Senior Accountant
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The Senior Accountant oversees all activities of the junior accountants. This position needs a well-rounded individual who demonstrates an ability to deliver results in a fast-changing and dynamic environment. The Senior Accountant works closely with senior accountants and other senior members of the finance department and has the opportunity to work on a wide variety of areas within the finance department.
The Senior Accountant is responsible for overseeing the financial reporting on multiple fronts, such as, financial statements, bank reconciliations, fixed assets, end-of-period responsibilities, and identifying any areas for process improvement.
Objectives and Responsibilities of the Senior Accountant
Management: The Senior Accountant will play a managerial role where he will oversee all accounting activities executed by the junior accountants. In this position, the Senior Accountant will also be responsible for the preparation of external audit deliverables that are related to specific areas of responsibility and conduct research on technical financial issues arising in such areas as necessary. The Senior Accountant is responsible for meeting weekly/monthly/annual deadlines for the preparation of financial books of accounts.
He additionally takes charge of inputting annual budgets into the business’s accounting system, inclusive of converting financial analysis models into accounting system detail budgets. The Senior Accountant is further in charge with the organization of data received with a focus on the ease and flexibility of communication to senior accounting management.
Financial Books: The Senior Accountant is responsible for maintaining financial books and records for the business alongside the junior accountants. He performs general ledger end-of-period close activities inclusive of account reconciliations, preparation of journal entries, and the review of journal entries as performed by the junior accountant. The Senior Accountant records regular financial analysis results and cash distribution activities for the business’s investments.
Financial Reports: Alongside the junior accountants the Senior Accountant also performs weekly/monthly/annual financial statement analyses and documents meaningful and understandable explanations for any financial fluctuations in order to assist relevant senior management in business decision-making. The Senior Accountant also assists in the preparation of weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual reporting schedules that are distributed to junior accounting management and external business partners.
Collaboration and Support: The Senior Accountant supports senior accounting management in process improvement, placing focus on the implementation of best practices and establishment of scalable processes. In essence he works with senior accounting management in proactively determining and executing change management and building upon the already existing processes and platforms.
The Senior Accountant also works closely with all departments across the business, stepping in to support all areas of the business as required during the end-period close of business. It is also the his duty to provide investors with ongoing reporting and audit requirements and to assist external auditors in the performance of their functions during the end-of-period auditing activities.
Research and Knowledge: The Senior Accountant conducts independent accounting researches in order to identify and improve the business’s current accounting practices and to be able to draft and provide recommendations and provide guidance to senior accounting management. He also maintains an intimate understanding of the current and developing accounting policies, procedures, and legislation, which keeps the department within the law at all times.
Other Duties: The Senior Accountant also performs similar duties as he deems fit for the proper execution of his duties and duties as delegated by the Head of Accounting, Chief Finance Officer, or the Employer.
Required Qualifications of the Senior Accountant
Education: The Senior Accountant must have a bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in Finance or Accounting. The equivalent of the same in practical experience is also acceptable. The candidate will also be better suited with CPA certification.
Experience: A candidate for this position must also have had at least 5 years of working experience in an accounting position within a fast-paced, fast-evolving, and dynamic environment, preferably working as an Accountant. The candidate will preferably have had a mix of experience working in a both public company and private company accounting positions.
He will also have a proven and successful experience working on financial budgeting and forecasting and have a deep understanding of full life-cycle accounting all the way from the opening of a financial period to its close. A suitable candidate will also display vast knowledgeable in SOX, GAAP, and SEC reporting.
Communication Skills: The Senior Accountant must also possess exceptionally good communication skills, both in written and verbal form. Communication skills are important for this position in its highly collaborative capacity, where the Senior Accountant will interact with the junior accountant, senior accounting management, internal departmental heads, external partners and investors, as well as external auditors.
The clarity of his information conveyance will greatly determine how effectively accounting initiatives are handled across business. The Senior Accountant must be capable of tailoring even the most complex/technical accounting messages in a clear, easy-to-understand, and relatable manner for each crowd that he interacts with in the execution of his duties.
Ms Office/Software: The Senior Accountant must display exceptional computer skills and be highly proficient in the use of Ms Excel, Ms Office, Ms Outlook, and PowerPoint. He must also be highly proficient in the use of software such as Expensify, JD Edwards, and Oracle Finances.
Interpersonal Skills: Certain personal skills also make a candidate even more suited for the position. The candidate must be highly flexible and adaptable, be open and welcoming to change, have an ability to manage multiple tasks and meet stringent deadlines, have strong planning and organization skills, be a creative and strategic thinker, have an ability to work independently with minimal supervision, have a keen eye for detail, be proactive and self-motivated requiring minimal supervision, work comfortably in a collaborative setting, and display an ability to remain calm in times of uncertainty and stress.
People Skills: The Senior Accountant must also be a people person and a team player who is able to build and maintain strong and meaningful relationships with other people. He will be a likable, relatable, and approachable individual who inspires trust and confidence in his peers and in his seniors.
