Director of Accounting

Career Opportunity: Accounting Director, Regulated South Hybrid - must reside in commutable distance of West Palm Beach, FL. Requires in-office work once per week.

Your role in our success will be:

The Director of Accounting is responsible for leading all accounting activities for the Company’s utility operations, including Florida-based regulated entities. This role ensures accurate financial reporting, strong internal controls, and compliance with U.S. GAAP, FERC Uniform System of Accounts, and applicable state regulatory requirements. The Director serves as a key accounting partner to Regulatory, Operations, and Finance leadership, with a strong focus on rate case support, capital investment accounting, and finance transformation initiatives, including ERP implementation.

This is a highly visible leadership role with responsibility for people leadership, technical accounting oversight, and continuous process improvement in a regulated environment.

What makes us great

At the heart of our Company is a dedication to delivering energy that drives progress. We put people first, work to keep them safe and build trusting relationships.

What youʼll be working on:

Regulated Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting close processes for southern regulated utility entities.
• Ensure accurate accounting for utility plant, depreciation, asset retirement obligations, regulatory assets and liabilities, and cost of service activities.
• Oversee compliance with FERC accounting, state commission requirements, and U.S. GAAP, including maintenance of appropriate documentation and workpapers.
• Support preparation of regulatory financial schedules, data requests, and testimony support for rate cases and other regulatory filings.

Regulatory & Rate Case Support

• Partner closely with Regulatory Affairs to support rate cases, including cost of service, plant-in-service support, and regulatory accounting positions.
• Ensure consistency between regulatory reporting, financial statements, and underlying accounting records.
• Provide accounting input on regulatory strategy, new programs, and infrastructure investment recovery mechanisms.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of regulated accounting managers and staff.
• Establish clear performance expectations, support succession planning, and build bench strength within the regulated accounting function.
• Promote a strong control mindset, accountability, and continuous improvement culture.

Internal Controls & Audit

• Maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting in compliance with SOX and company policies.
• Serve as a primary accounting contact, for internal and external auditors for regulated entities.
• Proactively identify and remediate control gaps and process inefficiencies.

Transformation & Systems

• Actively support the Company’s ERP implementation and finance transformation, including design, testing, and deployment of regulated accounting processes.
• Drive standardization and automation of accounting processes across southern regulated operations.
• Ensure regulatory and accounting requirements are appropriately embedded in future‑state systems and processes.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Regulatory, FP&A, and Tax to ensure alignment on financial impacts of capital programs and operational initiatives.
• Provide clear, executive-ready accounting insights to senior leadership.

Who you are:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
• CPA preferred
• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including leadership responsibility.
• Strong experience in regulated utility accounting, including FERC and state regulatory environments.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. GAAP, internal controls, and regulated plant accounting.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage complex, deadline-driven environments.
• Experience with regulated and unregulated business models, including utility accounting.
• Solid understanding of financial statements, budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Familiarity with internal controls (SOX/COSO), audit processes, and risk management.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems and coordination with tax and audit teams.
• Proven financial and technical accounting leadership.
• Ability to lead month ‑ end, quarter ‑ end, and year ‑ end close processes.
• Strong analytical, problem ‑ solving, and decision ‑ making skills.
• Effective people leadership, coaching, and workload management.
• Clear communicator with technical and non ‑ technical stakeholders.
• Strong cross ‑ functional collaboration and stakeholder partnership.
• Experience driving process improvements, policy development, and system changes.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, lead through change, and maintain accuracy under pressure.
• Prior rate case support experience (preferred).
• ERP implementation experience (SAP strongly preferred).

What's in it for you?

• Fantastic opportunities for career growth
• Cooperative, supportive and empowered team atmosphere
• Annual bonus and salary increase opportunities
• Monthly recognition events
• Endless wellness initiatives and community events
• Robust and customizable benefit packages-choose what works best with your life. Options include generous 401k, medical, dental and life insurance, tuition reimbursement, compensated volunteer hours and MORE!

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, among other factors. Applicants with a disability that need assistance applying for a position may email View email address on click.appcast.io.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.