Technical Accounting & SEC Reporting Senior Accountant
Job Description
The Technical Accounting and SEC Reporting Senior Analyst is a key role within Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated’s Accounting organization whose primary responsibilities include ensuring timely and accurate accounting treatment of significant, complex, and non-routine transactions; assisting in the planning and execution of the Accounting/Finance team’s SOX compliance efforts; and supporting the compilation and analysis of data related to/timely filing of the Company’s SEC and other external reporting documents. The role will provide significant opportunity to work closely with different teams (e.g., General Ledger Accounting, Tax, Finance, Business Development, Treasury, Legal, Internal Audit). Vertex continues to experience rapid growth and the individual in this role will be exposed to numerous new accounting transactions and encouraged to think critically to propose suggestions on the appropriate accounting treatment and is therefore expected to independently research and interpret U.S. GAAP and other regulatory guidance, as well as to identify internal control concerns and/or opportunities for process improvement. This position will report to the Associate Director of Technical Accounting and SEC Reporting.
Primary responsibilities include:
- Research accounting guidance (U.S. GAAP, IFRS, or other reporting frameworks) for new, complex, or unusual transactions, and be able to communicate/document the Company’s accounting treatment for such transactions.
- Develop/independently maintain cross-functional relationships with other teams, including General Ledger Accounting, Tax, Finance, Business Development, Treasury, Legal, Internal Audit, and Real Estate.
- Coordinate the compilation of all financial data necessary to prepare financial statements and related disclosures required for external reporting.
- Support the planning and execution of the Accounting organization’s SOX compliance efforts, including: responsibility for the preparation, review and update of the Company’s end-to-end process documentation (narratives and flow charts); coordinating internal resources to facilitate testing efforts (both with the Company’s Internal Audit organization and its external auditors); monitoring testing progress; and providing input to the Company’s conclusion on the design and effectiveness of the its control environment.
- Interact with external auditors on various matters, including discussing proposed accounting for complex transactions.
- Identify opportunities to optimize internal controls via automation or other options.
- Assist in the performance of impairment testing of goodwill, intangible and long-lived assets, including evaluation of potential impairment indicators.
- Monitor and evaluate proposed changes in accounting standards and disclosure requirements and document/communicate potential impacts to key stakeholders.
- Prepare and update accounting policies.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required
- CPA preferred
- 2+ years Big 4 Public Accounting Firm experience preferred
- Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills
- Strong analytical and data analysis skills
- Strong functional research capabilities
- Advanced Microsoft Office skills
- Life sciences industry experience a plus
- Experience in evaluating the design and effectiveness of internal control environments a plus
- Knowledge of share-based payment accounting a plus