Principal Accountant

Join our growing team and discover why Summit Utilities, Inc. continues to earn national and regional recognition as an employer of choice, including Best Places to Work awards in multiple states and Forbes America’s Best Small Employers (2023). Summit is a growing natural gas utility providing safe, reliable, and clean-burning natural gas service to homes and businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.

About the role

The Principal Accountant position is primarily focused on being the go-to person for the Shared Services and Operations Accounting team within the Accounting Department. This position will support the Senior Accounting Manager and team with reviewing/approving journal entries and reconciliations, as well as research and analysis and special projects. This role may be hybrid-based in one of our offices in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, or Maine; or remote in Texas.

Responsibilities

• Lead by example, providing guidance and support to the team, ensuring compliance with all company and accounting policies.
• Assist with research and compliance of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) rules.
• Prepare and/or review journal entries in accordance with policies and month-end close schedule to accurately reflect financial accounts in the general ledger for service companies, debt holding entities, and utility entities as applicable.
• Prepare and/or review reconciliations of balance sheet accounts monthly, quarterly, and annually.
• Review monthly variance analysis, along with preparing or assisting in the preparation of the monthly financial statements package and other reporting as required.
• Support the successful completion of the interim and annual financial statement audits.
• Work with FP&A, Regulatory, Operations, Engineering, and Program Management to research and resolve any issues with operating results.
• Assist with regulatory rate filings including data requests.
• Handle other ad-hoc requests pertaining to the Shared Services & Operations Accounting team and their support to other departments.
• Become the primary person for systems knowledge, leading resolution processes for system issues and enhancements.
• Assist with training of new employees and new systems when implemented.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years of accounting experience.
• Minimum 3 years in a regulated utility preferred, preferably in either the regulatory department or on the accounting staff.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting required; advanced degree preferred.
• CPA or CPA candidate preferred.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Analytical Capability – Strong analytical and processing skills. Sophisticated understanding of how to prepare and use financial information and metrics to model potential outcomes from regulatory processes.
• Leadership Skills – Ability to articulate clear business outcomes and enroll the organization in the achievement of extraordinary results.
• Communication Skills – Ability to clearly and credibly articulate complex information to a variety of internal and external constituencies.
• Personal Values – Demonstrated values consistent with the values of Summit Utilities. Well respected, solid reputation. High integrity and commitment to appropriate governance.

Benefits

Summit offers competitive pay and medical/dental/vision and other benefits that provide flexibility, choice, and support to our employees when they need it most. We understand that home and family are essential pieces of your life, and our benefits are designed to support you both at work and at home.