VP, Chief Accounting Officer

Summary: 

The Vice President – Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) is a senior accounting and tax leadership role in a high-growth, private health insurance company. This position is responsible for delivering timely and accurate financial reporting that meets public company standards, supporting both legal entity and consolidated level reporting on GAAP and statutory bases, and overseeing all associated federal and state tax provisions and filings. The CAO leads strategic initiatives, drives process efficiency through technology, and ensures strong technical expertise across the team. The role requires exceptional communication and influencing skills, working internally at all levels and externally with key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Plan and lead all aspects of the Accounting and Corporate Tax functions for Independence Health Group and its subsidiaries, ensuring timely, accurate, and meaningful financial information for senior management in accordance with GAAP, Statutory Accounting and Tax requirements.

Accounting and Financial Reporting -

·       Oversee financial reporting, including GAAP, statutory, regulatory, and tax reporting, and provide technical accounting and tax guidance for all companies.  Represents finance at subsidiary board meetings and reports on legal entity results as well as presenting results in various forums throughout the company.

·       Lead technical accounting research and advise senior leadership on accounting, finance, and strategic initiatives.

·       Ensure compliance with all financial statement reporting requirements as well as BCBSA and company policies.

·       Own and maintain an enterprise control environment, inclusive of the balance sheet monthly account reconciliation process and related exposures, to ensure complete and accurate financial statements for each legal entity and consolidated group.

·       Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements and proactively engage with regulatory bodies to address emerging risks and maintain the organization’s reputation for integrity and transparency.

·       Lead and/or support coordination of external audit engagements and partner with Internal Audit for control and compliance areas such as Model Audit Rule (MAR), Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), and Own Solvency Risk Assessment (ORSA).

Tax Strategy and Compliance -

·       Develop and lead overall corporate tax strategy, organizing and managing the tax function to minimize federal, state, and local taxes.

·       Oversee tax planning for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

·       Direct external tax consultants and manage relationships with public accounting and tax counsel.

·       Recommend and implement changes in corporate structure, policies, and practices to reduce taxes and audit risks, including negotiation and resolution of tax controversies.

·       Ensure all tax-related provisions/reserves are adequate, accurate, substantiated and reconciled to support external IRS or other external audits/reviews.

·       Conducts negotiations and resolves issues with various taxing authorities including administrative appellate proceedings and settlement of tax controversies, including management of activities related to tax litigation.

·       Stay abreast of legislation and regulations affecting corporate taxation.

Technology Leadership and Transformation -

·       Champion the adoption of innovative technologies and digital solutions to enhance accounting and tax operations.

·       Continuously evolve business practices to ensure further process automation, data analytics, and the integration of cloud-based financial systems to improve accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.

·       Collaborate with IT and business partners to evaluate and implement new tools that support strategic objectives.

Finance Partnerships and Strategy -

·       Actively contribute to the development and execution of business strategies, ensuring alignment between financial objectives and organizational goals.

·       Serve as a key advisor to the CFO and executive leadership team, providing insights and recommendations that inform enterprise-wide financial planning, scenario modeling, and strategic decision-making.

·       Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including auditors, rating agencies, regulators, and industry associations.

·       Represent the company in professional forums and with the BCBSA ensuring effective communication of financial results, strategic initiatives, and compliance matters to all relevant parties.

Talent Development -

·       Foster an inclusive and equitable work environment by promoting diversity in hiring, development, and advancement practices.

·       Champion initiatives that support a culture of belonging and ensure all team members have opportunities for growth and contribution.

·       Recruits, retains and develops talented professionals.  Fosters a culture of continuous professional development and growth.

·       Develop and execute succession plans for key accounting and tax roles, ensuring a robust talent pipeline.  Mentor and coach emerging leaders, providing opportunities for professional development and preparing the organization for future leadership needs.