, bank reconciliations, and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience supporting monthly financial closing, financial reporting, and year-end accounting activities.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including formulas, lookups, pivot tables, and data reconciliation.
• Ability to maintain accurate accounting records, manage deadlines, and coordinate effectively with external accountants, payroll providers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
• Good communication skills in Portuguese and English to support local operations and group-level finance reporting.
• Experience with Deltek Vantagepoint will be considered a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with Portuguese statutory accounting, tax compliance, and applicable employment and payroll regulations.
• Professional accounting qualifications or membership of a recognized accounting body will be considered an advantage.

KEO’s performance is founded upon integrity, results, innovation, safety and our people. We embrace diversity and recognise its’ contribution to client success wherever we work.

We are excited to hear how you can partner with our award-winning team and treat all expressions of interest confidentially.