Principal Accountant

About the role

Join our growing team at Summit Utilities, Inc., a natural gas utility providing safe, reliable, and clean-burning natural gas service to homes and businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. This role may be hybrid-based in one of our offices in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, or Maine, or remote in Texas.

The Principal Accountant serves as the go-to person for the Shared Services and Operations Accounting team, supporting the Senior Accounting Manager with reviewing/approving journal entries, reconciliations, research, analysis, and special projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead by example, providing guidance and support to the team while 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 the month-end close schedule to accurately reflect financial accounts in the general ledger for service companies, debt holding entities, and utility entities.
• Prepare and/or review reconciliations of balance sheet accounts monthly, quarterly, and annually.
• Review monthly variance analysis and assist in preparing the monthly financial statements package and other reporting as required.
• Support the successful completion of interim and annual financial statement audits.
• Collaborate with FP&A, Regulatory, Operations, Engineering, and Program Management to research and resolve issues with operating results.
• Assist with regulatory rate filings, including data requests.
• Handle ad-hoc requests for the Shared Services & Operations Accounting team and their support to other departments.
• Serve as the primary systems knowledge resource, leading resolution processes for system issues and enhancements.
• Assist with training new employees and implementing new systems.

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, with a 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 achieving 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 those of Summit Utilities, including high integrity and a commitment to appropriate governance.

Benefits

Summit offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, designed to provide flexibility, choice, and support for employees both at work and at home.