Accountant III

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

The Accountant III maintains the general ledger, analyzes expense accounts, balances sheet accounts and recomends accruals and adjustments as needed. Reviews input of accounts payable and payroll prior to entry into the financial systems. Reviews financials results with state management to ensure their understanding of the reported financial results. Assists in other accounting duties including property record accounting, forecasting, planning and other specific analysis as required. Assists the Controller with financial reporting and assignments as needed. Accountable for selected areas of the company's internal and external financial reports and has specific areas of budget accountability.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: (Primary Duties and Responsibilities)

• Reviews and analyzes monthly results to ensure accuracy of financial statements.
• Prepares and posts journal entries to record and/or make accruals and adjustments as needed.
• Ensures the accuracy of general ledgers for subsidiary companies.
• Assists in the monthly, quarterly and annual close of the financial books and records.
• Adheres to closing schedules and participates in its development.
• Reconciles and analyzes balance sheet accounts to ensure proper recording of cash, receivables, payables, current costs, revenues, financial commitments, accruals and obligations.
• Assists in the preparation and analysis of support data used to support critical accounting accruals.  Prepares various ad hoc reports as needed.
• Works with state management on CPR (property records), reviews capital spending and projects completion status.
• Clearly communicates all changes made to financial statements and works with accounting personnel to reduce or eliminate future errors.
• Understands internal control systems and policies/procedures to ensure appropriate accounting and disclosure of financial transactions.
• Manages one or more key internal controls in support of the Company’s financial reporting process, the proper functionality of which play an important role in determining whether the Company’s overall internal controls are functioning effectively.
• Performs financial analysis of business as assigned by the Controller.
• Prepares operating budget.
• Monitors performance against budget on a regular basis and communicates status to appropriate personnel and makes recommendations as necessary, including monthly budget variance review.
• Completes sales tax, business privilege tax filings and assists in the preparation of tax work papers.
• Prepares various non-tax governmental reporting forms, such as census and other economic surveys.  Report preparation often requires judgement in the use of estimates and a broad understanding of the overall Company’s financial data.
• Acts as liaison with managers, payroll and others to produce accurate and timely monthly expense summaries.
• Performs other assignments as required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function(s).

QUALIFICATIONS (Required Experience, Education, Licenses, and Certifications)

• BA/BS Degree in Accounting or Finance required
• 4-6 Years of related experience
• CPA Preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: (Examples below)

• Advanced ability to use Microsoft Office suite: Word‚ PowerPoint‚ Excel and other technologies applicable to job.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely and professionally) with internal customers
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment                       

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Perform sedentary work- exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.                       
• See, hear, talk, and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity.                                    
• Operate standard office equipment.      
• Working conditions may include travel to work sites of Essential Utilities and/or other constituents (if applicable)
• Travel Requirements up to 25% 

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.