Senior Accountant

Position Overview

SouthWest Water Company is seeking a Senior Accountant to support our Accounting team. This role will perform continuing analysis and evaluation of the most complex accounting functions to provide for establishing and maintaining accounting methods, procedures, and internal controls. In addition, this role will perform a full spectrum of financial, regulatory, reporting and accounting assignments, make recommendations on operational and accounting issues within the role's functional area, and perform, review, and resolve complex work issues with minimal direction. We're looking for a team player who will help our teams accomplish a variety of projects and goals.

Benefits

• 401k Company Match: 100% of the first 6% of your eligible compensation contributed to the Plan
• Vacation Accrual: Starting at 3 weeks per year
• Holidays: 10 company-paid holidays per year
• Floating Time: 16 hours of paid floating time per year
• Additional Benefit Plans include Medical, Dental, Vision, Company-Paid Life Insurance and more
• Training, Professional Certifications, and Education Allowance

Job Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 
Reasonable Accommodations Statement 
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 
This position will be willing and able to perform the following duties and others as assigned:

• Gathers, analyzes, and compiles highly technical data for special reports to management and governmental agencies which may require specialized investigation and analysis within any of the major accounting functions.
• Advises, counsels, instructs, and explains to individuals of all levels within the Company and outside agencies to obtain or present information and data, resolve problems encountered, explain new procedures and techniques, etc.   
• Conducts complete studies of accounting methods and procedures to provide for the development, establishment, and maintenance of the accounting functions.   
• Examines basic accounting documents, classification of data, the various accounts and postings thereof, the procedures for reconciliation, internal controls, etc., to determine the adequacy of current operations and the need for improvement and the establishment of new or revised procedures.   
• Prepares detailed reports, including flow charts, written procedures, clarifications, etc., to illustrate and define findings, and develops an analysis of the needs, deficiencies and possible solutions.   
• Prepares new, revised, and improved procedures and methods, developing in detail, the specific processes to be installed to increase the efficiency of the operations.   
• Reports to Accounting Manager and is responsible for the completeness, adequacy, accuracy, and timeliness of work performed. Assists in supervising the activities of accountants or clerical personnel in the area of investigations and analysis.   
• Plans and conducts special investigations and studies as may be required to substantiate or clarify Company position on such items as: determining specific requirements relating to property and insurance transactions, Public Utilities Commission (P.U.C.) and other regulatory agencies, reports, tax depreciation, etc.
• May individually perform highly specialized accounting assignments for timely decision-making of the most complex nature involving decisions and commitments relating to interpretation of Company, accounting and P.U.C. policies and regulations, as assigned by either the Vice President of Finance or the Accounting Manager.   
• Maintains effective liaison with responsible personnel in other Company departments as required to initiate further or complete assignments.
• Other job related duties as assigned by management.

Position Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to manage projects
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with great customer service for both internal and external customers
• Ability to balance multiple project assignments
• Demonstrated expert in regulation and cost of service issues
• Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) such as SAP for work order management and scheduling, time card management, inventory management, and procurement activities is desirable
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 suite including Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, SharePoint, and Windows Explorer required
• Experience using GIS map viewer software desirable

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor's Degree with major in Accounting or Business Administration required
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification highly preferred

Work Experience

• 5+ years' direct accounting experience requiring a thorough knowledge of accounting theory and practice as it relates to accounting systems, policies, procedures and reporting methods.
• The overall experience level may be reduced if some experience has been gained in the public accounting sector.

Competencies