Accounting Operations Specialist

About The Job

The Wealth Accounting Specialist is a key member of the team responsible for ensuring complete and accurate accounting of finance-related activity related to Northwestern Mutual's investment products and services subsidiaries. The team performs a wide variety of accounting functions including month-end close, analysis, and participation in enterprise-wide system and/or process development activities. Responsibilities include accurate journal entry preparation, account reconciliation, resolving reconciliation issues, analyzing financial activity, assisting in system/process improvements, supporting auditors, and providing information for regulatory filings and examination requests.

What You'll Do:

• Performs financial accounting functions related to the company's broker-dealer and wealth management products and processes to ensure conformance with GAAP accounting standards. Responsible for the accurate and timely preparation of journal entries and account reconciliations.

• Supports the review of the accounting transactions generated by numerous internal administrative and third-party vendor systems coupled with manual accounting.

• Researches and resolves reconciliation issues, imbalances, and open suspense items. Maintains an effective internal control environment.

• Analyzes balance sheet and income statement accounts to ensure the accuracy of accounting. Analyzes financial activity for alignment with expectations and the identification of trends or unusual items.

• Assists in efforts to implement system or process improvements, including those involving change in the operating departments or new products.

• Assists with internal or external auditors in their examination of annual financial statements and provides support for requested information.

• Provides information for regulatory filings, as well as examination requests from the SEC, FINRA, and OCC.

Skills You'll Have:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or business administration with accounting emphasis.

• Finance or other business degree with financial emphasis or equivalent relevant work experience may be considered.

• Minimum of 1 year of relevant professional accounting experience.

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation or CPA candidate preferred.

• Experience with the application of statutory or GAAP accounting standards in the insurance or financial services industries.

• Proficiency in end-user reporting tools.

• Effective oral and written communication skills.

• Demonstrated analytical skills and the ability to work independently.

• Requires SEC fingerprinting.

• Focuses on specific details to spot and correct errors in advance of them being found and surpass quality expectations. Performs work with thorough proofreading for presentation, content, accuracy, and overall quality.

• Applies knowledge and utilizes systems that facilitate or automate one or more business application solutions, including linking rules to workflow management and requirements acquisition.

• Facilitates collaboration, communication, coordination, and planning with individuals and teams from different functions within the organization, and who have different areas of expertise, to achieve common goals

• Understands and applies knowledge of financial accounting principles, processes, and systems to drive accuracy, efficiency, and optimization of financial activities. Develops and adheres to controls that support financial integrity in accordance with internal control framework, mandated laws and regulations.

• Applies the knowledge of financial statements, financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling to ensure decisions are fiscally sound and responsible.

Compensation Range:

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We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you’re living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.

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Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.