Senior Accountant

Description

This position will lead efforts to ensure the Company complies with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and work directly with the Registrant and Shared Services management & control performers throughout Southern Company. This position will be responsible for performing and documenting control walkthroughs, updating flowcharts/narratives, designing controls, creating control test plans, performing control testing, evaluating exceptions/deficiencies, and reporting system-wide Registrant's SOX results to AFT management across the system.

Developing and enhancing relationships with Registrants and Shared Services will be critical to ensure success of the new organization.

Position is anticipated to be remote with occasional in-person requirements. Commuting distance to downtown areas of Birmingham or Atlanta is required.

Job Requirements (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills)

Education & Certifications

• A bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance is required
• Certification (such as CPA or CIA) or willingness to pursue certification is strongly desired

Experience

• Four years of Internal Controls or Internal Auditing experience performing risk assessments, walk throughs, controls design, control testing, and deficiency evaluations is preferred

Preferred Areas of Knowledge

• Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
• Auditing Standard 5
• COSO 2013 Internal Control Framework
• Financial risks and mitigating control design
• Information Provided by the Entity (Key Report) testing
• Data Analytics for automating control testing
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
• Security and Exchange Commission rules and reporting requirements

Preferred Skills

• Data analytics
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Effectively resolve conflict, confront disagreements positively, and express different points of view
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with control owners and management
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop and foster lasting relationships
• Effective leadership skills with the ability to train less experienced employees
• Effective organization skills as well as project development and management skills, along with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Good business judgment and decision-making skills
• Excellent teamwork abilities both within immediate team as well as across the enterprise
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate self-confidence and initiative
• Desire to learn the Utility financial and operational functions

Major Job Responsibilities

• Effectively lead top-down risk-based approach to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley for all Registrants. This includes controls rationalization, effective control design & testing assessments.
• Partner with Registrants and Shared Service management team to ensure Internal Controls activities are designed and operating effectively. Maintain open communication to ensure timely reporting of monitoring and testing results
• Support non-SOX related projects or activities as required
• Independently plan and schedule routine and non-routine projects
• Work with both financial and non-financial business units to develop a working knowledge of their end-to-end processes
• Work closely with and coordinate external audit SOX activities
• Continuously identify process improvements to achieve Company goals efficiently and effectively
• Effectively assess and evaluate deficiencies timely and properly communicate status to impacted stakeholders
• Leverage available tools to perform data analytics

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric utilities in four states, natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a national recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.

Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law. #LI

Job Field: Accounting & Auditing

Job Type: Standard

Primary Location: Alabama-Metro Birmingham/Eastern AL-Birmingham

Operating Company: Southern Company Services

Other Locations: Georgia-Metro Atlanta-Atlanta

Job Type: Standard

Travel (Up to): No

Work Location(s):

APC Corporate Headquarters - 600 North 18th Street (600BIRMINGHAM)

600 North 18th Street

Birmingham, 35203

Georgia Power Headquarters - 241 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE (241ATLANTA)

241 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE

Atlanta, 30308

Req ID: SCS2009872