General Purpose 
The Senior Accountant is responsible for applying generally accepted accounting principles and procedures to analyze and own financial information and related projects. Prepare accurate and timely journal entries and schedules and ensure appropriate accounting control procedures are in place or communicated when not.

Who we are:

Guaranteed Rate is eighth largest retail mortgage lender in the U.S. The company has become The Home Purchase Experts® by offering industry-leading self-service tools and low rate, low fee mortgages through an easy-to-understand process and unparalleled customer service. Headquartered in Chicago with approximately 3,000+ employees in 200+ offices across the U.S. and licensed in all 50 states, Guaranteed Rate has helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners with more than $23 billion in home purchase loans and refinances in the past year. 

Guaranteed Rate has been able to expand successfully nationwide through a business model that allows top originators to join the company and close more loans faster through its technology, pricing, process and support. The company now has more top loan originators in the annual national rankings from mortgage industry publications Mortgage Executive, Scotsman Guide and Origination News than any other bank or mortgage company. Having gone through explosive growth Guaranteed Rate has maintained being highly entrepreneurial while maintaining a healthy work life balance. If you’re interested in working with motivated and intelligent people while disrupting an industry then we want to talk with you.

Our home base is an old textile building that’s been turned into a hip office with exposed brick and duct work, windows we can actually open during the summer and an open floor plan – no cubicle life here. There are a few offices, but we totally outnumber the office dwellers. The awesomeness doesn’t end there, we also have:

• Free 20 minute monthly massages. It’s true, we don’t want you to be a cramped-up mess.
• A free on-site nurse. Psshh who needs a doctor’s appointment when our nurse can do it all? Did we mention the free part?
• An in-house café offering breakfast, lunch and a late afternoon healthy snack. All meals are subsidized so you’ll never pay full price.
• Access to the office gym for only $20 a year – no really - the whole year. Oh and for a puny fee you can take yoga, Cross Fit or boxing. We like our folks healthy and happy.
• A 5,000 square foot rooftop deck that’s available to everyone all day and all evening with wifi, two bars, music, grills and fun umbrellas and fire pits – provided it’s not covered in snow.
• Holiday parties? We got’em! Not just major holidays, any holiday….Marti Gras, Valentine’s Day, St. Paddy’s Day, Opening Day, Boxing Day (for our Canadian employee), Sweetest Day, Groundhog Day, etc..
• Inter-office contests like the Great Mac-Off, Chili Cook-Off and limbo. We always keep you guessing and participating.
• 401k with some matching, Blue Cross health care coverage – yup, dental and vision too, short-term disability, life insurance – we got ya covered on this one, legal assistance – for a small monthly fee and did we mention the awesome rooftop deck?

While we don’t allow jeans, we also don’t allow suits. We want you to just look your best every day and you’ll fit right in.

We are looking for a Senior Accountant to join our team. 

Qualities and Skills Requirements 
Analytical and strategic skills

• obtain a complete and total understanding of subject material before beginning any task or project.
• understand how to analyze and communicate financial information to management and peers who may or may not understand accounting language.
• be strategically minded and possess the ability to deliver data-driven explanations in an easy manner.

Business and leadership skills

• apply the proper amount of planning, strategizing, communicating and execution to make each project successful
• take ownership of all tasks, assignments and/or ad-hoc project assigned
• demonstrate initiative to develop strategies, propose solutions and serve as a business partner across more than one division as necessary.
• understand and react appropriately to division priorities your superiors may have communicated.
• manage time appropriately to be able to muti-task various projects and meet required deadlines.
• Know when to seek assistance, while bringing forth your own ideas for resolution of issues.

• be able to effectively tell the story behind the numbers, the account reconciliation or the journal entry prepared, especially when communicating to those outside of the department

Verbal communication skills

• be able to provide a thorough but concise response to management or field questions either in person or over the phone.
• communicate complex ideas directly over the phone or in person rather than summarizing in an e-mail.
• demonstrate proper verbal and non-verbal etiquette and professionalism in departmental meetings

Areas of Responsibilities

• timely, accurately and appropriately record and analyze revenues and expenses associated with assigned locations and account. This is demonstrated by full ownership of assigned areas.
• ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly and year end close processes
• establish and monitor the implementation and maintenance of accounting control procedures.
• compile and analyze financial information to prepare all monthly and quarterly account reconciliations assigned
• ensure financial records are maintained in compliance with accepted policies and procedures
• make certain all financial reporting deadlines are met
• prepare financial management reports as assigned, on time, in a complete and final fashion.
• resolve accounting discrepancies and irregularities

Educational and Experience Requirements

• Bachelors or Masters degree required in Accounting
• Minimum of 2-3 years accounting or finance experience
• Proficiency with Excel a must
• CPA a plus
• Previous public accounting or mid to large company experience a plus

Guaranteed Rate is an Equal Opportunity Employer that welcomes and encourages all applicants to apply regardless of age, race, sex, religion, color, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital or parental status, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy or other reason protected by law.