AVP, Settlements & Reserves

Fortitude Re•Jersey City, NJ

14h•Remote

About The Position

The AVP, Settlements & Reserves is responsible for overseeing reserve, and reinsurance settlement accounting processes across all legal entities and reporting bases. This role ensures accurate journal entries and reconciliations (incl. suspense), monitors adherence to internal policies, and partners with both internal teams and external providers. The AVP plays a key role in control execution, ledger integrity, and continuous improvement across operational accounting cycles. Includes supporting strategic financial initiatives to drive organizational success. What You Will Do: Oversee core record-to-report activities, including monthly journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations for balances in scope across all reporting bases (incl. EBS) Oversee the accounting and journal entries for reinsurance settlements in collaboration with Reinsurance Ops. Partner with Reinsurance Ops to review and validate data inputs used for settlement and reserve accounting Manage daily and month-end cash activity accounting; ensure completeness and alignment with settlements Oversee the accounting and journal entries for reserves in collaboration with Actuarial, and others across all reporting bases (incl. EBS) Manage the preparation of entries related to Sidecar transactions/balances and Modco payables ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting Ensure completeness, policy alignment, and internal control execution across all reserve processes Execute and document account reconciliations, including resolution of variances Identify improvement opportunities related to ledger feed processing, reserve automation, and system integration Contribute to quarterly close coordination and ledger integrity reviews Coordinate with offshore team to monitor deliverables, resolve issues, and ensure reporting accuracy and timeliness Identify and implement process improvements related to processes and support continuous improvement efforts through standardization, automation, and documentation Assist in the preparation of supporting schedules for reporting including addressing audit requests Collaborate with the analytics pillar to ensure ledger inputs align with analytic outputs Coach and mentor senior associates and analysts within the team to build technical strength and process ownership What You Will Have: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA or CA designation preferred. Minimum of 7 years of progressive accounting experience within the Life & Annuity (re)insurance industry gained by either working in or supporting the re/insurance industry or by working in public accounting/audit Strong working knowledge of US GAAP, US STAT, SFS, and EBS accounting principles and reporting requirements. Demonstrated experience with legal entity accounting, intercompany transactions, reserves, reinsurance, expense accounting and/or financial analytics Proven ability to execute and maintain internal controls, reconciliations, and ledger accuracy. Hands-on experience in preparing or reviewing journal entries, and fluctuation analyses. Prior exposure to audits (internal/external) and ability to respond to audit queries with clarity and documentation. Strong Excel skills; experience with ERP and accounting systems such as SAP, Workday, and reporting platforms such as Coupa, Workiva, Power BI, or equivalent. Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and written communication skills. Ability to work under pressure, manage deadlines, and handle shifting priorities in a dynamic environment. Proven ability to collaborate across departments including Actuarial, Reinsurance Ops., Treasury, FP&A, and external partners. Demonstrated leadership capabilities with experience mentoring or managing staff and fostering a collaborative, results-driven culture. #LI-Remote

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA or CA designation preferred.
Minimum of 7 years of progressive accounting experience within the Life & Annuity (re)insurance industry gained by either working in or supporting the re/insurance industry or by working in public accounting/audit
Strong working knowledge of US GAAP, US STAT, SFS, and EBS accounting principles and reporting requirements.
Demonstrated experience with legal entity accounting, intercompany transactions, reserves, reinsurance, expense accounting and/or financial analytics
Proven ability to execute and maintain internal controls, reconciliations, and ledger accuracy.
Hands-on experience in preparing or reviewing journal entries, and fluctuation analyses.
Prior exposure to audits (internal/external) and ability to respond to audit queries with clarity and documentation.
Strong Excel skills; experience with ERP and accounting systems such as SAP, Workday, and reporting platforms such as Coupa, Workiva, Power BI, or equivalent.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and written communication skills.
Ability to work under pressure, manage deadlines, and handle shifting priorities in a dynamic environment.
Proven ability to collaborate across departments including Actuarial, Reinsurance Ops., Treasury, FP&A, and external partners.
Demonstrated leadership capabilities with experience mentoring or managing staff and fostering a collaborative, results-driven culture.

Nice To Haves

CPA or CA designation preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee core record-to-report activities, including monthly journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations for balances in scope across all reporting bases (incl. EBS)
Oversee the accounting and journal entries for reinsurance settlements in collaboration with Reinsurance Ops.
Partner with Reinsurance Ops to review and validate data inputs used for settlement and reserve accounting
Manage daily and month-end cash activity accounting; ensure completeness and alignment with settlements
Oversee the accounting and journal entries for reserves in collaboration with Actuarial, and others across all reporting bases (incl. EBS)
Manage the preparation of entries related to Sidecar transactions/balances and Modco payables ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting
Ensure completeness, policy alignment, and internal control execution across all reserve processes
Execute and document account reconciliations, including resolution of variances
Identify improvement opportunities related to ledger feed processing, reserve automation, and system integration
Contribute to quarterly close coordination and ledger integrity reviews
Coordinate with offshore team to monitor deliverables, resolve issues, and ensure reporting accuracy and timeliness
Identify and implement process improvements related to processes and support continuous improvement efforts through standardization, automation, and documentation
Assist in the preparation of supporting schedules for reporting including addressing audit requests
Collaborate with the analytics pillar to ensure ledger inputs align with analytic outputs
Coach and mentor senior associates and analysts within the team to build technical strength and process ownership