Staff Accountant

Job Description

Staff Accountant | EquiTrust Life Insurance Company

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, located in Chicago, Illinois or West Des Moines, Iowa, with a mostly off-site work arrangement. EquiTrust is a national carrier of competitive, client-friendly annuity products, serving over 20,000 independent agents and marketing organizations across the nation. Since 2003, the company has built its reputation on exceptional customer service, integrity, and passion. As a Staff Accountant, you will be crucial in supporting the daily financial operations, ensuring accurate and complete financial reporting that underpins the company’s continued success and service to its clients. This role fosters a collaborative environment, working closely with various teams to uphold the company’s commitment to financial integrity and operational excellence.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Location: Hybrid Chicago, IL or West Des Moines, IA

• Team: Financial Reporting and Accounting teams
• Mission: Maintain accurate, complete, and timely financial information through daily reporting and accounting activities.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Office, Excel, Word

What You’ll Actually Do
• Prepare Journal Entries: Generate various journal entries covering accounts payable, payroll, taxes, investments, treasury, and general operations, ensuring all financial transactions are accurately recorded.
• Perform Reconciliations: Conduct daily accounting feed reconciliations, general ledger reconciliations, and bank reconciliations, diligently resolving any errors or discrepancies to maintain precise financial records.
• Support Financial Closings & Filings: Assist with essential monthly and quarterly closing activities, prepare and upload statutory filings into the regulatory reporting system, and process associated regulatory fee payments.
• Facilitate Audits: Gather and provide comprehensive documentation and support for both internal and external audit requests, ensuring transparency and compliance with all financial regulations.
• Manage Accounting Workflows: Maintain detailed checklists and logs to effectively manage departmental workflows and deadlines, while also cross-training on accounting responsibilities to provide backup support as needed.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field is required, with a strong preference for a Bachelor’s degree specifically in Accounting. Candidates must possess a demonstrated understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and fundamental financial accounting concepts.
• Experience: Proven knowledge of the full accounting cycle, including the preparation of journal entries, execution of account reconciliations, understanding of accruals, and participation in month-end close processes.
• Skills: Strong attention to detail and the ability to meticulously review work for accuracy and completeness, effective written and verbal communication skills, and intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word. Additionally, strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills are essential.
• Bonus: Previous financial accounting internship or at least one year of junior-level corporate accounting experience, familiarity with Statutory Accounting Principles, or progress toward obtaining a CPA designation.