Accountant - Japanese

As a member of the Finance organization, the R2R Accounting Analyst, will be accountable for delivering efficient and effective operations of R2R processes in scope to high quality standards that meet/ exceed key objectives and service levels. Responsible for supporting the group and statutory reporting and tax compliance of the Japanese legal entity under the control of the team, the Analyst is expected to be the business partner for business units. Responsible for coordinating the resolution of accounting issues and ensuring that the global processes for Accounting are met. Responsible for all aspects of accounting for sets of books as assigned. Also accountable for ensuring that all aspects of accounting are carried out in accordance with company policies and procedures. Ensure that polices are aligned across companies. The R2R Analyst is also responsible for engendering a ‘Right First Time’ culture within the Finance operations and responsible for helping drive the organization to first quartile (both cost and quality) through seeking and implementing, in close co-operation with other members of the R2R management team and functional lead, an environment for improvements in efficiency, effectiveness and quality of service across the whole end-to-end R2R process.

Accountabilities

The R2R, accounting department is responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective processing, integrity and reporting of all General Ledger transactions and the close process at the end of each calendar period for the Japanes entity. The R2R department is also responsible for Statutory, Tax and legal compliance as well as cash management, treasury and internal controls. Ensuring that all account reconciliations, SOX Controls, Accounting Controls, and Compliance requirements are met and delivered in accordance with company standards and timelines.

Service delivery
- Administer the performance of the R2R operational team to agreed outcomes, ensuring the delivery of effective R2R operation.
- Together with onshore leaders and the R2R Management team, agree periodic targets on KPIs and SLAs and by clear dashboard reporting ensuring that focus is also given to transactions that fall outside the agreed service levels and adopting a ‘Right First Time’ culture.
- Participate with the team to deliver processes to agreed service levels and monitor performance
- Facilitate relationships between the R2R team and the Finance organization.
- Work to deliver as part of the R2R team ensuring changes in policies and procedures are implemented in the organization.
- As a member of the R2R team, deliver processes to agreed service levels and performance
- Help deliver and meet all internal controls and resolve gaps in a timely manner.

R2R processes and systems and Statutory, Tax compliance

Accountable to the team in the delivery of the following activities for the Japanese entity:

- Prepare Journals Royalty statements, coordinate with business partners, societies, authors and publishers.
- Perform period end closing process including but not limited to the following process - posting of royalty accrual, editorial cost accrual, accrual entry for recognised revenue for membership journals, and royalty true up. Analyse tariff budget, journal costs, and direct cost. Pre-reconciliation of Sub Ledger against General Ledger. Daily source data batches interfaced completely to General Ledger.
- Perform financial analysis which includes both horizontal and vertical analysis of GL accounts.
- Review monthly journal entries for accuracy and completeness. Ensure all entries are posted to Oracle.
- Prepare monthly account reconciliations and ensure all open items are resolved in a timely manner.
- Ensure that interfaces from subsystems to Oracle are in balance and are posted to Oracle. Work with IT and Super Users to resolve problems.
- Maintain strong internal controls by having a full understanding of end to end process, and ensure that accounting policies and procedures are adhered to. In addition, ensure compliance and alignment across companies and business units, that is to simplify, streamlined and standardized the end to end processes.
- Ensure that interfaces from subsystems to Oracle are in balance and are posted to Oracle. Work with IT and Super Users to resolve problems.
- Design and maintain reports on Oracle.
- Co-ordinate audit activities for the assigned set of books and resolve audit points. Responsible for statutory audit, survey from the government, tax return filling etc to ensure that these are completed on timely basis. And also responsible for tax compliance and tax audit.
- Liaising with business units, Business Controllers, Business partners, Operations. Take a proactive approach to developing new policies and procedures as needed to fit changing business needs.

Relationship Management:

- Facilitate the relationship and service level management with Finance teams
- Facilitate escalations for R2R team, internal and e