Accountant, Senior - General Ledger

Your Role

The Corporate Accounting team is responsible for the financial accounting and reporting for Blue Shield of California and its subsidiaries. The Senior Accountant will report to the Accounting Manager. In this role you will be required to possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills to quickly identify, analyze and resolve complex accounting issues independently; be receptive to ambiguity and grasp new concepts with ease through implementation of processes and procedures; take initiative and be proactive in matters as it pertains to desk procedures; possesses strong written and verbal communications skills with the ability to articulate to various levels and business departments across the organization; prepare journal entries and account reconciliations independently and without significant intervention from manager. 

Our leadership model is about developing great leaders at all levels and creating opportunities for our people to grow – personally, professionally, and financially. We are looking for leaders that are energized by creative and critical thinking, building and sustaining high-performing teams, getting results the right way, and fostering continuous learning. 

Your Work

In this role, you will:

• Monitor system journal entries and prepare manual entries to account for non-system and accrual transactions during month-end close
• Reconcile and maintain ledger accounts by ensuring balances are reconciled to adequate supporting documentation and reconciling variances are researched and resolved
• Keep the Accounting Manager informed of any potential issues, liabilities, or opportunities as they arise
• Perform trend and fluctuation analyses of balance sheet line items utilizing business and professional judgment while keeping materiality and type of account in mind
• Summarize monthly activity and prepare reports to analyze and assess significant fluctuations and/or discrepancies 
• Assist Accounting Manager with the preparation and compilation of internal reporting of monthly results and analyses 
• Research discrepancies and other complex accounting issues, make corrections and recommend improvements
• Work with internal department personnel and IT to resolve issues and problems concerning system interfaces and data integrity 
• Participate in strategic projects and defines accounting and reporting requirements for new product and system implementations
• Develop, maintain, and update desk level procedures and process documents
• Provide information and data to auditors on year-end financial audit and business or account specific audits; work with members of the accounting department to resolve any problems with accounts
• Prepare additional schedules as requested by management 
• Support management for ad-hoc projects as needed

Your Knowledge and Experience

• Requires a bachelor’s degree or High School Diploma/GED and 4 years of additional relevant experience in lieu of a degree  
• Requires 5 years of prior relevant experience with monthly financial close activities, including preparing consolidated financial statements, journal entries, and account reconciliations 
• Requires proficiency in US GAAP and experience applying accounting guidance to journal entries, reconciliations, fluctuation analyses, accruals, and financial reporting deliverables 
• Requires strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently identify, analyze, and resolve complex accounting issues
• Requires strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate accounting matters to various levels and business departments across the organization
• Requires being highly proficient in Microsoft Excel
• Experience with regulatory reporting preferred
• Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, or other related certification preferred
• ERP experience preferred

About Blue Shield of California and the Ascendiun Family of Companies

As of January 2025, Blue Shield of California became a subsidiary of Ascendiun. Ascendiun is a nonprofit corporate entity that is the parent to a family of organizations including Blue Shield of California and its subsidiary, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan; Altais, a clinical services company; and Stellarus, a company designed to scale healthcare solutions. Together, these organizations are referred to as the Ascendiun Family of Companies.

At Ascendiun, we believe in a brighter future for healthcare. As the parent to a family of four innovative healthcare companies, we’re reimagining what’s possible. Ascendiun is guided by the goal of transforming a dysfunctional American health care system into one worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable for everyone.

To achieve our mission, we foster an environment where all employees can thrive and contribute fully to address the needs of the various communities we serve. We are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive workplace that upholds our values and advances our goals.

Our Values:

• Honest. We hold ourselves to the highest ethical and integrity standards. We build trust by doing what we say we're going to do and by acknowledging and correcting where we fall short.
• Human. We strive to listen and communicate effectively, and showing empathy by understanding others’ perspectives. 
• Courageous. We stand up for what we believe in and are committed to the hard work necessary to achieve our ambitious goals. 

Physical Requirements:

Office Environment - roles involving part to full time schedule in Office Environment. Based in our physical offices and work from home office/deskwork - Activity level: Sedentary, frequency most of work day.

Please click here for further physical requirement detail. 

Equal Employment Opportunity:

External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest records and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with Federal, State and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability status and any other classification protected by Federal, State and local laws.