The Role
As a Senior Accountant on the Americas Accounting team, you will play a critical role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and scalability of Morningstar's financial reporting processes across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil, while supporting select global controllership initiatives. You will partner with accounting, tax, treasury, FP&A, legal, and business stakeholders to address complex accounting matters, strengthen internal controls, and continuously enhance processes that support a high-quality and efficient close environment.
This role combines technical accounting expertise with a continuous improvement mindset. You will leverage data, technology, automation, and emerging AI capabilities to improve financial reporting, compliance, controls, and operational effectiveness while helping build a more scalable, proactive, and insight-driven Controllership organization. This position reports to the Americas Accounting Manager.
This is a full-time position based in our Chicago office. We operate in a hybrid environment with team members working in the office four days per week.
Responsibilities
Research, analyze, and resolve day-to-day accounting matters and complex transactions to ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, regulatory requirements, and Morningstar accounting policies.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting activities, including journal entries, account reconciliations, balance sheet reviews, flux analyses, and supporting schedules.
Support management and prepare journals and supporting schedules for more complex accounting processes, including internal-use software, commissions, M&A, etc.
Prepare and review statutory financial statements, regulatory filings, and other legal-entity reporting requirements to ensure accuracy and timely submission.
Manage a portfolio of regulatory and statutory compliance requirements across multiple legal entities and jurisdictions while maintaining adherence to reporting deadlines.
Maintain and enhance internal controls in support of Sarbanes-Oxley requirements by identifying opportunities to strengthen control effectiveness, improve documentation quality, and modernize control execution.
Partner with business leaders, auditors, tax advisors, and cross-functional teams to support audits, regulatory examinations, financial reporting initiatives, and strategic finance projects.
Develop insightful analyses and reporting for management that explain business drivers, accounting impacts, trends, risks, and opportunities.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance the efficiency, quality, and scalability of accounting operations through process redesign, standardization, data analytics, workflow optimization, and intelligent technology solutions.
Leverage AI-enabled tools, automation platforms, and advanced analytics to improve close activities, reconciliations, financial reporting, compliance monitoring, control documentation, and management reporting while reducing manual effort and operational risk.
Collaborate with global controllership teams to identify opportunities to transform accounting processes through data-driven insights, predictive analytics, and emerging technologies that support a more efficient and proactive finance organization.
Contribute to the development of accounting policies, procedures, and knowledge-management resources, utilizing technology and AI capabilities to improve documentation, consistency, training, and organizational learning.
Lead or participate in cross-functional projects and finance transformation initiatives, ensuring accounting, reporting, control, and operational considerations are effectively incorporated into solution design and implementation.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
CPA certification or progress toward certification preferred.
3-5 years of experience in public accounting, corporate accounting, or a combination of both.
Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, financial statement preparation, account reconciliation, and financial close processes.
Experience supporting audits, internal controls, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance requirements.
Demonstrated ability to analyze complex accounting transactions, assess risks, and develop practical accounting solutions.
Experience with regulatory, statutory, or legal-entity reporting is preferred.
Proven ability to identify process improvement opportunities and implement sustainable solutions that improve efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and control effectiveness.
Demonstrated curiosity and willingness to leverage emerging technologies, including AI-enabled solutions, to improve accounting processes, reporting quality, controls, and business insights.
Experience using data analytics, visualization, workflow, or automation tools to solve business problems and drive process improvements is preferred.
Ability to translate accounting and operational requirements into scalable, technology-enabled solutions that improve efficiency, control effectiveness, and decision-making.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively partner with stakeholders across all levels of the organization.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high standard of quality and accountability.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
Experience with enterprise finance and reporting systems such as Oracle, FCCS, Workiva, ARCS, Tableau, Alteryx, Power BI, Microsoft Copilot, or similar platforms is preferred.
Compensation and Benefits
At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. That’s why we champion your wellness through a wide range of programs that support all stages of your personal and professional life. Here are some examples of the offerings we provide:
Financial Health
100% 401k match up to 6% of salary
Stock Ownership Potential
Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission
Physical Health
Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual
Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance
Emotional Health
Trust-Based Time Off
6-week Paid Sabbatical Program
6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave
Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave
Adoption Assistance
Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses
Tuition Reimbursement
Social Health
Charitable Matching Gifts program
Dollars for Doers volunteer program
Paid volunteering days
15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups
Total Cash Compensation Range
$95,275.00-139,741.66Inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive
Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to collaborate in-person each week as we've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis. In most of our locations, our hybrid work model is four days in-office each week. A range of other benefits are also available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you'll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.
001_MstarInc Morningstar Inc. Legal EntitySkills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
- CPA certification or progress toward certification
- 3-5 years of experience in public accounting, corporate accounting, or a combination of both
- Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, financial statement preparation, account reconciliation, and financial close processes
- Experience supporting audits, internal controls, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance requirements
- Ability to analyze complex accounting transactions, assess risks, and develop practical accounting solutions
- Experience with regulatory, statutory, or legal-entity reporting
- Ability to identify process improvement opportunities and implement sustainable solutions that improve efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and control effectiveness
- Curiosity and willingness to leverage emerging technologies, including AI-enabled solutions, to improve accounting processes, reporting quality, controls, and business insights
- Experience using data analytics, visualization, workflow, or automation tools to solve business problems and drive process improvements
- Ability to translate accounting and operational requirements into scalable, technology-enabled solutions
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to partner with stakeholders across all organizational levels
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining quality and accountability
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
- Experience with enterprise finance and reporting systems such as Oracle, FCCS, Workiva, ARCS, Tableau, Alteryx, Power BI, Microsoft Copilot, or similar platforms
What the Team is Saying
Morningstar Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — A recurring paid sabbatical every four years and flexible time off in North America provide substantial time away from work. A global minimum of six weeks’ paid caregiving leave further extends coverage for personal and family needs.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave sets a stated global minimum of 16 weeks for primary caregivers and up to eight weeks for secondary caregivers, with adoption assistance reimbursing eligible expenses. These policies are positioned as global standards that complement broader leave programs.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Employees can convert a portion of bonuses or commissions into RSUs with an additional company match on the converted amount. Impact RSU awards in some cases add further upside tied to strong performance.
Morningstar Insights
What We Do
At Morningstar, we believe in building great products in-house in a highly collaborative, agile environment where we focus on technical excellence, the user experience, and continuous improvement. Our technologists represent a range of skills and experience levels, but they all view their work as a craft and push technology’s boundaries.
Why Work With Us
Imagining big things is in our blood -- it's transformed us from a company with just a few employees in 1984 to a leading independent investment research company with a worldwide presence today. As of April 2020, we acquired Sustainalytics to drive long-term meaningful outcomes for investors in the ESG space. Join us on this exciting journey!
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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
