Staff Accountant job description
Staff accountants are professionals who maintain a general ledger and review financial statements for accuracy before preparing reports that will assist senior management in making informed decisions about upcoming projects or years’ budgets. They’re also responsible for keeping track and recording all transactions within a company.
What is a Staff Accountant?
A Staff Accountant handles a company’s accounting procedures and maintains a healthy financial profile ensuring compliance with state, federal, and local principles. When hiring accounting staff for your company, make sure they’re familiar with all financial laws and regulations that apply in your region and are specific to your industry.
What does a Staff Accountant do?
Staff Accountants prepare and review financial documents, reports, and statements. They oversee all accounting procedures (e.g. tax returns, month-end closures, budgeting) and advise on general financial matters.
Staff Accountant duties include:
- Managing financial reports, records, and accounts
- Conducting billing processes (e.g. tax, revenue)
- Maintaining the general ledger
Job brief
We are looking for a Staff Accountant to manage general accounting and financial processes of our company.
You’ll be responsible for all daily accounting tasks, including preparing tax documents and updating expense files. You will perform financial transactions and post them in the general ledger, with strong attention to detail. You will also carry out relevant administrative duties (e.g. responding to clients via email and handling invoices).
Ultimately, you will ensure the company’s finances run smoothly.
Responsibilities
- Maintain and update accounting records and files
- Analyze budgets and create expense reports
- Examine tax policies and handle tax payments and returns
- Meet with clients to discuss confidential accounting issues
- Post transactions and categorize records in the general ledger (e.g. by assets, liabilities and expenses)
- Reconcile bank statements
- Analyze transactions with internal and external stakeholders
- Conduct month-end and year-end closures
- Prepare documents for audits
- Advise clients on financial issues via email or phone
- Apply new accounting policies and ensure compliance with rules and regulations
- Report to the Accounting Manager and work to improve financial processes
Requirements and skills
- Similar experience as a Staff Accountant or relevant role in accounting
- Excellent use of Microsoft Office Word and Excel; very good with spreadsheets
- Knowledge of an accounting information system is a plus
- Good math skills
- Attention to detail
- Strong organizational and communication skills
- Confidentiality and integrity
- Degree in Accounting; MSc is a plus
Frequently asked questions
- What does a Staff Accountant do?
- Staff Accountants make sure that the financial books are kept orderly and accurate. They often work under a certified public accountant for supervision in their duties, including preparing budgets and filing paperwork with government agencies.
- What are the duties and responsibilities of a Staff Accountant?
- Staff accountants are responsible for preparing and reviewing financial documents, reports, and statements. They also oversee all accounting procedures while advising on general finance matters. Such knowledge can apply across the company as needed, such as in budgeting or cash flow management techniques.
- What makes a Good Staff Accountant?
- To be a successful Staff Accountant, one must have good communication skills and make decisions. They should also maintain a high level of organization. They will encounter many confidential documents in their job, including income statements or balance sheets for company accounts that need secure handling.
- Who does a Staff Accountant work with?
- Staff Accountants often work under Senior Accountants. The Senior position often guides and commands a Staff Accountant regarding what projects they might work on within a company. Besides their duties, they often work together to ensure a client's satisfaction.