Financial Analyst

Card & Merchant Accounting and Control (CMAC) team manages the accounting for $1.3 Tn of Card spend, Remittances and Merchant payments. We manage 80% of Assets, 25% of Liabilities and 50% of AXP Bank accounts. Due to our unique position, we are involved in almost each and every enterprise-wide initiative. 

This B30 role will primarily be responsible for managing operational accounting processes for AXP merchants and research & clearance for accounts payable related balance sheet ledgers. This position will also require supporting critical enterprise/finance initiatives like project Orbit, Rainbow, Aquarium, Falcon implementation which aims at modernizing AXP merchant platforms and transforming overall process.

Responsibilities

• Key responsibilities:

  • Responsible for maintaining financial integrity of ledgers for Merchant Payable Accounts.

  • Lead a team responsible for accounting, research & clearance to maintain financial integrity of AP process

  • Provide SME accounting expertise on various enterprise and technology projects impacting AP accounting and controls

  • Partner with Key stakeholders in Market / LE / Segment controllership, Treasury, Technology, Automation COE & GFII on new business initiatives, automation, new system implementation etc.

  • Deliver on the commitment to customers as per agreed timelines, with high quality in a controlled environment. 

  • Improve the process(es), effectiveness, to advance his/her area of functional expertise and to ensure that integrity, control and optimal functionality / efficiency is established, maintained and improved for the assigned processes

  • Incumbent will serve a critical role in the development and implementation of the process standardization & continuous improvement 

  • Expected to quickly gain detailed understanding of inputs, processes, controls, flows, metrics, risks, SLA and outputs of E2E Merchants process. 

  • The Incumbent shall ensure that all deadlines are continually met and adequate controls are maintained over the processes handled by the team 

  • The incumbent shall ensure compliance with the prevailing Policies and Procedures besides contractual and regulatory requirements as applicable

  • The Incumbent shall be required, among other things, to maintain close contact with Customer / Business Partners, Technologies and other Interface groups

Qualifications

• Required Qualification: 

   

  Experience 

  • Graduate/ Post-graduate in Commerce / MBA Finance with 5-6 years of relevant financial experience 
  • Must have 3-4 years of experience as People leader and should have led small /medium size finance team
  • Sound technical accounting background and experience in accounting and reconciliation process.
  • Awareness about financial system upgrade /new features/products support from controllership 

   

  Technical

  • Awareness of US GAAP/Local GAAP/IFRS (Accounting knowledge) 
  • Analytical skills with the ability to undertake cause effect analysis 
  • Knowledge of financial systems preferred 
  • Basic understanding & appreciation of automation capabilities 

   

  Critical Factors to Success:

  • Good communication skills (verbal and written)
  • Adherence to reporting timelines and requirements
  • Ability to communicate with business partners and customers on governance related requirements
  • Ability to collaborate across geographies in a matrix structure and deliver on customer expectations
  • Good understanding of financial systems and processes as well as control environment
  • Strong understanding of end-to-end AR/AP process flow, accounting & reconciliation
  • Ability to connect accounting & reporting 
  • Understanding of operational, SOX & other related control framework compliance 
  • Ability to research & embed relevant best practices preferred

   

  Problem Solving & Decision Making:

  • Personal accountability in ensuring all tasks and activities are carried out in accordance with policy and on timely basis
  • Able to perform multiple tasks, work to strict deadlines and prioritize tasks
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and resolve queries and track issues to conclusion

   

  System Knowledge Preferred 

  • Oracle GL
  • Front end AP systems 
  • Advanced MS Office
  • Expert knowledge of FIS Intellimatch – Reconciliation system
  • OBIEE, Essbase,
  • Gen AI