U.S. Cellular Looking for Lead Accountant – Operations Accounting at United States, Illinois, Chicago Full Time

The Lead Accountant role will support the preparation of GAAP financial statements. This position will play an integral role in supporting the operations of the business; facilitate the timely completion and analysis of financial results and accounting transactions, leading an efficient close process, and understanding the internal and external requirements to ensure accurate reporting. This role will act as a representative of the Accounting department at critical cross-functional project meetings impacting accounting considerations, system functionality and decision making, while investigating issues that require originality, ingenuity, and in-depth analysis.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Act as a team lead; This includes, but is not limited to, leading and coordinating accounting activities for area of assignment and training and mentoring less experienced associates.
• Manage workload effectively and efficiently by prioritizing responsibilities.
• Act as a representative of the Accounting department at critical cross-functional project meetings.
• Apply analytical skills and professional judgement while analyzing and reviewing complex transactions.
• Serve as subject matter resource to the team and perform technical research as well as prepare documentation of accounting issues and proposed guidance.
• Review and verify the accuracy of journal entries and accounting classifications; including review procedures over journal entries prepared by less experienced associates.
• Resolve a wide range of accounting issues in innovative ways.
• Help to ensure team’s compliance with all Sarbanes-Oxley internal control requirements for assigned areas, ensuring that internal controls are designed appropriately and operating effectively.
• Analyze financial reports and records, making both accounting and operational improvement recommendations
• Review, research, and recommend improvements to financial and operational processes, analysis, reporting, and systems ensuring adherence to GAAP.
• Support external and internal audit requests.
• Respond to financial inquiries of operational management providing requested information for management of the business.
• Coordinate accounting or reporting matters with other departments or functions throughout the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance.
Strong knowledge of technical accounting / U.S. GAAP.
Proven technical accounting research and understanding of current accounting issues.
Strong PC literacy skills in a Windows environment with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Access and Word).
Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively within cross-functional teams and resolve issues.
Strong analytical and problem solving skills with attention to detail.
Continuous improvement mindset.
Demonstrated success to independently resolve and/or develop recommendations for unprecedented, complex issues and problems.
Ability to anticipate problems and develop recommendations for management resolution.
Ability to communicate issues of a complex nature in a clear, concise, and organized manner.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five (5) or more years of broad accounting experience.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure.
• Public accounting experience (Big four a plus).
• Experience working with or within a public company with SEC reporting and SOX control requirements.
• Experience with SAP.

Salary Range $74800 – $122467 / yearly (depending on experience)