Remote Financial Operations Accountant – Client Settlements & Reconciliations

Remote Financial Operations Accountant – Client Settlements & Reconciliations Highmark Healthcare | 5-Month Contract | 100% Remote Sigma Systems Inc. is seeking an experienced accounting and financial operations professional to support Highmark Healthcare in a unique, non-traditional accounting role focused on client settlement activities, financial reconciliations, banking transactions, and complex financial investigations. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys solving difficult financial puzzles, working independently, and bringing order to complex financial data. The successful candidate will be comfortable working with incomplete information, researching historical transactions, and reconciling client financial activity across multiple systems while helping a new team resolve a multi-year backlog. Due to the governmental nature of this position, candidates must be U.S. Citizens. The position is initially a 5-month contract with the potential for full-time conversion if a permanent opportunity becomes available. Responsibilities Perform complex client settlement activities involving client funding, banking transactions, vendor payments, cash movement, and financial reconciliations. Investigate historical financial activity spanning multiple years to identify, research, and resolve reconciliation discrepancies. Trace financial transactions across multiple reports, systems, and source documents to determine what occurred and accurately reconcile accounts. Research incomplete or inconsistent financial information and independently determine appropriate reconciliation and resolution methods. Perform client-level account reconciliations, cash application, payment research, and settlement analysis. Investigate discrepancies involving client funding, vendor payments, banking activity, billing, and financial records. Partner with Finance, Operations, Treasury, Billing, and client-facing teams to resolve complex financial issues. Maintain accurate financial records in accordance with GAAP and company policies. Support month-end reconciliation activities, audit requests, and financial reporting as needed. Identify opportunities to improve reconciliation processes, documentation, and operational workflows while supporting a newly established team. Work independently with minimal supervision while managing multiple priorities and meeting critical deadlines. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field. 3–5+ years of experience in accounting, financial operations, client settlements, banking operations, accounts receivable, cash management, or financial reconciliations. Strong understanding of GAAP and financial reporting principles. Demonstrated experience researching and resolving complex financial discrepancies using incomplete or historical financial data. Experience performing client-level reconciliations involving cash movement, banking activity, billing, settlements, or financial operations. Strong analytical, investigative, and problem-solving abilities with exceptional attention to detail. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including working with large data sets. Experience with ERP or financial systems such as Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft, NetSuite, or similar platforms. Excellent organizational and communication skills. Ability to work independently with minimal direction in an evolving environment. U.S. Citizenship required. Highly Preferred Experience within a health insurance company, healthcare payer, Third-Party Administrator (TPA), benefits administrator, or similar healthcare financial environment. Experience supporting self-funded or ASO health plans. Experience with client settlement activities, client-level banking, cash application, vendor payment tracking, financial settlements, or treasury-related financial operations. Experience researching historical financial activity, resolving legacy account discrepancies, or performing large-scale reconciliation and cleanup projects. Experience working with EDI payments, remittance advice (835 files), payer payments, or healthcare financial operations. What Makes This Role Different This is not a traditional month-end close or general ledger accounting position. The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys solving complex financial problems, can work comfortably in ambiguous situations without established procedures, and has the investigative mindset to reconstruct historical financial activity using incomplete information. Success in this role requires strong analytical thinking, persistence, and the ability to work independently while managing a time-sensitive financial cleanup initiative. Candidates who thrive on solving difficult reconciliation problems, tracing historical transactions, and bringing structure to complex financial operations will be particularly successful.