Lead Accountant in Houston, Texas

Job Responsibilities

Prepare and review monthly financial statements and support schedules to be provided to internal management and partners

Prepare, review, and approve monthly journal entries including joint venture billings

Perform research and analysis for ad hoc questions or requests from partners

Interact with other groups inside the company (including Business Development, Treasury, and Reporting)

Prepare annual budgets for internal management and individual joint ventures

Prepare and coordinate cash calls and cash distributions with partners

Prepare and review quarterly and annual FERC Form 3 and Form 2 reports

Prepare and review account reconciliations and monthly actual variance analysis

Coordinate and interact with internal and external auditors on quarterly and year-end audits

Ensure compliance with SOX controls and related reporting requirements

Provide guidance to analysts as needed

Special projects as required

The Lead Accountant, Joint Venture Accounting interacts with all levels of management throughout the organization to develop and maintain processes to ensure optimization of joint venture performance (including optimization of cost recovery) and compliance with financial terms of applicable agreements.

Expected to generate actionable recommendations to senior leaders, auditors, and joint venture financial managers to resolve issues as they are identified.

Business Development
- Interactions include assisting in partnership negotiations, managing partner relationships, creating and understanding operating and construction budgets and supporting Management Committee operations.

Regulatory
- Interactions include assisting during rate proceedings and other filings, ensuring accounting policies are in-line with and support regulatory requirements.

Legal
- Interactions include assisting during partnership negotiations and on any issues that may arise later (i.e. closing out potential findings from partnership audits)

Economic Evaluation
- Interactions include ensuring their economic models are updated appropriately to result in representational IRRs.

Treasury
- Interactions include assisting during financing transactions, with annual ratings agency presentations for the partnerships and with cash management matters.

Tax
- Interactions include discussing income and property tax impacts on potential transactions, partnership negotiations, and accounting policies.

Other accounting functions (Financial Reporting, FP&A) - Including CAO, Operations Accounting Controller, and direct reports. Interactions include ensuring financial reporting disclosures are accurate and fairly presented, assisting in research and documentation on technical accounting matters, and helping FP&A group create, maintain, and understand annual operating budgets.

Investor Relations
- Interactions include explaining operational and financial results, organizational structures and similar matters.

Accounting point of contact for our partnerships
- Interactions include assisting with their accounting policies, review of monthly operating results, forecasting future results for their internal reporting purposes and dealing with joint venture audits.

Independent auditors and audit staff from joint venture partners - facilitating auditor access, responding to questions, supporting company positions.

6+ years or equivalent of related experience

Ability to communicate effectively with all levels in the organization

Excellent organization, planning, and analytical skills

CPA preferred, but not required

Bachelor's degree required in Accounting