Unum Hiring for Director, Accounting Job at Chattanooga, TN Full Time

Unum is a company of people serving people. As one of the world’s leading employee benefits providers and a Fortune 500 company, Unum’s financial protection benefits help protect more than 36 million working people and their families from the financial impact of illness or injury.

Unum’s two distinct, but similarly focused US businesses – Unum US and Colonial Life – are each a market leader in making disability, life, accident, critical illness, dental, and vision insurance accessible in the workplace.

Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Unum also has significant US operations in Portland, Maine and Baton Rouge, Louisiana – and over 35 field offices nationwide. Colonial Life is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina with over 40 field offices nationwide.

The Corporate Accounting team is hiring for a Director of Accounting. The Director will be involved with the innovation, transformation and modernization of the processes to bring better efficiencies to the work we do.

This position provides strategic leadership to business partners across Unum Group, and directs activities and influences business decisions/outcomes. The incumbent will have direct and indirect management responsibility for professional staff. The position will lead financial analyses with team members that serve to inform and ground business decisions and will collaborate with subject matter experts, provide quality financial analytics, and exercise judgment to drive optimum solutions for complex issues.

The director in this role will collaborate with product line leaders, financial reporting, financial planning & analysis, broker compensation services and treasury. With this great collaboration and exposure to other areas in finance you’ll see your network grow! This role is a great springboard within the Corporate Accounting area and across the Unum enterprise.

The right individual for this role will:

• CPA Certified
• Be innovative, think beyond what we do daily
• Strong people manager, willingness to develop employees at varying levels
• Strong Communication skills
• Strong Technical Accounting Skills
• Experience or exposure to SQL, Alteryx, Tableau, Workiva

Job Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree, required
• 7+ years of accounting experience or equivalent relevant work experience
• Must have CPA certification

• Demonstrates extensive knowledge, thought leadership, and a proven record of success in financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, and financial reporting systems including generally accepted accounting principles and current accounting policies and procedures.

• Comprehensive knowledge of finance at practical and policy levels and the technical skills required to support it.
• Proficient in technology necessary to carry out responsibilities.
• In-depth understanding and application of financial services and/or insurance sector accounting preferred.
• Strong negotiation and partnership skills, across all levels of management, with ability to influence and challenge decisions and processes.
• Ability to frame up issues, options, and solutions using financial data for business decision-making.
• Experience navigating change in a positive manner with both individuals and teams.

• Experience working with all corporate levels including senior management and external contacts.
• Proven ability to work in fast-paced, detailed, and deadline-oriented environment by balancing multiple priorities and resources simultaneously.

• Excellent conflict resolution and facilitation skills.
• Operates with strong conceptual thinking rather than strictly in a ‘rules’ framework.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for the most complex analysis and reporting of financial transactions in accordance with accounting standards
• Prepares, records, analyzes, and reports on the most complex accounting transactions and ensures the integrity of accounting records for completeness, accuracy and compliance with accepted accounting policies and principals
• Prepares and distributes periodic complex financial statements for various governmental and/or regulatory agencies
• Conducts extensive and complicated research regarding the impact to financial statements of potential changes to accounting rules proposed by accounting standards setters
• Develops, implements, and communicates to senior management on new policies and processes to comply with newly issues accounting standards.
• Seek out and maintain cooperative, productive cross-functional partnerships throughout the global enterprise.
• Model positive change management, leading individuals and teams through new operating models and methodologies, creating opportunities for discussion and deliberation.

• Build agility and resilience within teams and broader Finance organization to drive transformation.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to assist individuals in achieving their full potential. Build bench strength and core competencies for the organization.
• Seek out opportunities to increase business knowledge and create visibility within the organization.

• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of Unum Group’s finance functions, processes, reporting systems, and requirements.

• Directly or indirectly lead a team on accurate completion of all accounting, reporting, analysis, and manages the day to day activities of the team including the GAAP and statutory accounting, general ledger processes, and reporting for specified financial area.
• Direct maintenance of various systems and data assets that support the specific financial area(s) of responsibility.
• Act as an expert consultant providing financial support to business areas regarding conformance to corporate policies and procedures, technical inquiries, planning and forecasting process, and various tax and accounting issues.
• Review existing accounting, financial reporting and administrative processes and procedures in an effort to streamline activities to increase productivity;
• Maintain compliance with corporate policies, procedures and controls and external regulatory requirements.
• Lead business initiatives and projects.
• Research, recommend, and implement new technical solutions to functional area(s) of responsibility.
• Present reporting and analysis to senior management. Proactively identify and research unusual trends and make recommendations. Lead detailed analyses and forecasts complex aspects of financial performance.
• Monitor industry trends and issues in support of business needs and assesses impacts.

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~IN1

Our company is built on helping individuals and families, and this starts with our employees. We want employees to maintain a positive balance, which is why we provide access to the benefits and resources they need to invest in themselves. From our onsite fitness facilities and generous paid time off to employee professional development programs, we are committed to helping employees live and work their best – both inside and outside the office.

Unum is an equal opportunity employer, considering all qualified applicants and employees for hiring, placement, and advancement, without regard to a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, military status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or protected veteran status.

Company:

Unum