Staff Accountant at Heidrick & Struggles in Chicago

Summary: Heidrick & Struggles is a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions. The Staff Accountant is responsible for supporting the monthly and year-end close by preparing and recording journal entries, performing account reconciliations, and ensuring the accuracy of general ledger and trial balances. Responsibilities: - Prepare and record journal entries in general ledger related to prepaid expenses, office occupancy, bank reconciliations, intercompany transactions and other various accounts - Assist with intercompany reconciliations and confirmations - Work closely with Accounts Payable, Treasury, AR & Billing, Tax and international finance teams - Perform data balancing activities, reconciliation and analysis of related ledger accounts - Assist in the month end and year end close process - Provide audit support for interim and year-end audits - Strong knowledge and understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), general accounting process and internal control elements Required Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in accounting - 1-2+ years of related professional experience - Detail-oriented - Advanced Excel skills - Strong analytical skills - Strong written and verbal communication skills - Demonstrates the ability to think clearly about business problems, breaking down problems and presenting ideas for solutions while evaluating the pros and cons of each option - Ability to form networks of positive business relationships that enhance personal and business success - Demonstrates strong, realistic confidence in oneself in challenging situations and maintains a calm focus on results over time - Ability to develop and apply creative solutions to business problems, anticipating situations and needs and finding flexible answers to new situations; champions innovation to improve business performance - Manages multiple priorities during peak close and project periods while maintaining high quality of work Preferred Qualifications: - Experience in a corporate or public environment with exposure to multi-entity or multi-currency operations - CPA or CPA candidate - Knowledge of Peoplesoft General Ledger or Oracle - Experience in accounting and financial systems - Experience in interfacing with business customers in defining general ledger, account and reporting requirements - Experience in Account to Report process improvement and application systems implementation Required Skills: Accounting principles (GAAP), Advanced Excel skills, Journal entries preparation Important Skills: CPA, CPA candidate, Peoplesoft, Oracle Nice-to-Have Skills: analytical skills, Written, Networking skills, Creative solutions Benefits: Discretionary bonuses (subject to eligibility requirements), Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability leave, Parental leave, Paid time off, 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements)