Accountant, Consultant

The Corporate Financial Accounting and Reporting team is responsible for theaccuraterecording, analysis, and reporting of financial information for Blue Shield of California. The Accountant Consultant will report to the Accounting Manager and serve as atrusted extension of the manager, helping translate priorities into execution, lead day-to-day accounting and reporting activities,resolve complextechnicalaccounting matters, and provide review, guidance, and oversight to the team. Thisrolecarries expanded responsibilities and requires strong technical accounting expertise,sound judgment, andthe ability to operate with greater independence than a Senior Accountant role.

In this role, you will operate with a high degree of ownership and accountability, partnering with the Accounting Manager to manage priorities,identify and elevate risks, coordinate deliverables, and ensure high-quality execution across close, reporting, audit, and accounting policy activities. You willuse strong analytical and problem-solving skills to evaluate complex accounting issues, apply accounting standards to facts and circumstances, document conclusions, and communicate recommendations to leadership, auditors,and business partners.

You will also help strengthen processes and controls, coach team members, and support continuous improvement across the accounting function.

Our leadership model is about developing great leaders at all levels and creating opportunities for our people to grow – personally, professionally, and financially. We are looking for leaders that are energized by creative and critical thinking, building and sustaining high-performing teams, getting results the right way, and fostering continuous learning.

Your Work

In this role, you will:

• Serve as the Accounting Manager’strusted extension in coordinating monthly financial close activities, including maintaining the general ledger,analyzing account variances,monitoring close progress,resolving issues, and communicating results, risks,and escalation itemsto management
• Review journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations,and supporting documentation;provide coaching and feedback to Senior Accountants; and help ensure work products are accurate, complete, well-supported,audit-ready,and prepared in accordance with accounting policies and deadlines
• Partner with the Accounting Manager and business stakeholders to support monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting, including supporting financial statement preparation, drafting audited financial statement disclosures that align with applicable accounting standard requirements, coordinating inputs,reviewing schedules,resolving issues, and ensuring timely completion of deliverables
• Serve as a subject matter expert and first point of escalation for complex accounting matters, financial reporting, financial reporting control systems, and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), including researching authoritative guidance, evaluating accounting alternatives, applying standards to specific facts and circumstances, and clearlyarticulatingconclusions in well-supported accounting memoranda
• Research and analyze the impact of new accounting pronouncements, including assessing implications for policies, processes, controls, financial reporting, and disclosure requirements
• Lead or participate in the development and implementation of accounting policies, procedures, and controls related tonew accounting standards,process changes, and reporting requirements, including serving as project lead for implementation activities when needed
• Support internal and external audits and examinations by coordinating audit requests,preparing and reviewing audit support, responding to inquiries,interfacing with auditors and state examiners,and escalating complex or judgmental matters requiring management attention
• Represent the team in interactions with internal and external partners on accounting,finance, reporting, audit, and control-related matters, including addressing ad-hoc inquiries, aligning stakeholders, and resolving issues before they require manager intervention
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, enhance controls,…