Controllers Financial Analyst – Contractor

Controllers Financial Analyst – Contractor
Houston, TX 77077

This position is responsible for completing complex financial processes.  The base duties include working with the accounting supervisor to monitor and review transactions and accounting entries made by the analysts in the group, recording the more complex accrual entries, and reconciling general ledger account balances and inventory volumes while preparing correcting entries identified during that reconciliation.  Ensures existing accounting practice agree with GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) and proposes improvements to those practices as needed. This position will analyze financial results for the supervisor and manager of the department. This analysis will include, but is not limited to, hydrocarbon inventories; purchases and sales; balance sheet accounts; required corrections; and errors and exceptions as identified.  The employee will use their knowledge of GAAP, company operations and company financial processes as they relate to both corporate and business unit earnings to act as an analytical resource within the Controller’s organization (and within the business units when necessary).  Use creative thinking skills for problems solving.  Perform analytical tasks independent of direct daily supervision.  Act as backup to the Terminal & Pipeline Accounting Supervisor and the Pipeline Financial Analyst.

1. Monthly closing duties – Assist Supervisor and Manager and department in reviewing transactions and accounting entries prepared by the analysts in the group. Use knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to review and analyze inventory movements and postings and determine relevant accruals needed. Provide monthly reports to various groups including Supply, Financial Reporting, Internal Control, Compliance, Business Development, etc. Provide mentorship and secondary review to inventory analysts.
2. Transaction and accounting analysis – Collaborate with Operations to determine reasons for inventory volume variances at refineries, terminals, exchanges, and in-transit sites.  Maintain operating information which identifies the impact of inventory variations on company earnings results.  Analyze discrepancies between company reported inventory and third-party inventory (if the company inventory is not under company physical control) for resolution.  Analyze monthly, quarterly, and yearly purchase and sales activity.  Review volume changes, especially on related party activity, to ensure accurate reporting.  Perform continuous review and evaluation of transactions within assigned area to ensure recorded results are in agreement with GAAP. 
3. General Ledger and Volume Reconciliations – Prepare complex general ledger account reconciliations and assist in reviewing volume reconciliations performed by analysts. Responsible for reviewing inventory volume reconciliations to analyze and reconcile discrepancies between company SAP system reported inventory versus refineries, third party statements, or system in-transit plants for resolution.  Report findings and proposed process changes to department supervisor and region supply manager.
4. Terminal Agreement Revenue Reconciliation and Analysis – Review and analyze customer system set ups to ensure agreement requirements are accurate for proper statement generation and revenue recognition. Collaborate with Terminal Operations and Business Development personnel to confirm agreement validity and resolve customer statement discrepancies. Prepare accruals, accounting transactions, adjustments, and complex calculations based on agreement formulas as needed. Prepare customer account reconciliations and provide direction for applying cash to customer accounts to Treasury and Accounts Receivables department.  
5. Earnings Analysis – Prepare and analyze comparison of current month results to prior month results as well as current estimated results. Identify factors impacting those results.  Prepare and present an analysis of actual expense compared to planned operations as required. 
6. Special Projects/Reports – Regulatory & SOX Compliance documentation and reporting requirements. External & Internal Audit supporting documentation requirements requested. Perform report summarization and/or analysis as requested providing management with results and recommendations for improvements. Special projects and analysis as requested by department supervisor and upper management.
7. Terminal Tank Gauge Observations – Collaborate with Supply, Terminal Operations, Internal Auditors, and department Supervisor in leading an audit team to travel to company terminal locations and conduct physical terminal inventory count observations. Coordinate meetings and travel schedules, using best practices and latest measurement methods to manually prepare complex system calculations of physical inventory, conduct investigations on irregularities and variances between physical and system quantities, draft recommendations on corrective measures and advise terminal personnel, department supervisor and upper management of audit findings and successes.

Degree:

• Bachelor’s Degree – Accounting, Finance, or Economics.

The minimum number of years of job related experience required by this job is:

• 3 years.

List any specialized training or unique skills required:
 
Required:

• Perform broad financial analysis of results of operations.
• Prioritize duties when given multiple projects with limited supervision.
• Extensive computer skills: Intermediate Excel – creation/use of Lookups and Pivot tables. 
• Effective oral and written communication skills.

Preferred:

• Work with limited supervision.
• At least 2 years’ experience with SAP or a similar ERP application.