Principal Financial Reporting Technical Accountant

Company

Alaska Airlines

The Team

Guided by our purpose, core values, and leadership principles, we are creating an airline people love. Our corporate teams set the strategies and operational plans to ensure the success of our company. Whether we use our expertise in accounting, human resources, finance, planning, legal, marketing, or any of our operational divisions, our shared passion for travel and our guests is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. If you share our passion for creating an airline people love, we want to hear from you.

Role Summary

The Principal Technical Accountant is the subject matter expert in technical accounting and financial reporting at Alaska Airlines, with a special emphasis in executing accounting for complex financial areas. As an individual contributor, this role defines long-term complex posture for technical accounting and exercises initiative and considerable latitude in owning the preparation, maintenance, and improvement for lease accounting at Alaska.

Key Duties

• Subject matter expert over complex or high-visibility accounting subjects, leveraging technical knowledge and relationships to identify, document and execute on accounting issues, communicate results of analyses effectively, and oversee staff accountants preparing complementary work.
• Executes periodic budgeting and forecasting for owned technical areas, gathering respective inputs, delivering updates and effectively communicating results to executive leadership.
• Manages and prepares quarterly and annual disclosures to be reported on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, including narrative updates with inclusion of new or unusual transactions entered into during the fiscal year.
• Executes in partnership with the Manager, External Reporting, in preparing technical accounting memos for new or unusual transactions.
• Clearly and concisely communicates results of accounting analyses to senior leadership, including rationale for conclusions and impact on financial results.
• Owns improving overall posture of technical accounting, including creation and maintenance of technical accounting repository, identification of technical areas, and setting and tracking adherence to guidelines for documentation.
• Proactively identifies opportunities for process improvement and new utilization of technology, and partners with stakeholders throughout the business to implement new procedures.
• Influences across company and several levels up to ensure accounting practices are in compliance with company policies.
• Manages and recommends the evaluation of new accounting pronouncements or SEC guidelines to advise on the impact to the company.
• Participates in quarterly and annual external audit process.

Job-Specific Experience, Education & Skills

Required

• 6 years of experience in Big 4 public accounting, or 7 years of experience in corporate accounting, public company audit, or related area.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.
• Bachelor’s degree with a focus in accounting, business, or related field, or an additional two years of relevant training/experience in lieu of this degree.
• Experience with internal controls.
• Strong understanding of accounting theory and practices.
• Demonstrates technical knowledge of accounting procedures and a strong understanding of GAAP.
• Detail oriented, self-motivated, organized and able to work efficiently and accurately under pressure to meet deadlines.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred

• Workiva or Blackline experience.
• Public accounting experience.

Job-Specific Leadership Expectations

• Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be kind-hearted, deliver performance, and be remarkable.
• Embody the Alaska Spirit and conduct oneself with Professionalism, Integrity, Resourcefulness and Caring.

Starting Rate

Salary Range

$120,400 - $180,600 / year

Bonus

Salary Details

Pay will be based on multiple factors, including and not limited to location, relevant experience/level and skillset while balancing internal equity relative to other Alaska/Horizon employees. Alaska/Horizon is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate.

 

Note: We don’t typically hire at the top of the range.

Total Rewards

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status.

 

• Free stand-by travel privileges on Alask