Project Accountant - Baton Rouge, United States - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Description

We take great strides to ensure our employees have the resources to live well, be healthy, continue learning, develop skills, grow professionally and serve our local communities. We invite you to apply for a career with Blue Cross.

Residency in or relocation to Louisiana is preferred for all positions.

**POSITION PURPOSE**

Develops and applies the principles of accounting within an assigned area of accounting and creating and interpreting financial statements and reports. Participates in special projects as it relates to investment accounting, to ensure that proper accounting principles are followed and reflected in decisions.

**NATURE AND SCOPE**

+ This role does not manage people

+ This role reports to this job: Director, Financial Reporting

Necessary Contacts: In order to effectively fulfill this position the incumbent must be in contact with:

All levels of BCBSLA personnel as needed.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, financial institutions, external auditors and other regulatory agencies as needed.

**QUALIFICATIONS**

**Education**

+ Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related finance field required

**Work Experience**

+ 8 years of accounting or related experience required

+ Previous Sungard experience preferred

+ Previous Investment Accounting experience preferred

**Skills and Abilities**

+ Strong math, organizational and analytical skills.

+ Superior communication skills, as demonstrated by an ability to interpret, present and explain complex accounting issues.

+ Effective interpersonal and oral/written communication skills are necessary as well as the ability to work independently.

+ Must be able to complete tasks under time constraints

+ Must have working knowledge of Microsoft applications with a high level of competency in Excel.

+ Possesses superior ability to take initiative, establish strong relationships, work independently or as part of a team and meet deadlines.

**Licenses and Certifications**

+ Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or CPA candidate preferred

**ACCOUNTABILITIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**

+ Serves as functional leader over assigned areas within accounting department. Responsible for timely and adequate completion of routine work tasks assigned. Provides supervisory assistance and immediate direction on investment accounting functions.

+ Reviews or reconciles assigned general ledger accounts and investigates differences in order to close the books accurately on a monthly basis. Serves as senior level resource for advising on complex research matters. Review and approve journal entries, and other accounting documents.

+ Completes various checklists, worklists, and investment income analysis for month end close processes up to and including financial statement analysis and presentations for upper management.

+ Leads interdepartmental meetings and communications with regards processes and their relation to investments accounting reconciliations and records.

+ Collaborates with Tax and Statutory Accounting teams to ensure appropriate accounting for investment related transactions.

+ Provides instruction and documentation for other areas to assist in processes affecting the general ledger. Serves as departmental representative on new workstreams relative to financial reporting and investment accounting.

+ Serves as primary contact for Internal Audit with regards to quarterly Model Audit Rule (MAR) requests, as it relates to investment accounting. Designated contact over various pieces of annual external financial audit, including timely review and submission of investment related audit requests.

+ Interprets and implements new investment accounting pronouncements across organizations.

+ Responsible for departmental improvements upgrades to financial operating systems and investment accounting software, including seeking out available and new functionality, as well as facilitating testing procedures on system enhancements and upgrades.

+ Performs other duties as assigned.

**Additional Accountabilities and Essential Functions**

_The Physical Demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the Accountabilities and Essential Functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions_

+ Perform other job-related duties as assigned, within your scope of responsibilities.

+ Job duties are performed in a normal and clean office environment with normal noise levels.

+ Work is predominately done while standing or sitting.

+ The ability to comprehend, document, calculate, visualize, and analyze are required.

#LI_JH1

**An Equal Opportunity Employer**

**All BCBSLA EMPLOYEES please apply through Workday Careers.**

PLEASE USE A WEB BROWSER OTHER THAN INTERNET EXPLORER IF YOU ENCOUNTER ISSUES (CHROME, FIREFOX, SAFARI)

**Additional Information**

Please be sure to monitor your email frequently for communications you may receive during the recruiting process. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only those most qualified will be contacted. To monitor the status of your application, please visit the "My Applications" section in the Candidate Home section of your Workday account.

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, please contact for assistance.

In support of our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians, Blue Cross encourages the good health of its employees and visitors. We want to ensure that our employees have a work environment that will optimize personal health and well-being. Due to the acknowledged hazards from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, and in order to promote good health, our company properties are smoke and tobacco free.

_Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana performs background and pre-employment drug screening after an offer has been extended and prior to hire for all positions. As part of this process records may be verified and information checked with agencies including but not limited to the Social Security Administration, criminal courts, federal, state, and county repositories of criminal records, Department of Motor Vehicles and credit bureaus. Pursuant with sec 1033 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, individuals who have been convicted of a felony crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust are prohibited from working in the insurance industry unless they obtain written consent from their state insurance commissioner._

_Additionally, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a Drug Free Workplace. A pre-employment drug screen will be required and any offer is contingent upon satisfactory drug testing results._

**JOB CATEGORY:** **Finance**