Manager Project Accounting

OVERVIEW

Experience something categorically different. With over 1,400 stores throughout the U.S., a thriving digital ecosystem and a growth trajectory that’s put Wall Street on notice; Ulta Beauty provides dynamic challenges for those who want to apply their financial acumen to ever-increasing levels of complexity. Professional ownership. Diverse and ever-evolving projects. Greater levels of impact. The ability to influence decisions and organizational direction. It’s all part of the daily experience of our Finance & Accounting associates.

 

If you want a collaborative environment where continual learning, career self-determination and trust are prioritized, where an engaged leadership provides deep levels of support and guidance, Ulta Beauty is uniquely positioned to deliver greater levels of career satisfaction. Are you up for the challenge?

 

• General Accounting department is seeking a Manager, Project Accounting to lead accounting, financial oversight, forecasting, governance, and close activities for the Company’s IT project portfolio, including capital projects, cloud/SaaS initiatives, internal-use software, capitalized labor, and project-related operating expenses. This role will lead a team of four Project Accounting professionals, including two Senior Project Accountants responsible for IT project accounting and two Project Accounting staff supporting enterprise-wide project setup, maintenance, governance, and financial administration.
• The Manager serves as Accounting’s lead for IT project accounting, providing technical accounting guidance, financial governance, and accounting oversight throughout the project lifecycle. The role is responsible for reviewing, approving, and escalating accounting conclusions; ensuring compliance with applicable U.S. GAAP, including ASC 350-40, ASC 360, and Company accounting policies; supporting accurate financial reporting; strengthening internal controls; and providing leadership-level visibility into the IT project portfolio.
• The Manager partners closely with Accounting, IT Finance, SPD IT, IT Leadership, FP&A, the Transformation Office, project owners, and budget owners to ensure project costs are appropriately planned, classified, forecasted, capitalized or expensed, accrued, reported, and supported throughout the project lifecycle.

 

CORE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of four Project Accounting professionals, including two Senior Project Accountants responsible for IT project accounting and two Project Accounting staff supporting enterprise-wide project set-up, maintenance, governance, and financial administration.
• Direct day-to-day team operations by establishing priorities, balancing workloads, reviewing work product, providing technical guidance, and developing staff while ensuring the accurate and timely execution of IT project accounting, close activities, accruals, forecasting, governance, audit documentation, and enterprise project accounting processes.
• Oversee enterprise project accounting administration, including project set-up, maintenance, governance, and master data integrity to ensure projects are established and maintained in accordance with Company policies and financial reporting requirements.
• Lead Accounting’s involvement in project intake and governance by providing guidance on project funding, coding, capitalization, documentation requirements, and capitalization stage assessments consistent with ASC 350-40.
• Oversee Accounting’s support of annual IT project planning, including project inputs, planning templates, budget submissions, financial assumptions, and accounting treatment considerations.
• Own Accounting’s evaluation and approval of IT project costs, including capitalization, expense classification, cloud/SaaS arrangements, internal-use software, capitalized labor, amortization, and impairment considerations in accordance with ASC 350-40, ASC 360, and Company accounting policies.
• Review, approve, and escalate accounting conclusions and ensure key judgments are documented in accordance with applicable U.S. GAAP and Company accounting policies.
• Ensure accounting conclusions and key judgments are supported by clear, audit-ready documentation, including references to applicable U.S. GAAP, Company accounting policies, and relevant supporting evidence.
• Lead monthly, quarterly, and year-end close activities for the IT project portfolio, ensuring the timely and accurate completion of SAP actuals, Planview data, accruals, journal entries, reconciliations, variance analyses, and related financial reporting.
• Review and approve journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, account analyses, workpapers, project classifications, and supporting documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with Company accounting policies.
• Review monthly financial results, investigate significant variances, identify project coding or classification issues, and ensure timely resolution of open items.
• Lead the preparation, consolidation, and review of financial forecasts for the IT project portfolio. Monitor forecast accuracy, analyze variances, and partner with SPD IT and project owners to communicate key assumptions, risks, and projected financial outcomes.
• Partner with Accounting, IT Finance, SPD IT, FP&A, IT Leadership, project owners, and budget owners to present financial results, provide accounting guidance, resolve issues, influence project decisions, and provide visibility into key financial risks and drivers.
• Lead support for quarterly CIP reviews, amortization and impairment considerations, SOX controls, internal and external audit requests, financial reporting requirements, and other compliance-related activities.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex accounting matters, stakeholder issues, process gaps, and judgmental project accounting decisions.
• Identify and drive continuous improvements across enterprise project accounting processes, IT project planning, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, governance, controls, and stakeholder visibility.
• Perform other routine and non-routine accounting, finance, and project support activities as assigned

 

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

• Accounting leadership and technical accounting judgment
• Staff coaching, development, and review discipline
• Financial ownership, accountability, and internal control mindset
• Analytical problem solving and ability to challenge assumptions
• Cross-functional partnership and ability to influence stakeholders
• Clear, executive-ready communication
• Process discipline, continuous improvement mindset, and ability to lead through ambiguity

REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required; CPA strongly preferred.

• 5–7+ years of accounting, project accounting, corporate accounting, public accounting, or related finance experience.
• Prior supervisory, team lead, or people management experience preferred.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including capital versus expense treatment under applicable U.S. GAAP, including ASC 350-40 and ASC 360.
• Experience accounting for internal-use software, cloud computing arrangements, technology project accounting, IT capital projects, and related accounting guidance such as ASC 350-40 preferred.
• Strong close, accrual, financial planning, forecasting, journal entry, reconciliation, account analysis, SOX, audit, and financial reporting experience.
• Strong analytical, communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
• Strong Excel and Microsoft Office skills; SAP, Planview, and OneStream experience preferred.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, develop staff, and lead cross-functional processes in a fast-paced environment.

#LI-JB2

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The pay range for this position is $106,000.00 - $138,000.00 / Year with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company’s bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. For additional information concerning our benefits, visit our Benefits and Career Development page: https://learn.bswift.com/ulta

ABOUT

At Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA), the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest North American beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. We bring possibilities to life through the power of beauty each and every day in our stores and online with more than 25,000 products from approximately 500 well-established and emerging beauty brands across all categories and price points, including Ulta Beauty’s own private label. Ulta Beauty also offers a full-service salon in every store featuring—hair, skin, brow, and make-up services.

 

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.