Accountant, Senior - General Ledger

Senior Accountant

The Corporate Accounting team is responsible for the financial accounting and reporting for Blue Shield of California and its subsidiaries. The Senior Accountant will report to the Accounting Manager. In this role you will be required to possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills to quickly identify, analyze and resolve complex accounting issues independently; be receptive to ambiguity and grasp new concepts with ease through implementation of processes and procedures;

take initiative and be proactive in matters as it pertains to desk procedures; possesses strong written and verbal communications skills with the ability to articulate to various levels and business departments across the organization; prepare journal entries and account reconciliations independently and without significant intervention from manager.

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.

In this role, you will:

• Monitor system journal entries and prepare manual entries to account for non-system and accrual transactions during month-end close
• Reconcile and maintain ledger accounts by ensuring balances are reconciled to adequate supporting documentation and reconciling variances are researched and resolved
• Keep the Accounting Manager informed of any potential issues, liabilities, or opportunities as they arise
• Perform trend and fluctuation analyses of balance sheet line items utilizing business and professional judgment while keeping materiality and type of account in mind
• Summarize monthly activity and prepare reports to analyze and assess significant fluctuations and/or discrepancies
• Assist Accounting Manager with the preparation and compilation of internal reporting of monthly results and analyses
• Research discrepancies and other complex accounting issues, make corrections and recommend improvements
• Work with internal department personnel and IT to resolve issues and problems concerning system interfaces and data integrity
• Participate in strategic projects and defines accounting and reporting requirements for new product and system implementations
• Develop, maintain, and update desk level procedures and process documents
• Provide information and data to auditors on year-end financial audit and business or account specific audits; work with members of the accounting department to resolve any problems with accounts
• Prepare additional schedules as requested by management
• Support management for ad-hoc projects as needed

In this role, you will need:

• A bachelor's degree or High School Diploma/GED and 4 years of additional relevant experience in lieu of a degree
• 5 years of prior relevant experience with monthly financial close activities, including preparing consolidated financial statements, journal entries, and account reconciliations
• Proficiency in US GAAP and experience applying accounting guidance to journal entries, reconciliations, fluctuation analyses, accruals, and financial reporting deliverables
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently identify, analyze, and resolve complex accounting issues
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate accounting matters to various levels and business departments across the organization
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel
• Experience with regulatory reporting preferred
• Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, or other related certification preferred
• ERP experience preferred

As of January 2025, Blue Shield of California became a subsidiary of Ascendiun. Ascendiun is a nonprofit corporate entity that is the parent to a family of organizations including Blue Shield of California and its subsidiary, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan;
Altais, a clinical services company; and Stellarus, a company designed to scale healthcare solutions.…