Lead Accountant

At ACT, Your Work Makes a Difference

Education has power - a power that changes lives forever. It creates opportunities that lift up individuals, their families, and sparks societal change that echoes through generations to come. From our grassroots we have fought the good fight for inclusivity in education, and we remain devoted to helping anyone who struggles to access that power. This is what matters to us and we must do better -- we've never been more sure of our purpose.

ACT team members are part of an organization dedicated to a mission that has never been more important: Helping people achieve education and workplace success. Advancing that mission within our organization, by helping our team members achieve education and workplace success of their own, is core to our values. ACT values a diverse workplace and is committed to fostering an inclusive environment in which every team member has an equal opportunity to grow.

We want our team members to have the well-being and confidence they need to do their best work, in an environment where both they and ACT thrive. To support this, our total rewards include company paid life insurance, medical, dental, vision, flexible health and dependent spending accounts, 401(k) retirement savings with company match, paid holidays, paid time off, and so much more. You can find a comprehensive list of our benefits here.

We are seeking a Lead Accountant to help us fulfill that mission.

The Lead Accountant will lead the work of a team of accounting professionals who perform a wide range of general accounting activities related to the maintenance, reconciliation, and control of company financial accounts. They will provide accounting oversight and support for ACT subsidiaries.

The finalist will be hired at the salary and level commensurate with their qualifications. For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary between $110,000 to $125,000. ACT manages salaries within this range based on relevant factors, including skills, experience, and internal equity.

Location: This is a remote position, based in the United States.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship.

What you will be working on:

• Manage the monthly and fiscal year-end accounting close activities for ACT and its subsidiaries to ensure timely and accurate financial results in compliance with GAAP
• Prepare/review journal entries and account reconciliations
• Coordinate internal and external audit related activities to ensure compliance
• Assist with subsidiary accounting activities, including consolidating into ACT's financial system, as well as reconcile intercompany activity between ACT and its subsidiaries
• Perform analytical review of financial results and research any unexpected results
• Update and/or review documentation for ASC606, ASC842 and other applicable accounting standards, as well as internal controls documentation
• Coach, mentor and support team members to successfully achieve work responsibilities and development goals
• Serve as subject matter expert for new initiatives such as system and product integration

Role Progression:

• Within 1 month you will have a high-level understanding of ACT's organizational structure, products and services. You will also learn the month-end close process, execute day-to-day tasks and will be getting to know the Finance team and the work they do.
• Within 3 months you will be leading the month-end close process, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. You will continue to build working relationships within Finance but also across other areas in the company.
• Within 6 months you will have a firm grasp on month-end close as well as your day-to-day tasks. You will be preparing to take the lead in coordinating the annual audit work and will be a mentor for other accounting staff.

This could be the job for you if you have (minimum requirements):

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible accounting experience that includes experience working with auditors and internal controls
• Previous experience and demonstrated success leading, managing, and building teams
• Ability to collect, analyze, research, and translate financial data
• Strong knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, financial controls, regulations, and best practices
• Ability to work effectively with individuals inside and outside the organization
• Takes initiative, highly organized with keen attention to detail
• Strong problem solving skills that lead to logical, meaningful and innovative solutions
• Advanced user of Microsoft Excel and accounting software applications
• Ability to lead teams and projects and to work independently or as an individual contributor on a team
• Ability to communicate proactively and effectively across all levels in the organization, including ability to understand and interpret technical documents and requests for information
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities and managing to time sensitive deadlines
• Ability to manage change and navigate positively in an environment experiencing change at a fast pace
• Skills and knowledge required for success in this position attained through experience and education (Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field of study), atleast 7 years of accounting experience, Or a combination of both.

It's a plus if you have:

• Recent public accounting experience
• CPA is preferred

About ACT

When ACT was founded in 1959, it disrupted the assessment industry with a new approach to helping students better understand their readiness so they could take steps to improve it. By leveraging our expertise and authority in assessment and research, we will again disrupt the industry-helping more people learn, better measure their progress, and improve their navigation through life's transitions.

More than ever before, ACT is fulfilling its mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. We're doing it by pushing the boundaries of learning innovation through the work of our people, who we call team members because we're all in this together.

We know transformation does not come without challenge. That's why ACT invests in a variety of experiences for team members to strengthen their connections, explore ideas, learn from customers, and celebrate success.

Learn more about working at ACT at act.org!

ACT is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. ACT participates in E-verify. ACT's online position announcements are intended only to provide general descriptions of employment opportunities; none of the information provided for any position should be interpreted as a commitment by ACT to specific terms and conditions for employment.

Completion of the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate is recommended. Find a testing site near you to register for the WorkKeys assessments. Finalists for this position will be subject to a criminal background check as a condition of employment.

**If you have received an ACT employment-related communication from an email address that is not affiliated with @act.org and/or that requests personal or financial information, please do not reply. Instead, reach out to us at careers@act.org with the details. ACT's recruitment team appreciates your interest in working with us to transform college and career readiness pathways for all learners and wishes you the best of luck in your career journey.**