Financial Analyst/Accountant

State of Wisconsin Investment Board • Madison, WI

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Finance Division (Finance) serves the entire organization and is under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer. Finance is responsible for several critical functions at SWIB and comprises six teams: Fund Administration (FA), Finance Operations (FinOps), Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Vendor Engagement and Oversight (VEO), Performance, and Operational, Financing & Counterparty Risk Management (OFCR). This position is within FinOps. FinOps is responsible for overseeing SWIB’s general ledger, payroll processing, accounts payable, and business travel. They provide focus and oversight over SWIB’s internal costs. FinOps leverages financial data to support activities directly impacting SWIB’s performance results. In addition, FinOps is responsible for preparing the financial statements for the WRS and SIF, while also providing key financial reporting information for the separately managed funds SWIB oversees. The Financial Analyst/Accountant is an early career role within the Finance Division focused on ensuring complete and accurate accounting information is produced and available for critical SWIB processes. This is a great opportunity to gain practical experience through ownership of a diverse slate of responsibilities at a leading financial institution. This position will work closely with other FinOps team members and report directly to the Financial Manager while also collaborating with teams across Finance and SWIB more broadly. The position’s essential activities and attributes that the ideal candidate will possess are included below.

Requirements

• Holds a bachelor’s degree or higher in accounting, finance, or related field
• Overall post-degree work experience of 0 to 2 years
• Is comfortable navigating complex applications and can apply that experience to learn new platforms
• Leverages their intellectual curiosity to continually learn and develop their skills
• Is a self-starter with the ability to nimbly manage competing priorities
• Can efficiently consume, distill, and communicate complex issues
• Confidently manages both team and enterprise-level relationships through a focus on collaboration
• Is driven by results, but focused on process
• Challenges the status quo when appropriate
• Is proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, most notably Excel
• Possesses excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Possesses superb work ethic, attention to detail, team oriented, and committed to excellence
• The position requires U.S. work authorization.

Responsibilities

• Perform a variety of accounting activities including calculating expense accruals, performing expense reconciliations, recording key journal entries, processing payments to vendors, and facilitating SWIB’s payroll process.
• Own most of SWIB’s internal operating expense and revenue accounting.
• Record accounting entries into SWIB’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and provide accounting instructions to SWIB’s custodian and other reporting books.
• Develop a deep understanding of SWIB’s ERP system, Workday, and collaborate across SWIB divisions to develop, test, and implement ERP enhancements and controls.
• Support VEO/Procurement with contract management workflows and other ad hoc procurement activities.
• Manage SWIB’s travel expense management and reporting activities.
• Assume a leading role navigating FinOps’ key systems
• Assist with the production of the annual WRS and SIF financial statements and related footnotes including research and analysis on new Governmental Account Standards Board (GASB) pronouncements.
• Understand complex investment strategies and determine the proper financial reporting treatment for each.
• Collaborate with management to review processes and implement changes.
• Perform complex, ad-hoc project as requested.
• Proficiently use software applications including MS Office and the ERP systems employed by both SWIB and the State of Wisconsin (Workday and PeopleSoft).

Benefits

• Competitive total cash compensation, based on AON (formerly McLagan) industry benchmarks
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Educational and training opportunities
• Tuition reimbursement
• Challenging work in a professional environment
• Hybrid work environment

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees