A senior accountant must have solid communication, technological, organizational and analytical skills. Companies hiring senior accountants typically look for at least three years of experience and a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
Credentials such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) are also desirable.
Senior Accountant Job Description
The Senior Accountant plays an important role in the financial department of the company, having a deep knowledge of accounting and finance. The most important role is to support the financial organization of the organization.
He is responsible for keeping the finance and accounting department of the company in proper order to have a better financial picture of the company.
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What Are The Responsibilities Of A Senior Accountant?
- Verification, distribution, publication and reconciliation of payables and receivables
- Compilation of error-free accounting reporting and presentation of its results
- Analyze financial information and summarize financial status
- Identify errors and suggest ways to improve efficiency and costs
- Provision of technical support and advice on the management accountant
- Review and recommendations for changes to accounting systems and procedures
- Manage assistant accountants and bookkeepers
- Participation in setting financial standards and forecasting process
- Contribute to the department goal setting process
- Prepare financial reports and budget according to schedule
- Assistance with tax audits and tax returns
- Direct internal and external audits to ensure compliance
- Plan, assign and review staff performance
- Support month and year end closing process
- Develop and document business processes and accounting policies to support and strengthen internal controls
- Ensuring compliance with GAAP principles
- Liaising with our Finance Manager and Accounting Manager to improve financial procedures
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What Are The Requirements?
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required.
- Experience as an accountant from 3 years.
- Working knowledge of tax law and GAAP.
- Strong financial analysis skills.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Strong organizational and stress management skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
- Ability to train and manage staff.
- Ability to work with virtually no supervision.
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Average Senior Accountant Salary
According to the pay scale, the average salary for a senior accountant is $68,556. However, salary may vary from company to company depending on skills, qualifications and experience.
Many organizations provide additional benefits along with the salary of senior accountants. These fringe benefits can be fixed or tied to performance, such as performance bonuses, incentives, overtime pay, etc.
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Senior Staff Accountant Salary
The average salary for a full-time accountant for someone with up to one year of experience is $48,500. The salary range starts at $39,750 for someone with less experience or working at a smaller company, and goes up to $72,000 for a highly qualified candidate in a large organization.
For a professional with one to three years of experience, a full-time accountant salary starts at $50,750, averages at $64,250, and tops out at $100,500.
In addition to company size and industry, location has a big impact on your accountant’s starting salary. The average salary for a full-time accountant in large metropolitan areas such as San Francisco or New York, for example, will be higher than in smaller cities.
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What Are The Staff Accountant Qualifications?
To earn this nice salary as a full-time accountant, you’ll need a four-year bachelor’s degree in accounting, business or finance and one year of work experience.
Computer skills, especially Microsoft Excel, are a must for full-time accountants. In addition to accounting and math, other skills such as time management, collaboration and good communication skills will help you stand out.
Skills
- This accountant requires a solid knowledge of mathematics along with a solid knowledge of accounting. He should be able to understand any missing or incorrect data in the records
- Generally, a person with a master’s degree is eligible to become a senior accountant. However, someone with significant experience in finance who only has a bachelor’s degree can also become a one based on years of experience.
- He is expected to have the leadership qualities to manage junior team members, as well as in-depth knowledge of finance and accounting. A senior accountant typically reports to the company’s chief executive officer or the company’s vice president or general manager.
- Senior accountants are expected to have good practical and theoretical knowledge of a variety of accounting and financial software.
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Conclusion
A senior accountant is an experienced and well-trained person who deals with financial and management accounting. This person usually has a four-year accounting degree and may hold a CPA or CMA certification.
The position can be focused on a certain functional area. For example, this person may be assigned responsibility for the accounts payable area or the payroll area.Â
This position is located in the organizational structure of the accounting department just below the assistant controller. Senior accountants are generally promoted to the position of assistant controller, from which their career path transitions to the position of controller.
Senior Accountant FAQs
What Is The Job Description Of A Junior Accountant?
General accounting, including preparation of journal entries, maintenance of balance sheets and ledgers, and reconciliation of accounts and banks. Assist in the monthly closing and analysis of accounts, as well as supporting the senior accountant in the performance of the duties of the accounting department.
What Does A Senior Accountant Do?
Senior accountants are responsible for analyzing past transactions and provide valuable information about the company’s performance. They can also provide advice, check statements and provide reliable information on financial records. This may include financial reporting, taxation, auditing, forensic accounting, corporate finance, business recovery and bankruptcy or accounting systems and processes.
How Much Does A Senior Accountant Make In Seattle?
The average salary for a senior accountant in Seattle is $91,723. The average additional compensation in Seattle is $5,200. The average total compensation for a Senior Accountant in Seattle is $96,923. The salaries are based on responses collected by Built In from anonymous Senior Accountant employees in Seattle.
How Much Does A Senior Accountant Make In Los Angeles?
The average salary for a Senior Accountant in Los Angeles is $95,871. The average additional compensation for a Senior Accountant in Los Angeles is $17,684. The average total compensation for a Senior Accountant in Los Angeles is $113,555. Senior Accountant salaries based on responses collected by Built In from anonymous Senior Accountant employees in Los Angeles.
How Much Does A Senior Accountant Make In Chicago?
The average salary for a senior accountant in Chicago is $85,838. The average additional compensation for a Senior Accountant in Chicago is $8,541. The average total compensation for a Senior Accountant in Chicago is $94,379. Senior Accountant salaries are based on responses collected by Built In from anonymous Senior Accountant employees in Chicago.
