Senior Accountant

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT / INTERNAL CONTROLS

The SCS Internal Controls & Compliance team is responsible for risk assessment, planning, controls design, testing of operating effectiveness, evaluating deficiencies, and reporting system-wide SOX results to Registrant’s and Shared Services’ management across the Southern Company system. 

This position is a great opportunity to both contribute to and learn the overall business of Southern Company and its Subsidiaries. In this shared-service role, you will support the Company’s internal control program to ensure compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley.  The successful candidate will primarily assist in planning and executing the controls program for the Financial Reporting process. This position requires that the candidate be fully engaged in the business, developing and enhancing relationships with stakeholders from the various Registrants and Shared Services functions. To be successful, the candidate should be comfortable learning new processes, asking challenging questions, and questioning the status quo. The ability to work independently, assess processes and recommend improvements for accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and/or automation is required. 

This position can be located in either Atlanta or Birmingham.

Job Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Accounting-related field is required
• Certification (such as CPA or CIA) is preferred Experience
• Minimum 4+ years of experience in accounting, internal controls, auditing, or related fields. 
• Strong understanding of ICFR, SOX 302/404, and SEC reporting. 
• Demonstrated accounting proficiency—especially applied to financial reporting and disclosure related topics desired.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to deliver under tight deadlines. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with limited supervision. 
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills across diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Areas of Knowledge

• Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
• Auditing Standard 5
• COSO 2013 Internal Control Framework
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
• Security and Exchange Commission rules and reporting requirements

Job Responsibilities

• Execute risk-based approach to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley for all Registrants.  This includes controls rationalization, effective control design and testing assessments. 
• Serve as an ICFR subject matter leader for the Financial Reporting process, ensuring strong control design, consistent performance, and compliance with COSO and SOX requirements. 
• Lead and document walkthroughs, process narratives, flowcharts, control testing, and deficiency evaluations for assigned processes. 
• Apply technical accounting expertise to evaluate complex transactions and system flows. 
• Effectively assess and evaluate deficiencies, including remediation plans.  Communicate the status to impacted stakeholders timely. 
• Identify opportunities for improved efficiency, automation, consistency, and control enhancement. 
• Coordinate with internal and external auditors on SOX related audit activities.  Prepare periodic SOX reports to timely communicate walkthrough and testing results, deficiencies, etc. to management.
• Support special projects or activities as required.
• Leverage available tools to perform data analytics.