Investment Accountant/Senior Investment Accountant

EquiTrust External•Chicago, IL

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

EquiTrust Life Insurance Company is seeking an Investment Accountant or Senior Investment Accountant to support investment accounting, financial reporting, data integrity, and reconciliation activities across its investment portfolio. The role involves working closely with the Investment Accounting team and other business partners to record and analyze investment activity, resolve accounting and data-related issues, and meet internal and external reporting requirements. The company is a national carrier of annuity products, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with operations in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Knowledge of investment accounting principles, financial reporting, and reconciliation processes.
Ability to analyze detailed financial information and communicate findings clearly.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
Ability to exercise sound judgment and appropriately handle confidential and proprietary information.
Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word.
Ability to work effectively as both an individual contributor and a collaborative team member.
For the Investment Accountant level: At least 1 year of investment accounting or similar relevant experience.
For the Senior Investment Accountant level: At least 3 years of investment accounting experience.
For the Senior Investment Accountant level: At least 2 years of experience within insurance, investments, or a related financial services environment.
For the Senior Investment Accountant level: Experience preparing statutory financial statements or Blue Book schedules.
For the Senior Investment Accountant level: Working knowledge of investment accounting and operations systems.

Nice To Haves

CPA designation is preferred for the Senior Investment Accountant level.
Experience in life insurance, annuities, or investments is preferred for the Investment Accountant level.
Experience preparing statutory financial statements or Blue Book schedules is preferred for the Investment Accountant level.
Familiarity with PAM for Investments, BlackRock Aladdin, BusinessObjects, or similar investment systems is preferred.
For the Senior Investment Accountant level, the ability to mentor, train, and positively influence other team members.

Responsibilities

Record investment accounting entries in the general ledger for multiple legal entities.
Investigate and resolve unapplied cash, receivables, payables, and other investment-related accounting items.
Review and resolve reconciliation differences among investment accounting, data warehouse, custody, and trading systems.
Maintain organized workpapers and support monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities.
Analyze and reconcile investment activity across asset classes, including fixed-income securities, private placements, options, swaps, equities, and alternative investments.
Monitor trade activity, portfolio earnings calculations, realized gains and losses, and other investment-related activity.
Support the preparation of investment portfolio reports, statutory financial statements, investment schedules, footnotes, disclosures, and management reporting.
Research technical and transactional accounting issues and recommend appropriate solutions.
Assist internal and external auditors, regulators, and other stakeholders by providing requested documentation and resolving inquiries.
Review investment accounting information and perform trend analysis to identify inconsistencies, risks, or emerging issues.
Use exception-management processes and tools to support the accuracy and integrity of investment data.
Troubleshoot data-related issues across investment systems, including Princeton for Investments/PAM, BlackRock Aladdin, the investment data warehouse, and external investment and ratings data sources.
Support the maintenance and enhancement of the investment data warehouse, reporting tools, controls, and workflows.
Assist with the development of new reports, ledgers, and processes for investment-related projects.
Identify opportunities to strengthen controls, improve processes, and enhance the quality of investment accounting and reporting.
Partner with Investment, Finance, Operations, and other business areas to meet accounting and reporting requirements.
Develop knowledge of complex investments and their applicable statutory accounting treatment.
Support the Investment Accounting team and other departments as business needs arise.
Contribute to department and Company goals by working collaboratively and fostering a respectful, positive, and inclusive workplace.
Take on additional responsibilities as needed to support department and organizational objectives.
For the Senior Investment Accountant level, mentor and train junior team members on investment accounting concepts, systems, and reporting requirements.
For the Senior Investment Accountant level, monitor regulatory and statutory accounting developments that may affect the investment portfolio.