While Rest Of U.S. Economy Plods, Houston Gets Hot

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/06/27/houstons-business-climate-heats-up/

Job Objective:

Manages joint interest and accounts payable functions for the company’s properties and trains and develops staff within the department.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Manages joint interest, accounts payable, sales/use tax audits and the recording and payment of ad valorem taxes for the company’s interests. Manages joint interests of buyers/sellers of properties to transition the accounting for acquired and divested properties. Manages general ledger, payouts, lease operating expenses; and monitors variances. Manages the analysis and research of material variances on financials and explanations of variances on Lifting Cost items. Manages the reviews of purchase order log and consults with operations department regarding questionable charges. Manages the preparation of invoices to third parties for oil and gas processing and salt-water disposal in compliance with contract rates for company owned/operated properties. Manages the compilation of the data package required for tax renditions and appraisal, and provides data to tax consultant. Manages the joint operating agreement (JOA) accounting procedures for overhead rates and escalation clauses to ensure correct amounts chargeable to the joint account for producing, drilling, construction, and catastrophe overhead. Manages the charges per joint operating agreements (JOA). Manages the final review of joint interest billing pre-list for monthly standard charges and accuracy of charges. Manages review of monthly allocation decks for booking of lease operating expense to identify accounting impact of joint interest billing deck changes. Manages review and approval of electric service invoices and ad valorem tax bills for payment. Manages the preparation of vendor and owner 1099 reporting to the Internal Revenue Service. Analyzes and interprets financial data provided by counter-parties and company personnel.. Analyzes and records transactions related to acquisitions and/or divestitures to the general ledger accounting system of the company for all revenues, expenses, and purchase price adjustments. Adheres to the company‘s values integrity, ownership, urgency, alignment, and improvement. Supports company vision and mission. Adheres to established work schedule, attendance standards and is punctual to work.

Qualifications:

Ten (10) years minimum experience in joint interest operations. Five (5) years minimum experience within the Accounts Payable Field preferred. Ability to accurately solve problems and exceptional proficiency in data management and spreadsheet skills. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, supervisors, other departments, officials, and the public. Ability to complete multiple, diverse tasks of differing priorities. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with specific ability to translate complex operational information into an organized and presentable manner. Outstanding management, administrative, and organizational skills.
Proficiency in the use and application of the following software:
Required: Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and Outlook).
Preferred: Working knowledge of oil & gas accounting systems.

Educational Requirements:

Required: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year university or college with a degree in mathematics, business, accounting, finance, or related field.
Preferred: Master in Business Administration (MBA)

SEC report won’t clear up uncertainty over IFRS – Related Stories – CPA Letter Daily.

Gratitude can go a long way when looking for work – News1130.

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/graduating-from-debt-u/lifeandmoney_college?ictid=drcontent

Graduating From Debt U: How to Avoid the Burden

Imagine graduating from college with no debt. It’s possible!

from daveramsey.com on 11 Jul 2012

“Way too expensive.” “Ruined my life.” “He won’t marry me because of it.”

And that’s just a few of the comments people have made about their student loan debt.

Recently, Yahoo! News asked its readers to give their take on the crushing student loans they have hanging over their heads. And “crushing” is not an exaggeration. The total amount of student loan debt in America is estimated to be between $867 billion and $1 trillion! The total amount of credit card debt in the U.S. is $803.2 billion, for crying out loud!

Here are some of the comments they received:

• “Student loans have basically ruined my life. I never see myself owning a home or vehicle and maybe not even getting married.” —Tanya Carter, University of Toledo, 2008

• “My boyfriend won’t marry me because of my debt. He doesn’t want it attached to his name.” —Lauren Dollard, Fordham University, 2008

• “It is going to be hard to buy a house and start a family with our debt. We joke and say that our baby is Sallie Mae, but it is true!　Education is invaluable, but I was not wise in my early 20s and did not make the right decisions when it came to my private loans.” —April Flores, San Diego State, 2008

• “If I had the knowledge then that I do now, I would have paid as I went (yes, it would have most definitely taken longer but at least I would have graduated with my diploma and debt free),” —Amber Riffey, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, 2005

These are the voices of experience talking. Because they (and many others) chose to borrow for school, they are now responsible for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt that can destroy their ability to save for a house or retirement. It’s sad that one stroke of a pen can sap so much of a person’s financial life away.

But, believe it or not, a person can go to college debt free if they do a little research and make a lot of effort. Here are five ways to get a degree without being bound to debt for years:

• Determine a school budget

• . What a concept! As simple as this idea is, most people simply don’t sit down and determine where they can afford to go to school. It only takes a couple of hours, so block out an afternoon with your college-bound son or daughter and get it done. If they want to attend a college that is not affordable, say no and move on to the next one.

• Look at in-state schools or community colleges

• . Some people don’t like these options because they believe they’ll be looked down on by potential employers if they don’t have a degree from a “nicer” school. That’s not true, and using that as an excuse can lead to being in a situation like those people you were reading about earlier.

• Apply for scholarships

• . There are hundreds and thousands of scholarships available all across the country, and every $250 or $500 puts someone that much closer to their degree.

• Get a job

• . It takes extra effort to have a part-time or full-time job while going to classes, doing homework, etc. But make that extra effort. Four years of sacrifice is a lot better than graduating with tons of debt. Paying it off will take a lot longer than four years.

• Live small

• . No matter how much a person downsizes their lifestyle, it will still be better than 90% of the world. A child doesn’t need a fancy apartment with a nice car and restaurant food every night to survive in college. Live in the dorm, eat on the campus meal plan, and look for cheap/free means of entertainment.

A great way to determine the budget you have for anything is with the Gazelle Budget tool from My Total Money Makeover.

Sign up today and see how to better put your money to work for you. The first seven days are free. Don’t have a budget? The Gazelle Budget wizard will walk you through every step of the process—it’s quick and easy!

Staff Accountant – Northwest Houston – 50-53K

Summary: Responsible for the integrity of the general ledger through accurate processing of journal entries and reconciliation of general ledger accounts and banking records by performing the following duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (Other duties may be assigned.)
• Verifies, participates, and controls the posting, balancing, and reconciliation of the general ledger. Reviews entries to the ledger to assure accuracy.
• Performs bank reconciliation monthly. Verifies all deposits, withdrawals, and wire transfers. Addresses questions and problems from banking institutions.
• Performs account analysis and reconciliation, and sets up new accounts.
• Reconciles daily cash flow to monthly bank statements. Reviews daily cash bank reports and analyzes as required.
• Verifies, posts, and reconciles payroll.
• Assists General Accounting Manager with year-end audit.
• Maintains control over and distributes sales force incentive spreadsheets for all sales divisions.
• Prepares financial and statistical reports as required. Assumes other special activities and responsibilities as directed.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s degree from a four year college or university or equivalent preferred; three to five years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/06/20/10-things-to-leave-off-your-resume

Sr. Financial Analyst

Accounting

BASIC PURPOSE OF POSITION: Support the preparation of periodic filings and monthly financial statements. Perform accounting for stock-based compensation and earnings per share, including preparing accounting position papers and implementation of new accounting pronouncements. Maintain current understanding of GAAP and SEC guidelines.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Assist with preparation of periodic filings (Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K) and monthly internally distributed financial statements. Assist legal department with preparation of the annual Proxy. Maintain current understanding of GAAP and SEC guidelines. Prepare supporting work-papers for periodic filings and the Proxy.

Perform accounting for highly complex areas, including, but not limited to stock-based compensation (ASC 718), earnings per share (ASC 260) and annual calculation of standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows for extractive activities—oil and gas (ASC 932).

Perform entries required for monthly close for stock-based compensation, compute monthly earnings per share and prepare the related account reconciliations and annual budgets. Maintain current knowledge of issues related to these accounting areas.

· Perform various accounting research on an as-needed basis and document findings and conclusions. Write accounting memos on new accounting pronouncements and exposure drafts.

· Assist with review of earnings releases and press releases and prepare supporting work-paper files.

· Assist with XBRL tagging as needed.

Work with auditors to provide requested information on quarterly reviews, annual audits and the Proxy.

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s Degree in accounting required. CPA certified or candidate. A minimum of approximately five years of public accounting experience or equivalent industry experience. Oil and gas industry experience preferred. Stock-based compensation accounting experience is a plus.

Ability to research technical accounting issues, reach conclusions regarding accounting and disclosure and present findings to a manager.

Understand the importance of work-paper documentation and be accurate, thorough and attentive to detail.

Proficient in Word and Excel with knowledge of Hyperion consolidation software and general ledger system Excalibur. IBM Cognos FSR experience is a plus.

Effectively maintain good relations with others. This person will deal with auditors, other accounting department employees, HR department employees (for Proxy disclosures), legal, investor relations/corporate communications and treasury.

Ability to work with deadlines and adapt to changing demands.

Works well with limited supervision.

The Senior Internal Auditor is responsible for performing individual internal audit projects, as part of the total internal audit plan. This responsibility includes developing internal audit scope, performing internal audit procedures, and preparing internal audit reports reflecting the results of the work performed. Work performed will include coverage of functional and operating units, focusing on financial, IT and operational processes. Additionally, the Senior Internal Auditor performs follow-up on the status of outstanding internal audit issues. The Senior Internal Auditor will also assist Internal Audit management with periodic reporting to the Audit Committee, development of the annual internal audit plan, and championing internal control and corporate governance concepts throughout the business. In addition, one of the primary responsibilities is to ensure compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act through testing of key controls and provide support for remediation.

Required Qualifications

• Support management with the development and maintenance of key controls identified for Sarbanes-Oxley.
• Understand internal control concepts and experience in applying them to plan, perform, manage and report on the evaluation of various business processes/areas/functions.
• Ability to work independently, with limited required direction and guidance, and provide appropriate direction to other internal audit project team members.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, to effectively present to peers and management.
• Understand internal auditing standards, COSO and risk assessment practices.
• Experience in performing multiple projects and working with varying team members.

Desired Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Accounting or Finance
• CPA designation or working towards
• 3+ years of public accounting and/or private industry experience with knowledge of accounting, finance and internal control areas
• Prior industry experience is a plus.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

This position reports directly to the Manager of Financial Reporting and has responsibility for supporting the Corporate Accounting Team as well as providing support in regards to the preparation of Financial Reports.

Major Responsibilities

• Managing the monthly and year-end closing processes for the General Ledger which includes preparation of journal entries.
• Reviewing and reconciling the General Ledger accounts.
• Preparation of the monthly financial statements such as, balance sheet, statement of operations, statement of equity and statement of cash flows.
• Performing monthly analysis in regards to financial statements and report on variances.
• Working closely with external auditors in regards to schedule preparation and the auditing process.
• Providing assistance in the drafting and finalization of the required SEC reports.
• Providing assistance with documenting, implementing and maintaining internal controls.
• Assisting with various other projects as assigned.

Qualifications/Competencies

• Bachelors degree or higher in Accounting.
• CPA Certification is required.
• 4+ years experience in a Big Four Accounting Firm.
• Demonstrated ability to organize the work while maintaining a high level of attention to detail.
• Good working knowledge of US GAAP with willingness to research and resolve accounting issues.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast paced environment and meet deadlines as required.
• Demonstrated ability to work proactively and resolve issues in the early stages.
• Must be able to work independently or in a team environment to meet the required objectives.

Must be flexible in regards to work assignments while maintaining an enthusiastic outlook.

SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST

This position reports directly to the Director of Finance and has responsibility for providing financial reporting projections and analysis to support Senior Management in their strategic decision-making and attainment of company objectives.

This position has very high visibility and interacts across all levels of the organization, including Senior Management, thus confidence as well as being extremely detail-oriented along with a high level of accuracy are critical factors to be successful in this role.

Major Responsibilities

Responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to:

• The preparation of financial analysis for ad-hoc projects and “what if” scenarios using financial modeling techniques.
• Analysis of historical trends and current operating metrics to identify business inefficiencies and potential areas of improvement in the current business model.
• Management of the annual budgeting, forecasting and planning (>5 year) processes.
• Assisting with debt management and compliance reporting.
• Providing support to the Investor Relations function.
• Providing support to the Risk Management and Insurance Functions.
• Other responsibilities as directed by Management.

Qualifications/Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration or related field. CPA preferred.
• Master degree in Business Administration or Finance strongly preferred.
• Requires a minimum of 3 to 6 years of experience in a related field.
• Demonstrated technical skills and experience in financial planning and analysis.
• Must be highly proficient in the use of Microsoft Office products, primarily Excel and PowerPoint.
• Must be able to work independently or in a team environment to meet the required objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast paced environment and meet deadlines as required.

Objective:

Prepare external SEC financial reports in accordance with all GAAP and SEC rules and regulations

The Accounting Senior fulfills an integral role of the Company, with responsibilities for external SEC Financial Reporting, US GAAP compliance, internal controls monitoring and compliance. The position requires a technically experienced accounting professional with previous SEC Reporting experience. The successful candidate will have strong technical accounting experience, excellent computer skills, great communication abilities, high ethical integrity and a commitment to teamwork and excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare external financial reports in accordance with all GAAP and SEC regulations.
• Research and resolve accounting issues including evaluation of new accounting pronouncements to ensure GAAP compliance.
• Assist with the activities of both internal and external auditors.
• Maintain and strengthen internal controls over financial reporting.
• Research accounting issues and develop the Company’s accounting policies and procedures, with emphasis on best-practices. Actively identify areas for improvements and lead implementations.
• Work closely with other Finance areas and throughout the Company to ensure appropriate accounting.
• Develop and update policies and procedures surrounding the financial reporting process.
• Participate in training and cross-training with accounting staff as needed. Be willing to develop skills across other departments within Finance (such as General Ledger, Tax, Internal Audit, Financial Planning etc.) in order to progress within the Company and continuously add value.
• Strive for continuous process improvements within and across the Finance Department.

　Skills Required:

• Bachelors degree in Accounting
• Previous SEC Reporting experience required
• CPA certification – a plus
• Previous Public Accounting experience – a plus
• Three to five years of related experience
• Team player with good team-building skills
• Strong initiative to independently perform work
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• Solid computer skills, including Excel and Word
• Clear and concise communication skills; ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Ability to work under pressure of deadlines

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