Staff Accountant III

Job Summary

This position is responsible for performing complex accounting and financial analysis activities that support revenue accounting, cost of gas, regulatory accounting, and financial reporting for regulated natural gas utilities. Key responsibilities include preparing and reviewing journal entries and account reconciliations, analyzing gross margin and balance sheet results, performing volumetric reconciliations, processing commodity and transportation settlements, and supporting regulatory reporting requirements.

The successful candidate will work independently while partnering with Gas Supply, Rates & Regulatory, Finance, Billing, and Operations teams to research, analyze, and resolve accounting and operational matters.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting & Financial Analysis

- Perform volumetric reconciliations and actualizations for regulated utility operations.
- Analyze operational and financial results against historical performance, budgets, and forecasts.
- Prepare complex journal entries, supporting calculations, and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Research and resolve reconciling items in a timely and accurate manner.
- Prepare and analyze monthly gross margin results, including explanations of significant variances.
- Deliver accurate and timely financial reporting for monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities.
- Support regulatory reporting requirements, including ACA filings, regulatory trackers, supporting schedules, and responses to information requests.

Gas Supply & Settlement Activities

- Process commodity, transportation, and other gas-related settlements.
- Validate rates, volumes, contractual terms, and settlement amounts.
- Investigate and resolve discrepancies with internal and external stakeholders.
- Support compliance with regulatory cost recovery mechanisms and reporting requirements.

Regulatory Accounting & Revenue Management

- Apply knowledge of gas supply operations and regulatory standards to determine appropriate accounting treatment for transactions.
- Analyze alternative revenue mechanisms and related regulatory deferrals.
- Support revenue recognition activities for regulated utility operations.
- Partner with Rates, Regulatory, Billing, and Operations teams to validate rate-related calculations and assess accounting impacts of billing and rate changes.

Internal Controls & Process Improvement

- Perform key internal controls supporting revenue recognition and cost of sales accounting.
- Develop and maintain process documentation.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, controls, and business continuity.
- Independently manage assigned responsibilities, proactively identifying issues and escalating significant accounting or operational matters when appropriate.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Support

- Work closely with Gas Supply, Transportation Services, and Gas Operations teams to ensure accurate volumetric reporting.
- Collaborate with internal accounting and finance teams to support regulatory filings and accounting deliverables.
- Build effective partnerships across multiple functional areas to support business objectives.
- Demonstrate a commitment to Southern Company Gas values, ethical standards, and organizational policies.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field required.

Experience

- Minimum of 3-5 years of accounting or finance experience.
- Experience with month-end close activities, journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial analysis required.
- Experience supporting regulated utilities, energy accounting, or gas operations preferred.

Technical Knowledge & Skills

- Strong understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and FERC accounting.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze financial results, budgets, and forecasts.
- Knowledge of utility regulatory accounting and cost recovery mechanisms preferred.
- Understanding of natural gas industry operations, including gas supply and gas operations.

Systems & Software

- Experience with Oracle and advanced Microsoft Excel.
- Familiarity with Customer Care & Billing (CCB), RBI, and/or comparable ERP and operational systems.
- Ability to work with large volumes of financial and operational data.

Professional Skills

- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Ability to effectively collaborate across multiple business functions.
- Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience within the energy, utility, or natural gas industry.
- Knowledge of regulatory reporting and rate-related accounting.
- Experience working with commodity and transportation settlements.
- Proven ability to drive process improvements and strengthen internal controls.