Principal Electric Accounting Analyst

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job number one is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.  

 

LOCATION

 

This is a hybrid (virtual/onsite) position with required onsite days on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday assigned to One Energy Plaza located in Jackson, MI.  The selected candidate must be within a commutable distance or willing to relocate (relocation package is available for those that qualify).  

 

 

GENERAL SUMMARY OF JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The Principal Accounting Analyst oversees provision of general/sub ledgers, records, and financial reports, reviews the preparation and analysis of different accounts, and oversees the performance of general accounting functions. The incumbent manages regulatory accounting compliance by conducting research on complex matters; reviewing data and preparing regulatory reporting and supports regulatory cases by analyzing and providing information. This position identifies and resolves complex variances between the company's system of record and subledger. The Principal Accounting Analyst analyzes highly complex expenditures to validate appropriateness of charges. The incumbent works closely with other teams, including Shared Service, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Treasury, Operations, Rates, Internal Controls external auditors and regulatory staff. The Principal Accounting Analyst will provide highly complex analysis and modeling support for project/program managers, business development, and business area directors. The incumbent will make projections and variances, those projections are communicated to the company's Finance leadership group monthly, including the CFO, Treasurer, and the Corporate Controller. This information, in-turn, is communicated to the company's senior management team, guiding strategic decisions, as well as keeping them informed of key financial cash flow and liquidity targets.

 

The Principal Electric Accounting Analyst will play a critical role in the Revenue and Fuel Cost Accounting team. This position is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely accounting for electric revenue and fuel costs, compliance with regulatory requirements, providing insightful analysis to support decision-making processes, and presenting financial results to senior management. The analyst will work closely with the Electric Supply, Forecasting, and Rates teams to support electric rate cases and will sponsor testimony and exhibits in the PSCR Reconciliation Rate cases.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prepare complex ad hoc reporting as needed to support research, rate case support, studies, surveys and other ad hoc request.
• Review rate case testimony and exhibits and in overseeing the data analysis for regulatory filings by either: 1) supporting the preparation testimony, exhibits, and discovery requests of others to ensure accurate preparation as well to make sure any requested regulatory accounting will support the outcome desired by the Company or, 2) directly taking on this work as a company witness either through direct or rebuttal testimony.   
• Oversee the maintenance and testing of internal controls, lead the budgeting and forecasting process by developing the monthly and long-term financial plans by providing data and evidence-based analysis and incorporating into financial models, oversees maintenance of master data, revenue and cost accounting and complicated analysis such as gross margin analysis
• Consolidate numerous different sources of financial data preparing reports and presentations as needed  
• Delivers reliable and highly precise execution of day-to-day business operations by review of the general ledger to ensure all activity is properly recorded including such items as: cost accounting activities (including journal entries and managing overheads and allocations), forecast development, complex variance analysis, risk and opportunity coordination and cash flow management (to include timely analysis