Staff Accountant

Description:

Southern Company is a leading energy company headquartered in Naperville, IL. It emphasizes financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, and strong operational control within its accounting and finance departments.

Position Summary:

The Staff Accountant II is responsible for preparing and analyzing billed and unbilled transactions, ensuring data accuracy for financial and regulatory reporting. This role involves journal entry preparation, month-end close processes, account reconciliations, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders including auditors. The position requires strong accounting knowledge, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines.

Major Job Responsibilities:

• Analyze daily billing system transactions to verify data integrity

• Review customer refund transactions for appropriateness and reasonableness

• Prepare journal entries required for month-end closing

• Perform controls to ensure revenue recognition completeness, investigate discrepancies, and escalate issues as necessary

• Manage unclaimed property transactions, including data entry and coordination of payment reissuance during escheatment cycles

• Prepare monthly tax payment requests and related returns

• Collaborate with Billing, Credit, and IT teams to research and resolve issues

• Provide necessary information to internal and external auditors

• Prepare standard reports for financial and regulatory reporting purposes

• Develop queries to support ad hoc and recurring data requests

• Perform monthly account reconciliations on assigned accounts and promptly resolve discrepancies

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) in Accounting

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification preferred

• 3 to 5 years of accounting experience

• Regulatory accounting experience is a plus

• Public accounting experience is a plus

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)

• Proficient in preparing journal entries and account reconciliations

• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills

• Experience working with Microsoft Access

• Effective time management skills with ability to prioritize and meet multiple deadlines

• Strong investigative skills to resolve account and transaction variances

• Experience working with both internal and external auditors

Pay Range:

$56,965 to $89,515.80 annually