Manager Operational Accounting

** Company :*
* Highmark Inc.

** Job Description :*
* ** GENERAL OVERVIEW*
* This job supervises a team responsible for the review of monthly journal entries and reconciliations, analysis and oversight of the maintenance of related financial records, reconciliations and analytical reports.  The Manager leads GAAP and Statutory / IDR reporting processes for general ledger, financial statements, footnotes and exhibits for assigned processes; serves as the department leader for large-scale projects impacting assigned processes such as system or business migrations, company integrations, new product offerings etc.

that may span outside of the finance department; develops business policies and supervises special financial and business related studies and interact with other departments in the preparation of analyses; supervises data modeling and analysis of the current business as well as projecting and forecasting of future activities; develops and maintains databases and spreadsheets to facilitate accounting, analysis and reporting; ensures internal controls related to assigned processes are in place and operating effectively and meeting MAR documentation standards;

and communicates with other departments and/or outside agencies to address information or analysis requests for internal and external customers.  In addition, responsible for staff personnel related matters such as hiring, mentoring, training, disciplinary action and performance appraisals.

** ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES*
* + Communicate effectively.  This position displays effective communication skills while performing the following functions:

+ Lead a group of 4
-6 accountants and analysts. Management duties include establishing objectives, performing annual reviews and relaying information from senior management.

+ Provide functional coaching to staff to enhance development.

+ Coordinate with other departments, locations, and divisions items critical for assigned processes.

+  Communicate with other departments and/or outside agencies to address information or analysis requests for internal and external customers.

+ Advise management of expected outcomes, and recommending ways to improve the outcomes.

+ Effectively oversee and support the financial accounting and analysis functions of Highmark.

+  Responsible for ensuring accounting activity generated by the company is accurate and recorded timely to the various GL's and other data repositories in accordance with accounting principles (GAAP and SSAP).

+ Review of monthly journal entries and reconciliations, analytical review and variation analysis and oversee the maintenance of related financial records, reconciliations and analytical reports.

+ Provide technical accounting and Highmark system guidance to staff as necessary.

+ Identify non-routine transactions and their proper accounting treatment.

+  Responsible for supervision of staff and financial reporting deliverables.

+ Develop and implement internal controls for assigned processes and verify they are in place and operating effectively to meet MAR documentation standards.

+ Facilitation of analysis and reporting.

+ Expert knowledge of Highmark's financial and operational systems including but not limited to billing, revenue estimation, claims, supporting source systems, and general ledger including how these systems interact with each other during day to day operations and monthly reporting processes.

+ Expert knowledge of product structures to ensure product results are reflected appropriately in the general ledger and other data repositories to facilitate financial analysis and forecasting processes.

+ Leverage staff to develop and maintain databases and spreadsheets to facilitate reporting & analysis.

+ Automate accounting, reporting and analysis processes leveraging system development personnel to develop or enhance systems where appropriate.

+ Process/Project Management

+ Leveraging staff, manage multiple accounting and analysis deliverables with aggressive deadlines independently.

+ With department leader, manage corporate initiatives such as system or business migrations or enhancements, new product offerings, company integrations etc. impacting assigned processes. Lead staff to develop or enhance current processes to accommodate.

+ Develop and implement projects to re-engineer current processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness of accounting, reconciling, balancing and analysis procedures.

+ Manage resources and staff in order for the project to be completed meeting project and financial reporting deadlines.

+ Other duties as assigned or requested.

** QUALIFICATIONS*
* ** Minimum*
* + Bachelors Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or closely related discipline, or relevant experience and/or education as determined by the company in lieu of bachelor's degree

+ 7 or more years of experience in Finance, Accounting, and/or Financial Analysis

+  5 or more years of experience managing staff and/or projects of varying size and complexity

+ 7 or…