Senior Accounting Specialist

Accounting Close Specialist

Prepares accounting close journal entries, financial statements, regulatory filings and numerous reconciliations across all W&S legal entities. Researches, resolves and documents reconciliation issues. Processes information necessary for detailed and accurate budget reporting, business unit cost allocations and intercompany expense chargebacks on a monthly basis. Serves as a point of contact for enterprise associates, including senior management, on questions regarding processes and day-to-day operations. Identifies issues and corrects accounting via journal entries in the general ledger resulting from interface issues with policy administration or investment accounting systems. Utilizes underlying knowledge of accounting processes including general ledger, budget software, statutory statement software, investment accounting software, process flow and reconciliation software in order to support accounting associates in the execution of monthly and quarterly investments, GAAP and statutory financial close and reporting processes. Works with direct supervision and is responsible for making some established range of decisions; escalating to Manager when necessary and updating Manager on a regular basis.

Responsibilities

• Prepares routine monthly, quarterly and year-end accounting close journal entries for all W&S legal entities, on both a statutory and GAAP basis. Accountable for analytically reviewing work product, explaining variances and researching and resolving issues and understanding how these activities fit into the overall department processes.
• Executes technical accounting responsibilities (budget/cost, investment accounting) and collaborates with external departments to resolve issues.
• Records monthly expense chargeback journal entries to properly charge respective departments for applicable expenses and collaborates with external department personnel at all levels to research questions and resolve issues. Accountable for analytically reviewing work product, explaining variances and researching and resolving issues and understanding how these activities fit into the overall department processes.
• Reconciles numerous general ledger accounts to ensure the integrity of financial data and maintains the control environment. Researches and resolves all aged/open reconciliation items in an accurate and timely manner. Accountable for analytically reviewing work product, explaining variances and researching and resolving issues and understanding how these activities fit into the overall department processes.
• Monitors key interfaces, system reporting, and chargeback processes. Identifies issues and errors, and collaborates with external departments to resolve issues. Prepares select quarterly and annual financial statements and additional financial reporting for distribution to management, the Board of Directors, regulators and rating agencies.
• Provides prompt and accurate customer service to internal customers at all levels. Instructs less experienced team members and customers on processes.
• Promptly submits all tasks/issues in the workflow tool and provides recommendations for task enhancements in a timely manner.
• Identifies validation issues and errors, including collaboration and communication with multiple departments to rectify errors.
• Identifies and implements process improvements while maintaining and enhancing related documentation.
• Prepares assigned filings of various regulatory schedules/reports on a quarterly and annual basis with state insurance departments.
• Participates in special projects, including testing of new systems and processes.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.

Qualifications

• College degree preferred or commensurate selection criteria experience. - Preferred
• Typically having three or more years of experience in fast-paced accounting operational role. - Required
• Proven experience managing multiple assignments within a fast-paced environment and ability to leverage accounting technology to research and resolve issues independently. - Required
• Cite examples from work experience on identifying complex problems, quantifying the problems and providing creative resolutions to solve problems. - Required
• Provides examples from work experience of maintaining a high degree of accuracy associated with high volumes of work and/or multiple duties. - Required
• Provides examples from work experience of going above and beyond the call of duty to help team members. - Required
• Proven flexibility when faced with changes in work procedures; this includes providing examples of grasping and initiating new concepts in the workplace. - Required
• Demonstrated experience successfully handling confidential information. - Required
• Demonstrated working knowledge of accounting systems, upstream subsidiary systems (admin, investment sub ledger) and business processes to support responsibilities. - Preferred
• Proven good verbal and written communication skills with ability to convey information to internal and external customers in a clear, focused and concise manner. - Required
• Proven excellent organizational skills. - Required
• Demonstrated initiative and a strong sense of urgency. Proven sense of importance to respond to inquiries from all customers in a timely and accurate manner. - Required
• Working knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet and database applications. - Required

Work Setting/Position Demands:

• Works in an office setting and remains in a stationary position for long periods of time while working at a desk, on a computer or with other standard office equipment, or while in meetings.
• Requires the ability to verbally communicate and exchange accurate information to customers and associates on a regular basis.
• Requires visual acuity to read and interpret a variety of correspondence, procedures, reports and forms via paper and electronic documents, visual inspection involving small defects; small parts, and/or operation of machinery (including inspection); using measurement devices continuously. Visual acuity is required to determine accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work assigned.
• Requires the ability to prepare written correspondence, reports and forms using prescribed formats and conforming to rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style on a regular basis.
• Requires the ability to apply principles of logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
• Performs substantial movement of wrists, hands, and fingers for continuous computer work.
• Extended hours required during peak workloads or special projects/events.

Travel Requirements:

• None