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Job description template

Accountant Job Description Template (2026)

A free, copy-ready Accountant job description covering responsibilities, must-have skills, tools, seniority variants, and KPIs. Written for hiring managers, not for SEO filler.

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Key facts

Role
Accountant
Reports to
Reports to the Controller
Must-have skills
8 items
Seniority tiers
Junior / Mid / Senior
KPIs defined
6 metrics
Starting price (offshore)
$1500/month

Role summary

An Accountant owns the monthly close and financial reporting function: posting accruals, deferrals, depreciation, and intercompany entries; reconciling every balance sheet account; producing GAAP-compliant P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements; preparing year-end workpapers for the outside CPA; and partnering with finance leadership on budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis — one step above a bookkeeper, one step below a Controller.

Responsibilities

Must-have skills

  • • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or equivalent; CPA-track candidates preferred.
  • • 4+ years closing books for US-based small-to-mid market companies end-to-end.
  • • Working fluency in US GAAP: accrual accounting, ASC 606 revenue recognition, ASC 842 leases, and standard financial statement structure.
  • • Advanced QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, or Sage Intacct experience — not just data entry, but journal entries, custom reports, and close configuration.
  • • Intermediate-to-advanced Excel or Google Sheets: pivot tables, INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS, and building a three-statement roll-forward without errors.
  • • Experience preparing year-end workpapers and supporting a CPA through 1120/1120-S/1065 tax filings.
  • • Balance sheet reconciliation discipline — not just bank recs, but accrued liabilities, deferred revenue, and intercompany.
  • • Written English strong enough to draft variance commentary a founder or investor can read without translation.

Nice-to-have skills

  • • CPA license (US, Canada, Philippines, or ACCA) or active CPA exam progress.
  • • NetSuite or Sage Intacct administration (not just usage): custom saved searches, segments, approval workflows.
  • • Multi-entity consolidation and foreign currency remeasurement experience.
  • • Industry depth: SaaS (ARR waterfall, deferred revenue), ecommerce (inventory accounting, A2X), or professional services (WIP, project accounting).
  • • FP&A experience: driver-based budgets, variance analysis, board reporting.
  • • Audit experience at a Big 4 or regional firm — understands what auditors actually ask for.

Tools and technology

Reporting structure

Reports to the Controller, VP of Finance, or CFO in mid-market companies; to the Founder or CPA firm partner in smaller engagements. Collaborates with the external CPA on tax filings, with FP&A on budgets, and oversees or reviews the work of a junior bookkeeper where one exists.

Seniority variants

How responsibilities shift across junior, mid, and senior levels.

junior

2-3 years

  • • Post routine journal entries and run bank and credit card reconciliations under review.
  • • Prepare monthly workpaper binders and support schedules for the senior accountant.
  • • Maintain fixed asset sub-ledger and post depreciation entries.
  • • Assist with 1099 vendor prep and W-9 collection.

mid

4-6 years

  • • Own the full monthly close cycle and deliver financial statements to leadership.
  • • Handle ASC 606 revenue recognition and deferred revenue schedules.
  • • Prepare year-end CPA workpaper package and act as primary CPA liaison.
  • • Own multi-entity consolidation and intercompany eliminations.

senior

7+ years

  • • Set accounting policies, chart of accounts structure, and close calendar.
  • • Partner with FP&A on budgeting, forecasting, and scenario modeling.
  • • Manage audit readiness and serve as primary audit contact through fieldwork.
  • • Mentor junior accountants and review their close deliverables.

Success metrics (KPIs)

Full JD (copy-ready)

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# Accountant — Job Description

## Role summary
An Accountant owns the monthly close and financial reporting function: posting accruals, deferrals, depreciation, and intercompany entries; reconciling every balance sheet account; producing GAAP-compliant P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements; preparing year-end workpapers for the outside CPA; and partnering with finance leadership on budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis — one step above a bookkeeper, one step below a Controller.

## Responsibilities
- Run the monthly close checklist end-to-end and deliver financials by the 10th business day with variance commentary.
- Post recurring and non-recurring journal entries: accruals, prepaid amortization, fixed asset depreciation (straight-line and MACRS), revenue deferrals, and payroll allocations.
- Reconcile all balance sheet accounts monthly — cash, AR, fixed assets, accrued liabilities, deferred revenue, intercompany — and investigate every reconciling item.
- Prepare GAAP-compliant monthly financial statements (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow) and management reporting packs in Fathom, LiveFlow, or Google Sheets.
- Own revenue recognition under ASC 606 for SaaS or service contracts, including deferred revenue schedules and contract modifications.
- Prepare year-end tax workpapers for the CPA: trial balance tie-out, M-1 adjustments, fixed asset rollforward, 1099 vendor file, and supporting schedules for 1120/1120-S/1065 filings.
- Coordinate 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC preparation through Bill.com, Track1099, or Tax1099 with W-9 collection and TIN matching.
- Maintain sales tax nexus tracking and liability schedules; hand off filings to Avalara, TaxJar, or a SALT specialist.
- Run multi-entity consolidation, intercompany eliminations, and foreign currency remeasurement where applicable.
- Support annual budgets by department, rolling 13-week cash flow forecasts, and ad-hoc scenario modeling.
- Serve as the primary finance contact for external auditors during reviews and audits — pulling PBC lists, sampling support, and walkthrough documentation.
- Document accounting policies, close calendars, and reconciliation procedures so the function survives personnel changes.

## Must-have skills
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or equivalent; CPA-track candidates preferred.
- 4+ years closing books for US-based small-to-mid market companies end-to-end.
- Working fluency in US GAAP: accrual accounting, ASC 606 revenue recognition, ASC 842 leases, and standard financial statement structure.
- Advanced QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, or Sage Intacct experience — not just data entry, but journal entries, custom reports, and close configuration.
- Intermediate-to-advanced Excel or Google Sheets: pivot tables, INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS, and building a three-statement roll-forward without errors.
- Experience preparing year-end workpapers and supporting a CPA through 1120/1120-S/1065 tax filings.
- Balance sheet reconciliation discipline — not just bank recs, but accrued liabilities, deferred revenue, and intercompany.
- Written English strong enough to draft variance commentary a founder or investor can read without translation.

## Nice-to-have skills
- CPA license (US, Canada, Philippines, or ACCA) or active CPA exam progress.
- NetSuite or Sage Intacct administration (not just usage): custom saved searches, segments, approval workflows.
- Multi-entity consolidation and foreign currency remeasurement experience.
- Industry depth: SaaS (ARR waterfall, deferred revenue), ecommerce (inventory accounting, A2X), or professional services (WIP, project accounting).
- FP&A experience: driver-based budgets, variance analysis, board reporting.
- Audit experience at a Big 4 or regional firm — understands what auditors actually ask for.

## Tools and technology
- QuickBooks Online Advanced
- Xero
- NetSuite
- Sage Intacct
- Bill.com
- Ramp / Brex
- Fathom / LiveFlow
- Track1099 / Tax1099
- Avalara / TaxJar
- Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets

## Reporting structure
Reports to the Controller, VP of Finance, or CFO in mid-market companies; to the Founder or CPA firm partner in smaller engagements. Collaborates with the external CPA on tax filings, with FP&A on budgets, and oversees or reviews the work of a junior bookkeeper where one exists.

## Success metrics (KPIs)
- Monthly close completed by the 10th business day with zero late deliverables.
- Zero material audit adjustments or CPA rework on year-end workpapers.
- All balance sheet accounts reconciled monthly with aged items under 30 days.
- Variance commentary delivered with every monthly P&L — no blank lines on the reporting pack.
- CPA and auditor satisfaction score measured each year-end engagement.
- 100% of 1099s filed accurately by January 31 with zero IRS notices.

Frequently asked questions

What does a Accountant do day-to-day?

An Accountant owns the monthly close and financial reporting function: posting accruals, deferrals, depreciation, and intercompany entries; reconciling every balance sheet account; producing GAAP-compliant P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements; preparing year-end workpapers for the outside CPA; and partnering with finance leadership on budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis — one step above a bookkeeper, one step below a Controller.

How many years of experience should a mid-level Accountant have?

A mid-level Accountant typically has 4-6 years of experience. At that level they should own the full monthly close cycle and deliver financial statements to leadership.

Which KPIs should I hold a Accountant accountable to?

The most important KPIs for a Accountant are: Monthly close completed by the 10th business day with zero late deliverables.; Zero material audit adjustments or CPA rework on year-end workpapers.; All balance sheet accounts reconciled monthly with aged items under 30 days.; Variance commentary delivered with every monthly P&L — no blank lines on the reporting pack..

Do your accountants work in GAAP or IFRS?

Default is US GAAP, which is what almost every US small and mid-market client needs. Our accountants are trained on GAAP revenue recognition, accrual accounting, and the standard US financial statement conventions your CPA and your investors expect. For clients with international parent companies, subsidiaries, or investor reporting in IFRS we can match an accountant with IFRS experience, or run dual reporting where the local books are IFRS and the US consolidation is GAAP. Tell us upfront during intake so we shortlist the right candidates.

How does your accountant coordinate with our US CPA for tax prep?

Your offshore accountant is a staff accountant, not a CPA — they do not sign returns or give tax advice. What they do is prepare the workpapers your CPA needs: a clean trial balance, supporting schedules for fixed assets and prepaid expenses, 1099 vendor files, and adjusting journal entry documentation. Most US CPAs love this arrangement because it cuts their prep time in half. Your accountant communicates directly with your CPA during tax season, answers questions on the books, and posts any adjusting entries the CPA requests after return finalization.

Related

Written by Syed Ali

Founder, Remoteria

Syed Ali founded Remoteria after a decade building distributed teams across 4 continents. He has helped 500+ companies source, vet, onboard, and scale pre-vetted offshore talent in engineering, design, marketing, and operations.

  • • 10+ years building distributed remote teams
  • • 500+ successful offshore placements across US, UK, EU, and APAC
  • • Specialist in offshore vetting and cross-timezone team integration
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Last updated: April 12, 2026