Requisition ID: 110091
Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.
People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.
We are Beautifully Different. We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.
About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.
For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Primary Role
The Senior Principal, Accounting serves as a lead accounting professional supporting and executing critical accounting integration activities in support of enterprise transformation initiatives, including AW2030.
The position executes initiatives across complex, cross-functional workstreams with a focus on payroll and accounts payable integration, system testing, and process standardization.
The position applies strong technical expertise to deliver outcomes, while partnering with stakeholders to establish governances and ensure alignment to financial controls and long term operating models.
Key Accountabilities
- Support and execute financial services integration planning and execution, including coordination of activities, timelines, risks, and dependencies
- Act as subject matter technical lead for payroll and accounts payable integration processes within assigned workstreams,
- Responsible for coordinating, and supporting end-to-end testing activities for payroll and accounts payable within AW2030 (data validation, workflow testing, reconciliation)
- Partner with Payroll, HR, Finance, Legal, and Operations to develop and implement solutions that improve accuracy and operational efficiency.
- Support collective bargaining efforts by providing technical insights and data-driven recommendations
- Partner cross-functionally with Finance, HR, IT, and business stakeholders to drive integration outcomes and resolve issues
- Identify and solves process gaps and risks and recommend improvement opportunities; develop mitigation strategies taking into account broader impact across the organization.
- Contribute to process standardization, documentation, and continuous improvement aligned to long term strategies and sustainable operating models
- Provide leadership and execution support for special critical projects and programs including ad hoc initiatives within the Finance organization
- Manage execution of any other assigned projects and department needs.
Knowledge/Skills
- Demonstrates the ability to address complex, non‑routine challenges that have wide-reaching effects within Finance and across the broader organization
- Strong organizational capability with a disciplined, process-driven mindset
- Advanced understanding of accounting operations, including payroll and accounts payable
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Ability to manage complex initiatives with multiple dependencies in a dynamic environment
- Effective communication and stakeholder management skills, including driving alignment and decision-making across senior stakeholders without direct reporting authority
- Proven ability to operate cross-functionally and drive results at an enterprise level
- Knowledge of current trends in area of expertise and other aspects of the regulated and non-regulated industries
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Leadership presence (e.g., ability to deal effectively and maintain collaborative relationships with Company senior management and other key internal and external stakeholders).
- Expert-level knowledge of financial controls, compliance, and integration risk management
- Recognized as a thought leader in accounting integration and transformation
- Skilled in cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
- Strong communication and leadership skills under tight deadlines.
Experience/Education
- 15 + years of progressive accounting and finance experience including significant leadership in enterprise-scale transformation or integration initiatives
- Demonstrated experience in leading complex integration, transformation, or large-scale system implementation initiatives strongly preferred
- Recognized as an expert in finance including integration, transformation, or large-scale system implementation with a track record of influencing strategy and delivering measurable business outcomes
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required
- CPA, CMA or advanced degree preferred
Travel Requirements
Ability to travel up to