The electric grid is vital to our everyday lives. It is fundamental for the health, safety, and well-being of our communities, and provides the platform for our economy and our societal and technological advances. SERC's mission is to reduce risks to the reliability and security of the electric grid (also known as the bulk power system), not only for today but also for the future.

To achieve this mission, we maintain a diverse team of experts across numerous disciplines in order to address the complex, evolving, and dynamic challenges facing the grid. Our team also partners with the best and brightest individuals from both the power industry and the federal government to understand and address the challenges facing the grid. These key partnerships make our work more informed, pragmatic, responsive, and impactful.

The Senior Accountant is responsible for a broad range of accounting functions, including full-cycle Accounts Payable oversight, maintaining the general ledger, and leading month-end close activities. This role also contributes to budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and related analysis-providing management with accurate, meaningful financial information to support organizational decision-making.

This position works closely with the Sr. Finance Manager and the Chief Financial Officer to support accounting operations, ensure compliance with GAAP and internal policies, and drive improvements in processes, systems, and workflows. May be responsible for mentoring coworkers and providing professional resources to members of management with budgetary responsibilities.

We are seeking an individual who is motivated and shows ability to quickly grow within the role and take on complex responsibilities and contribute at a higher level as opportunities arise. The ideal candidate will be technologically astute, and lead efforts to evaluate existing financial tools, and if necessary, identify, recommend and implement new financial tools.

Key Responsibilities And Technical Skills

Accounting Operations

- Manage end-to-end Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable processes, including vendor setup, invoice processing, employee expense reports, customer billing, and 1099 reporting.

- Maintain the general ledger and prepare timely, accurate journal entries and account reconciliations.

- Lead month-end close, ensuring accuracy and adherence to established deadlines.

- Support cash management processes and identify discrepancies or variances proactively.

Financial Reporting and Analysis

- Prepare and analyze monthly financial statements, including budget-to-actual results, and provide clear, actionable variance explanations to management.

- Support development of the annual budget, multi-year projections, and periodic forecasting updates.

- Build and maintain spreadsheets, models, and reports that support financial decision-making.

- Prepare financial presentations and supporting schedules for management and leadership.

Compliance and External Reporting

- Lead preparation of annual IRS Form 990, property tax filings, and sales/use tax returns.

- Coordinate external financial audits, including managing audit schedules, documentation, and reconciliations.

- Maintain strong internal controls and ensure compliance with GAAP and SERC financial policies.

- Recommend improvements to strengthen controls, accuracy, and efficiency.

Systems, Training, and Continuous Improvement

- Evaluate current financial tools and lead or support initiatives to recommend, implement, and optimize new systems as needed.

- Serve as the department ambassador for company document management tools (e.g., SharePoint).

- Provide user support and training on SAP Concur Invoice, Concur Expense, Sage MIP, and other finance-related systems.

- Create and maintain process documentation and SOPs.

- Mentor junior accounting staff and act as a team lead on projects or cross-functional initiatives.

Core Competencies

- Strong understanding of GAAP, accounting practices, and financial controls.

- Ability to plan, prioritize, and execute tasks independently with accuracy.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to explain financial details to non-financial stakeholders.

- Ability to adapt to shifting priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

- Excellent communication and collaboration skills across departments.

- High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion when handling confidential information.

- Self-driven, organized, and committed to continuous improvement.

Qualifications And Experience

- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; CPA or MBA preferred.

- 7–10 years of progressive accounting experience, including general ledger, month-end close, budgeting, and variance analysis.

- Public accounting or audit experience strongly preferred.

- Demonstrated experience leading or supporting financial software implementations or major system changes strongly desired.

- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel required (advanced formulas, pivot tables, data manipulation).

- Experience with Sage MIP and SAP Concur is a plus.

Commitment To Culture

SERC is dedicated to being a

highly desirable place to work

through culture and purpose. We place a strategic focus on critical elements such as Innovation & Collaboration, Organizational Development & Talent Management. Through this strategic focus, SERC has identified its four values we believe keep us on the path of the relentless pursuit of better.

Company Values

- Leader - Is trustworthy, principled, and respectful and strive to create value that reduces risk. Has a positive vision and is actively building support to execute it. A leader takes personal accountability for the outcomes of their choices and actions, acts with professionalism and adapts to change in a calm and positive manner. A leader will, when appropriate, ask questions and recommend alternative solutions to new processes or procedures.

- Collaborative - Partner and engage, both internally and externally, to drive meaningful action by leveraging skills, knowledge and tools. This would include effective written and verbal communication to ensure ideas and messages are clearly and concisely conveyed, being responsive to all stakeholders, understanding goals and objectives while exceeding key metrics and targets. Encourages dialog and candor while making it safe for others to voice their opinion to ensure all alternative viewpoints are heard, they are an active listener.

- Expert - Being credible, objective, disciplined, and sought after to help with continuous learning, improvements, and innovations. Exhibit knowledge of and ensures compliance with industry best practices and regulations. Take initiative to set priorities and convey important information in a timely and efficient manner. Employ good judgment when evaluating a problem by analyzing risk and identifying consequences while demonstrating a sense of organizational stewardship.

- Purposeful - Proactively demonstrate initiative, intentionality and resourcefulness to help anticipate and navigate current and future challenges. Committed to the quality of work and ensures work is delivered at appropriate deadlines while seeking operational efficiencies. Initiate appropriate follow-up while leveraging industry knowledge and business acumen to make appropriate decisions. Treat others with compassion and empathy and embrace the organization's mission and vision while providing meaningful contributions to organizational endeavors.

If the traits and characteristics listed in our values resonate with you, we encourage you to apply!

Salary/Benefits

SERC offers a competitive salary (DOE) and a comprehensive benefits package that significantly enhances total compensation. Benefits include generous PTO, paid holidays, paid parental leave, a bonus program, medical/dental/vision coverage, employer paid life, short- and long-term disability insurance, and a 401(k) plan with an organization contribution of up to 14%. We also provide a flexible hybrid work schedule and support for professional development.

Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

- Hybrid work environment. In Charlotte office 2 or 3 days per week and work from home remaining days

SERC is an Equal Opportunity Employer