Lead Accountant
American Water

Requisition ID: 107397

Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different. We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people across 14 regulated jurisdictions and 18 military installations. American Water's 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.S., American Water expects to invest $30 to $34 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years. The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities.

American Water has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year, ranked 18th on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2023 List, earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense® Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Do you have a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or Finance and have experience with reviewing and approval of journal entries and the management of the monthly close process, then this role is for YOU! APPLY TODAY for immediate consideration!

Primary Role

Responsible for the compilation, review and analysis of accounting/financial information for the American Water subsidiaries as assigned, and the maintenance of complete and accurate subsidiary general ledgers. Assists in the consolidation process and provides reporting support and other services to the External Reporting, Budgeting and Internal Reporting, Tax, Treasury, Finance, Operations and Regulatory and other teams.

Key Accountabilities

• Assists in the review and approval of journal entries and the management of the monthly close process.

• Analyzes financial results and variances, ensuring completeness and accuracy of the subsidiary general ledgers.

• Performs, reviews and approves key account analyses and reconciliations, including the timely investigation and resolution of discrepancies and reconciling items.

• Analyzes, executes and owns complex/technical accounting processes and transactions

• Provides reporting support, information and analysis to assist in consolidation and the External Reporting team's fulfillment of the Company's quarterly and annual SEC reporting requirements.

• Assists in the preparation and review of annual subsidiary financial statements , ensuring compliance with US GAAP, state-specific utility regulation, internal controls and Company policies and practices.

• Participates in the annual audits (both the consolidated audit and subsidiary audits) and coordination with the external auditors.

• Interfaces/liaises with External Reporting, Budgeting and Internal Reporting, Tax, Treasury, Finance, Operations and Regulatory and other teams ., providing technical guidance, expertise and information for accounting and reporting matters and assistance in interpreting and analyzing financial results.

• Assists the Rates Support/Regulatory Operations teams in fulfilling rate case requests and analyses for filings and/or other reporting requirement reports.

• Directs special projects and initiatives to optimize the effectiveness of existing business applications, technologies and systems and to build efficiencies/improvements into current business processes.

• Assists in the refinement and maintenance of the accounting/financial policies, practices, internal controls and operating procedures to ensure the integrity of the Company's internal control structure.

Knowledge/Skills

• Four to seven years of relevant experience required.

• Prior public accounting, corporate and/or multi-subsidiary company experience a strong preference.

• Prior experience working in the utility industry and knowledge of regulatory accounting a plus.

• Knowledge and prior experience working with SAP, PowerPlant, Hyperion, Blackline, SharePoint a plus.

• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and the ability to apply principles and practices to complex/technical accounting matters.

• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), with a particular expertise in advanced Microsoft Excel functionalities (i.e. pivot and look-up tables, etc.).

• Strong written and oral communication skills with proven ability to interact effectively with internal customers, management and external professionals (i.e. auditors).

• Full, end-to-end ownership of assignments including, proactively engaging appropriate members to jointly resolve issues and communicate results.

• Excellent analytical, systemic and problem-solving skills, including the ability to lead/direct project teams/initiatives or effectively work independently.

• Strong interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on initiative, knowledge sharing, team building and decision making.

Experience/Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or Finance required.

• CPA or advanced degree preferred.

• Four to seven years of relevant experience required.

• Prior public accounting, corporate and/or multi-subsidiary company experience a strong preference.

• Prior experience working in the utility industry and knowledge of regulatory accounting a plus.

Competencies

Champions safety

Collaborates

Cultivates innovation

Customer obsessed

Drives Results

Nimble learning

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.