Senior Financial Accountant

Job Description

The Washington Post’s finance department is looking for an experienced senior accountant to join the financial accounting and reporting team. Adaptability to ever changing business priorities, intellectual curiosity, and an understanding of how various puzzle pieces fit into the big picture in support of the mission of The Washington Post is crucial to this role.

The Washington Post is the right place for you because you are a dynamic and self-motivated individual contributor, you are interested in applying your skills to evolving business processes, and you want to work with a talented, forward-looking financial accounting and reporting team.

Motivation:

• You want to contribute to a finance team responsible for the integrity of the financial data that supports the company’s leaders’ ability to make informed strategic decisions.

• You possess an attention to detail and dedication to quality, working efficiently without compromising accuracy, and are able to demonstrate a good pace in completing tasks.

• You are quick to adapt to changing priorities, balancing speed with precision in day-to-day activities. 

• You possesses in-depth knowledge of overall accounting principles and financial regulations, and expertise in one or more specialized areas of responsibility. You are capable of applying your technical skills to complex accounting tasks and providing solutions to accounting challenges, and you like to research accounting pronouncements and apply guidance to transactions as circumstances present themselves.

• You are flexible and willing to take on new and additional tasks as the needs arise, and you enjoy planning and executing specific accounting projects independently while providing frequent updates to your manager. 

• You are proficient in developing timelines for your recurring assignments and projects, coordinating with team members and business stakeholders, and ensuring timely completion of tasks, and you thrive with the challenge of managing your workflow within multiple competing priorities.

Responsibilities:

Senior Financial Accountants on our team are responsible for:

• Preparation of general ledger accounting functions including but not limited to journal entries, month-end and year-end close processes, annual report preparation, financial reporting accuracy, GL account reconciliations.

• Variance to budget analyses for income statement accounts, international companies, month over month variance analysis for balance sheet accounts.

• Working with Financial Accounting management to analyze and document proper GAAP accounting interpretations.

• Maintaining and updating internal process documentation for accounting procedures and policies that capture how to complete tasks and business purpose for activities.

• Identifying areas for automation, leveraging technology, and bringing innovative ideas and approaches to existing processes.

• Preparation of schedules and supporting data in conjunction with the issuance of annual financial statements and tax filings as requested.

• Preparation of data and schedules for audit requests during interim and year-end audit cycles in support of both external and internal audits.

• Maintaining accurate records of a company's inventory records, ensuring proper valuation of inventory assets, and analyzing inventory costs by performing tasks like reconciling inventory discrepancies, calculating cost variances, and reporting inventory data to production management, all while adhering to accounting standards and internal controls to guarantee financial accuracy.

• Perform special project, analysis, and ad hoc reporting as needed.

• Provide excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders

Requirements:

• Degree in Accounting.

• 5+ years of progressive experience in accounting, finance, or auditing roles.

• A proven experience of general ledger responsibilities and financial reporting.

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including vlookup, pivot tables and power pivot.

• Effective communication skills for preparing, presenting, and liaising with department stakeholders.

• Ability to work collaboratively within finance and across other departments.

• Ability to prepare and analyze financial statements.

• Strong problem-solving skills.

• Attention to detail with a demonstrated ability to take initiative in research and follow-through.

• Excellent time management skills for meeting multiple projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications: