Project and Policy Manager

The person in this position prepares and manages the accounting for pension plans, legal fees and bodily injury provisions, general accounting, accounting conventions, and research areas within the Financial Information Communication function. The person in this position processes and examines accounting entries, supporting documents, reconciliations, analyses, and white papers with accuracy and efficiency. This person documents, analyzes, and improves processes to ensure that appropriate accounting procedures are followed in accordance with regulatory standards.

Key Responsibilities

Projects and Accounting Conventions

• Conduct accounting research and analyses, and communicate the accounting impact of significant and complex transactions as well as new recommendations from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and regulatory bodies such as the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), or the Canada and U.S. agencies of the Office of Transportation Canada (OTC) or the Surface Transportation Board (STB)
• Collaborate on special projects related to accounting, such as acquisitions and divestitures
• Develop and maintain business and accounting models as well as models to establish the impact of complex accounting transactions on Accounting

Financial Information Communication on Employee Benefit Plans

• Review and supervise the preparation of annual financial statements for three and five of the Company's employee benefit plans in Canada and the U.S., respectively, including the CN Senior Executive Determined Benefits Pension Plan, the CN Non-Executive Determined Benefits Pension Plan, the Canadian National Railway Company's American Management Direction Savings Plan, the Stellar Distribution Services, Inc. 401k Plan, the Autoport Limited Pension Plan, the CN American Subsidiary Employees Pension Plan, as well as the CN Defined Benefit Pension Plan and the Bessemer Non-Contributory Pension Plan
• Ensure that the regulatory reports of the aforementioned plans are submitted on time and with accuracy to the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) in the case of Canadian plans and to the Department of Labor (DOL) in the case of U.S. plans, and this, within the prescribed deadlines
• Verify the activities at the plan level to ensure that they are managed in accordance with the regulations and their respective documents
• Assist stakeholders to ensure that operational and administrative deficiencies observed in the plans are effectively corrected
• Supervise and mentor staff responsible for the preparation of annual financial statements
• Lead and coordinate the annual verification process for each plan in conjunction with the relevant auditors
• ### Accounting for the CN Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Other Retirement Benefits
• Perform accounting for the CN Defined Benefit Pension Plan and other retirement benefits
• Process and supervise monthly journal entries related to the beginning-of-year estimates provided by external actuaries and adjusted based on updated assumptions
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and year-end closing processes for the plans
• Execute the pension plan accounting projection model
• Assist in the preparation and review of the sections related to pension plans and other retirement benefits in the Company's interim and annual financial statements, the relevant notes, and the accompanying Management Discussion and Analysis
• Prepare reconciliations and documents related to the SOX internal controls required for accounting and reporting on pension plans
• Lead and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders the annual schedule and tasks related to the end-of-year revaluation
• Analyze actuarial evaluations resulting from the capitalization situation of each plan for accounting purposes
• Research and document the accounting implications of pension-related transactions, including changes to plans and risk reduction
• Assist Human Resources (HR), Treasury, and the CN Investment Division in resolving issues related to pension plan capitalization and accounting
• Determine and implement process improvements in the areas of pension plan accounting, reporting, controls, and forecasting
• Communicate the implications and complex issues related to pension plan accounting to different levels of management
• Assist the Principal Director or Principal Director of Projects and Accounting Conventions in responding to inquiries from internal and external stakeholders

Change Coverage

• Lead the change coverage team and process, including the review of the establishment of the net asset position in U.S. dollars (USD), the designation of U.S. dollar debt, the daily change coverage closure, the explanation of discrepancies, as well as coordination with Treasury
• Maintain change coverage documents related to the establishment of daily change coverage in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) as well as documents related to SOX internal controls required for change coverage
• Execute the end-of-month and exchange rate reporting process, including the review of reconciliations and the quarterly rollover of unrealized and realized exchange rate gains and losses
• Supervise discussions with Treasury as well as with internal and external auditors

Accounting for Legal Fees and Bodily Injury Provisions

• Review monthly, quarterly, and year-end reconciliations, including the provisions sections of the Company's interim and annual financial statements, as well as the relevant notes and the accompanying Management Discussion and Analysis
• Prepare documents related to the SOX internal controls required for provisions
• Supervise and coordinate, in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, the annual actuarial valuation products associated with the workers' compensation liability in Canada and the legal liability in the U.S.
• Research the accounting implications of provisions associated with new and existing events, including claim revaluations and settlements
• Support the law regarding questions related to provisions

Work Conditions

This position involves standard office work conditions and a normal work schedule from Monday to Friday. Due to the nature of the position, the person in this role must be able to meet tight deadlines, tolerate pressure well, and manage stress. The person in the position must exercise discretion in handling confidential matters.

Experience

• Accounting
• At least 5 years of experience in a licensed professional accounting firm (CPA) or relevant experience in the field

Education, Certification, and Designation

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting
• Master's degree in Accounting
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Skills

• Manage time and projects
• Use critical reasoning
• Collaborate with others and communicate information
• Define direction and inspire others
• Solve problems to create value
• Practice active listening
• Know the company and industry trends
• Master French and English, both spoken and written*
• Any attribute or skill in the above areas is an asset

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• In-depth knowledge of the Microsoft suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, etc.)