Senior Accountant

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Accountant at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement based in our Evanston, IL office.

The Senior Accountant performs accounting work, including reconciliation, reporting, analysis, assisting in the development, documentation and implementation of department policies, processes, and programs, advises management and employees in areas of expertise, assists internal and external stakeholders. The position also supports project accounting and capital project activities.

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI) and UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk, created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

What you’ll learn and achieve:

As the Senior Accountant, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Apply fundamental accounting concepts while adhering to internal policies and applicable accounting standards. Confer with supervisor on unusual matters. 

• Develop and maintain a working knowledge of advanced concepts in assigned areas. 

• Understand how decisions made in assigned areas impact work in other functional areas. 

• Record journal entries, reconcile balance sheet accounts, and follow up on reconciling items. 

• Monitor work-in-progress activity, follow up on outstanding items, and coordinate with stakeholders to obtain information necessary for timely capitalization and asset record maintenance. 

• Prepare journal entries and reconciliations related to project, labor, and capital asset activity. 

• Monitor project costs, analyze budget-to-actual variances, and investigate significant fluctuations. 

• Support capitalization of eligible project costs and assist with capital versus operating expense assessments. 

• Gather support for internal and external audit requests. 

• Work together with colleagues in other areas of the organization to achieve common goals. 

• Communicate with management and employees regarding issues in accounting and recommend solutions. 

• Create and update process documentation. 

• Review reconciliations & journal entries prepared by Staff Accountant. 

• Generate ad-hoc reports, analyses, and reconciliations by request. 

• Perform other duties as directed.

What you’ll experience working at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement: We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do. 

• People: Our people make us special. You’ll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today’s global challenges require. 

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what’s on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You’ll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good. 

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.  

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive. 

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are eligible for bonus compensation based on the level of the position. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days. 

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

What makes you a great fit: 

• Intermediate to advanced skills in Excel with knowledge of how to use VLOOKUP, SUMIF and pivot tables, at a minimum. 

• Detailed understanding of relevant accountant standards affecting nonprofit organizations. 

• General knowledge of all other accounting procedures. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for collaborating with internal and external contacts. 

• Analytical skills used in identifying discrepancies, explaining fluctuations, isolating root causes, and developing solutions. 

• Organization skills and attention to detail for producing quality work papers to be reviewed by internal management and external auditors. 

• Responsiveness and ability to prioritize tasks to complete deliverables by assigned due dates. 

• Must work well both individually and as a member of a team.

Professional education and experience requirements for the role include: 

• University Degree in Accounting with 6 years of directly related accounting experience. 

• Accounting experience with a mid-size to large organization or corporation is a plus. 

• Workday experience is a plus. 

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement 

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being. 

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