Technical Accounting Manager

Kansas City, United States of America

Finance and Accounting

230161

Apply now

Kansas City, United States of America

Finance and Accounting

230161

Apply now

Working at Lockton

At Lockton, we’re passionate about helping our people achieve their ultimate potential. Our people are curious, action-oriented and always striving to make ourselves and those around us better. We’re active listeners working to ensure understanding and problem solvers developing innovative solutions. If you can see yourself delivering excellent service to clients, giving back to our communities and being a part of our caring culture, you belong here.

Business unit

Lockton Management, LLC

Schedule

Full-time

Job type

Experienced Professional

Workplace

Hybrid

Your Responsibilities

The Technical Accounting Manager (“Manager”) will report to the Director of Financial Accounting and will assume leadership over Lockton’s domestic and international technical accounting matters. This is a new position to Lockton and is reflective of the investment being made in Lockton’s Finance and Accounting teams as the company continues its domestic and global growth. The Manager will supervise one direct report who is responsible for a significant, ongoing accounting process, and the manager will be involved in the build-out of associated long-term forecasting models for this area. In addition to technical accounting responsibilities, s/he will be involved in financial reporting matters, providing consultation on required disclosures, and will support a significant, long-term financial reporting modernization project.

Responsibilities include:

· Lead point of contact with international subsidiaries on technical accounting matters, particularly with acquisitions and disposals of business units.

· Provide guidance for and review of any international adjustments that may be required from local statutory accounting standards to US GAAP.

· Research and documentation related to technical accounting matters under US GAAP.

· Lead the development of standardized accounting policies and procedures in accordance with US GAAP.

· Research and provide consultation on all new accounting pronouncements and relevant GAAP implications and how they strategically impact the company.

· Consult with Financial Reporting team on disclosure requirements.

· Build out templates to utilize for recurring, technical accounting matters (e.g. an “acquisition toolkit”).

· Provide management and oversight of deferred compensation accounting process, including ensuring compliance with individual deferred compensation agreements.

· Work closely with Lockton’s Finance team to assist with forecasting and modeling needs associated with long-term deferred compensation agreements.

· Lockton is investing in a significant finance and accounting modernization effort, including adopting Oracle Cloud and adjacent systems. The Manager will work closely with our Financial Reporting and Accounting Information Systems teams to transition to the new systems, and drive efficiencies in the consolidation and reporting processes in the context of the new environment.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

· A Bachelor of Science in accounting is mandatory, a CPA preferred.

· A minimum 5 years of public or 6 years of public/private accounting experience will distinguish more sought-after prospects.

· Strong technical abilities related to current financial and accounting rules, laws, and regulations.

· International accounting experience is preferred.

· Although insurance industry knowledge and understanding will be helpful, it is not required.

· A demonstrated background in establishing long and short-term goals, objectives, and priorities in accordance with the overall mission and strategic plan of the company is anticipated.

· Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills.

· Strong leadership and managerial skills and ability to work in a team environment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Lockton Companies is proud to provide everyone an equal opportunity to grow and advance. We are committed to an inclusive culture and environment where our people, clients and communities are treated with respect and dignity.

At Lockton, supporting diversity, equity and inclusion is ingrained in our values, and we believe that we are at our best when we fully embrace everyone. We strive to cultivate a caring culture that learns from, celebrates and thrives because of our breadth of differences. As such, we recognize that recruiting, developing and retaining people with diverse backgrounds and experiences is vital and enabling our people to thrive personally and professionally is critical to our long-term success.

About Lockton

Lockton is the largest privately held independent insurance brokerage in the world. Since 1966, our independence has allowed us to serve our clients, take care of our people and give back to our communities. As such, our 10,000+ Associates doing business in over 100 countries are empowered to do what’s right every day.

At Lockton, we believe in the power of all people. You belong at Lockton.

How We Will Support You

At Lockton, we empower you to be true to yourself in all that you do. Your success is our success, and we provide opportunities to help you grow and create a rewarding career path, however you envision it.

We are ready to meet you where you are today, and as your needs change over time. In addition to industry-leading health insurance, we offer additional options to support your overall health and wellbeing.

Learn more about your Lockton experience

No Agencies Please

Any Employment Agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of Lockton Companies, Inc. Lockton Companies will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting Employment Agency, person or entity. Employment Agencies, who have fee Agreements with Lockton Companies must submit applicants to the designated Lockton Companies Employment Coordinator to be eligible for placement fees.

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Life at Lockton

September 15, 2023

Lockton Named a Best...

At Lockton, we work hard to make sure our people feel welcomed and valued and provide opportunities to help them grow personally and professionally. We’re honored to be recognized as a Best Place to Work in Insurance for the 15th consecutive year. Best Places to Work in Insurance is an annual feature by Business Insurance and Best Companies Group that lists the agents, brokers, insurers and other providers with the highest employee engagement and satisfaction. The award recognizes employers for their outstanding performance in establishing workplaces where employees can thrive, enjoy their work and help their companies grow. For nearly 60 years, our independence has allowed us to provide exceptional service to our clients, take care of our people and give back to our communities in ways other companies can’t. Here are just a few ways we continue to support and expand our industry-leading culture. Embracing authenticity At Lockton, we are committed to advancing a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where all people feel welcome, valued and excited to build a career here. Our Associate-led Resource Groups (ARGs) serve as dedicated spaces for Associates to connect, grow and share pathways to personal and professional success. These groups deepen connections and help increase allyship by engaging, educating and advancing different perspectives, backgrounds, traditions and more. They also help us focus on what’s important and bring voice when change is needed to further advance DEI across the enterprise. Industry-leading benefits In addition to industry-leading health insurance, we offer additional options to support Associates’ overall health and wellbeing. From extensive mental health benefits to comprehensive fertility benefits, generous 401k matching to extensive wellness programs, we fully support our Associates and their families. Caring culture We empower and encourage our people to make a difference in their communities, and believe this connection between personal and professional relationships creates a greater level of overall fulfillment. Our people have the flexibility to choose how they want to make an impact in their communities and have the company’s support in whichever cause they choose. We’re excited to continue providing the opportunities and support necessary for our people to grow, improve and reach their ultimate potential. Learn more about Your Experience at Lockton.

August 23, 2023

My career, my story:...

Whether on the field or in the office, at his core, Brian Roberts is a coach. After a successful soccer career that saw him start every game during his four-year career at Yale and playing professionally with the Kansas City Wizards, Brian switched to coaching in 2005 and never truly looked back. The leadership, strategic thinking and management skills Brian learned on the pitch have since transferred to his current role at Lockton – Chief Operating Officer of the Midwest region. Since joining Lockton in 2009, Brian has held a variety of operations roles. But one thing remains – his intense focus on growth. “I believe I’m here to coach and help people get better. And I get to coach at the highest level in this role,” said Brian. At Lockton, your career is yours to customize, and Brian is one of many Associates across the globe bringing that value to life. Read more below, in Brian’s own words, about the career he’s built at Lockton. When did you start working at Lockton? In 2009, I was coaching Ron Lockton’s daughter in soccer. He told me it would be good for me if I joined Lockton. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but I eventually took him up on a conversation and took the offer. At the time, I was looking for an organization that did things the right way. I had worked for a couple of places that said one thing but did the exact opposite. So, I was looking for a place that was true to itself and had the right spirit. For almost 15 years now, Lockton has been that place. What were the catalysts for your changes in positions at Lockton? The melody line of my career at Lockton is growth. I originally interviewed to be a Producer and decided that it wasn’t the right fit and so I joined the operations team. My starting title was Associate and for seven years there was no title movement. I worked on the operations team finding ways to help the business get better. I then took a different role as Director of Operations. Shortly after, 2020 happened and all the anxiety around George Floyd and diversity came to the forefront. I made some noise about our DEI efforts. That led me to take on our Chief Diversity Officer role for two years until we could hire someone. At the time, I was open to COO opportunities. When the opportunity to become COO of our Midwest region became available, I was honored to take it. What did your time as Chief Diversity Officer tell you about Lockton? My time as Chief Diversity Officer says a few things about Lockton. One, they listen to their people. Two, it would have been easy to go out and spend money to hire the best diversity resume out there. From a diversity standpoint, I couldn’t put my resume next to other candidates. The choice to hire someone internally initially was important. We needed someone who understood Lockton in that role first. There’s a right way to make changes at Lockton and there’s a wrong way. Had we brought in someone from outside Lockton, they wouldn’t have worked in our decentralized model. Peter Clune’s choice to bring me in shows our culture drives us and has to stay in the forefront and that we remain who we are. Why Lockton? It’s the people. In each spot I’ve been in, I’ve been empowered to shape the job around who I am instead of trying to shape me into the square hole that’s there. I think that’s important. That’s something Lockton does well. There’s a ton of freedom in the framework here. You have a lot of freedom to make your career what you want. How has Lockton supported you professionally? I don’t even know how to quantify all that Lockton has done for me. I’m the first person in my family to go to college and I didn’t grow up in a corporate environment. I had to learn everything – from how to dress for a corporate job to a large amount of business acumen. I’ve had a ton of on-the-job mentorship. I have a lot of room to make mistakes and try things. Fortunately, a lot of those things have worked but a lot haven’t. There were things where they didn’t work, and leadership is good with taking those swings. How has Lockton supported you personally? Well, I married a Lockton Associate, so there’s that! There’s been a couple of moments where the organization has rallied around me or my family. They’ve invested in the whole person. Whether that be investing in specific training or development, or just saying “hey you need to take some time off,” whatever the case may be, they’re invested in the Associate. How would you describe Lockton’s culture to someone outside of the company? I like to describe our culture in this way: it’s like the best locker room I’ve ever been a part of. We are all competing to be better each and every day and pushing each other to be better. There’s healthy internal competition but that competition pales in comparison to us fighting the other team. We love to win and grow, and that’s important. The best locker rooms create a culture so strong, that when someone who doesn’t fit or align with values enters it, the system spits them out. Our culture is getting stronger with what is and isn’t Lockton. Sometimes we trivialize culture and only talk about beer Fridays and parties – they’re great but not our culture. It’s about collaboration, autonomy and the growth of our people and business. What is your “Lockton moment”? I don’t have one moment. I often think about this … if I had to say something, I would say thank you to Ron [Lockton]. There aren’t that many companies that recruit a black soccer coach off the field, who majored in biology and doesn’t know anything about insurance but can bring him into the company and become a C-level executive. So, it’s not a moment, but the opportunity provided gives a great story. What has surprised you most about working at Lockton? The lack of rules always surprises me and makes me happy. People want to legislate behavior. You see in the news that when things don’t go well, we make a new rule or law. That’s proven not to work. We are a $3B company and have resisted the temptation to over-structure. We give our people freedom and autonomy, and it’s surprising we’ve been able to stay that true to who we are. I’d definitely add that to the list of reasons why I stay here. What advice would you give to someone considering a career at Lockton? It takes you two years to become Lockton smart. We’re a different company and you must accept that as you come in. You need to reserve judgment and let it come to you. We are a wonderfully weird organization. What does “You Belong at Lockton" mean to you? You’re welcome at Lockton. If there was an ellipsis, I’d finish the sentence with “You Belong at Lockton if you’re ready to be the best version of yourself.” If you’re not, then you don’t belong at Lockton. You’ve got to be willing to push and extend yourself if you really want to get the most out of working here.

July 17, 2023

My career, my story:...

Crystal Lynn embodies the best of finance, data, process, interpersonal relationships, business excellence, and professionalism. Since joining Lockton in 2005, Crystal’s business acumen and knack for relationship building have led her to a successful career in operations at many different levels within the Lockton organization. “I started my career at Lockton shortly out of college as a senior staff accountant in our accounting and finance department. I assumed early on I would follow the typical accounting career path, but that hasn’t been the case based on where my passion lies,” said Crystal. As a staff accountant, Crystal’s first role helped her develop a deeper knowledge of large corporate financials and the Lockton business model. But despite excelling with numbers, Crystal had a vision for the bigger picture business plans. Her ability to forge relationships, create practical and effective business solutions, and build teams from the ground up accelerated Crystal to her current position as COO of Lockton’s Transaction Liability Practice. "There are so many areas for growth outside of a traditional growth path at Lockton. My last two roles are newly created positions. As Lockton grows, so do the opportunities,” continued Crystal. At Lockton, your career is yours to customize, and Crystal is one of many Associates across the globe bringing that value to life. Read more below, in Crystal’s own words, about the career she’s built at Lockton. When did you start working at Lockton? I started at Lockton in 2005. I had just moved to Kansas City and was working with a recruiter to look for a new role. I had an offer from another highly regarded company when I received a call from the recruiter saying Lockton had a senior staff accountant position open. While I was ready to accept the other offer, the recruiter was very convincing that I should at least interview with Lockton. I interviewed with two people, one of which is still a mentor, and I knew within the first five minutes that I needed to be at Lockton. I declined the offer at the other company and this started my journey at Lockton. What were the catalysts for your changes in positions at Lockton? After two years as a senior staff accountant, I felt like I was ready to take the step to divisional controller. I was pregnant with my first child but had conversations before leaving for my parental leave that I would be promoted when I returned. I loved that role. I worked closely with the COOs, Producers and other executive leadership for my offices. Through these relationships and conversations, they knew I was interested in exploring operations, and did whatever they could to bring me into operational matters to help me develop. Then came my second child. Once again, when I came back from parental leave, I was promoted to divisional accounting manager. I was worried about what the role might be, as I was worried it would take me out of the operational aspect that I loved so much, but I had multiple Lockton leaders tell me that I can make the position what I wanted it to be. I ended up taking it. A few years into that position, I received a call that there was a need for an operations manager on the property and casualty side of the business and the P&C leadership had heard this was an area of interest to me. There was no existing role at the time. After interviewing with the leader of P&C, I was offered the position. In that role, I built strong relationships with our carrier partners and worked closely with the best P&C leaders in the industry and our Transaction Liability (TL) team, among others. Because of my close involvement with the TL team, when Lockton made the decision to invest in TL in 2020, I was asked to help acclimate the four new leaders to Lockton. As I continued to work closely with them, they asked me to be their COO. Why Lockton? What attracted me to Lockton and what has kept me at Lockton, is the people. No matter what role I’ve been in, it feels like a team. Everyone has each other’s back. Everyone is invested in others’ success. Everyone treats the business as their own. What is your favorite part about your current role? The team that we’ve created. As we are building the practice out, we are really careful about who we are hiring and bringing in to make sure they are the right cultural fit; hiring people who treat the business like it’s their own, are invested in each other’s growth and development, and dedicated to a team atmosphere. We work extremely hard, and everyone is in it together. How has Lockton supported you professionally? Lockton provided the infrastructure to grow and the people at Lockton provided the inspiration to reach. What is your “Lockton moment”? When our new TL leaders joined Lockton, I was asked to help acclimate them to Lockton. No one was forcing us to work together – I was there to temporarily help them. In February 2021, as we were working through financial plans and figuring out how we wanted to staff and bring in key hires, they started talking about needing a COO. They asked me when I was going to come over full-time and be their COO… I said, “The second you ask.” My goal was always to be a COO and that was the moment for me that was like wow, this is my shot. It was the best decision I ever made and couldn’t be happier to be in the role I’m in today, working with the most amazing team. Our employer branding tagline is “You Belong at Lockton.” What does this statement mean to you? Throughout the time that I’ve spent at Lockton, I’ve never even considered other outside opportunities. There is no place I would rather be. Crystal and the Transaction Liability team

June 30, 2023

Celebrating inclusio...

This June, Lockton Associates across the globe celebrated Pride month, from hosting parade floats to promoting selfie competitions. The One Pride LEAN (Lockton Empowered Associate Network) group is leading the way and bringing together LGBTQ+ Associates and allies from across Lockton, with the purpose of ensuring that Lockton is a welcoming and inclusive place to work for all. "We started our overall One Pride group as a way to connect Associates across the globe. Throughout the group we are all sharing our resources and our knowledge, as well as supporting each other,” said Monikka Colbert, co-Leader of One Pride. Like all LEAN groups at Lockton, One Pride empowers our people. Members can share resources and work together to enable the change they want to see within the company and the greater community. "It goes back to that feeling of being welcomed,” Max Bartholomai, member of a regional Pride LEAN group, said. “Having a group that focuses on our community and gives us that spotlight and representation, that's something that really enhances the work that we do. Honestly, it makes you want to work harder for a company that sees you and respects you.” One Pride meets quarterly to plan Pride events, such as virtual speakers at a global level and share resources that are helpful to the individual Series and regional groups. To celebrate Pride month, the group posted interactive content and resources on an internal platform to allow all Associates, even those who aren't involved in One Pride, to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community. Many offices and regions planned their own events to celebrate Pride month, with multiple groups taking part in their local Pride parades. Just like everything we do here at Lockton, our Pride groups are dedicated to growing and becoming more involved with their communities each year. “One of the things I love about Lockton is that at the moment, we are doing our best,” Colbert said. “But we’re also looking forward, knowing that we can be better. Lockton is always looking for ways to improve. That applies to inclusion, to our work product, to our Associates, it applies to everything.” Check in with a few of our geographies across the globe to see what they did to celebrate Pride. United Kingdom In June, posters featuring LGBTQ+ community members and allies could be found in kitchen areas across Lockton U.K."s offices. Lockton Pride U.K. planned activities during the month ranging from a drag bingo event raising money for a local LGBTQ+ charity to sharing information about the Stonewall riots that Associates could read while eating cupcakes Pride sent to all offices. Founded in 2019, the goals for the group are increasing visibility, allyship and awareness according to Vicky Keene, a member of the U.K. Pride committee. Smaller ways to show Pride around the offices, like these posters, allow people who may not be educated about the community to learn more. Beyond this, Lockton Pride U.K. is also hosting both ally and pronoun trainings. “Sometimes people can be scared to ask questions, and I think Lockton fosters that environment where it is safe for people to do so and learn without fear of saying the wrong thing. Sometimes people get it wrong, but having these conversations leads to them getting it right in the long run,” said Keene. The group is continuing to grow in the U.K., and the goal is to expand U.K. Pride to include members of offices around the country by 2024. They recently earned a “highly commended” honor at the Rainbow Awards, celebrating LGBTQ+ efforts in the workplace. "Having these groups makes me feel comfortable that I can talk about some aspects of my life that I would otherwise try to hide,” Keene said. “Comparing it to other companies, where I may have concealed who I was or what I was going through at the time.” U.S. Northeast region Northeast Pride celebrated its first Pride month as a group this June. The group was recently formed and is working to partner with local organizations and plan events for their Associates, from speakers to happy hours and service-related opportunities in their communities. Co-Lead of the group Tony Fenoglio was a member of Lockton’s Midwest Pride group before transferring to the Northeast. He has seen firsthand the support that all LEAN groups receive from Lockton after formation. “I joined Lockton in 2018 and one of the aspects I’ve always valued is how receptive and focused our leaders are, specifically when it comes to supporting our Associates. That’s very much exemplified in the creation and backing of our various LEAN groups, including Pride. In fact, I haven’t heard the word ‘no’ yet. I’ve heard ‘How can we support that?’ Fenoglio said. “Whether it be resources, time, energy, funding, there is a concerted focus to help us grow and establish the [Pride] group.” In their first communication as a group, Northeast Pride sent an email to Associates listing ways to celebrate and get involved. Members of the group are encouraged to celebrate Pride in their city and were given a list of events ranging from an LGBTQ+ history walking tour in Boston to screenings of films that focus on LGBTQ+ characters on the green in Washington, D.C. As the group expands, they hope to focus on educating those in the office, even if they are not familiar with the community. They hope to form more allies through education and find community partners who can help advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. “One of the things that brought me to Lockton was our culture. It won me over in the initial process of interviewing,” Fenoglio said. “I felt like I could be my authentic self here. It was made clear upfront that I was embraced.” U.S. Founders region Lockton was a premier sponsor in the Kansas City Pride parade this June for the Founders region Pride group’s second official year participating. The group handed out recruitment materials and had giveaways at the event, where they had twice as many participants as last year. The regional Pride group worked with human resources to turn the event into a wellness event, where Associates who participated could earn points towards prizes. According to co-leader Kena Flood, many Lockton Associates have already asked if they can join next year. “Because it’s Associate driven, the group makes me feel supported,” said Flood. “Having people involved that really care and leaders that are buying in and supporting the group, is really meaningful. It shows they have a personal investment, and it’s not just checking a box." The group is working on planning more events, specifically related to service. They’ve partnered with the Parents at Work LEAN group for a speaker event in August and hope to continue working with other resource groups at Lockton. Flood and DeBruyn’s goal for the group is to increase engagement and add more members to the community that the Pride group creates. “It gives you a place of community and belonging in a company that is so big,” said Kelsi DeBruyn, who has been a member of the group since its creation. “It could be easy to be lost, so it gives you that group of people you can go to outside of your team.” U.S. Mountain West region In their second official year as a group, the Mountain West Pride group rode in the Denver Pride parade for the first time, complete with a balloon arch and a truck decorated by Associates. More than 30 people signed up to support Lockton Pride in the parade — including key leaders in the Mountain West. “It’s so important to me that Lockton does have these types of organizations, and that our top leadership wants to be involved and out in front,” Max Bartholomai, member of Mountain West Pride, said. “It lets people know there is a place for them at Lockton where they can be themselves and they don’t have to worry about anyone treating them differently for being gay.” The group has also been staying active on internal platforms this month, sharing resources like lists of LGBTQ+ books for adults as allies. According to Bartholomai, this support isn’t present at every company he has worked for. But at Lockton, leadership puts time and effort into making our people feel empowered and valued as they are. We’re consistently working to improve the experience of our Associates in any way possible, and fostering an inclusive and supportive environment is one of our main priorities. Our Pride groups across the globe will continue to celebrate and host events year-round, from training sessions to global meetings. All are welcome at Lockton, and we'll keep working to make our Associates feel welcome and seen when coming to work.