Compensation Accounting Manager

Keystone•Boston, MA

13d•$110,000 - $140,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Keystone is a global economics, technology, and strategy consulting firm advising technology leaders, Fortune 100 companies, legal counsel, and governments. The Compensation Accounting Manager is a member of the Finance team and reports to the Assistant Controller. This role owns the full accounting lifecycle for compensation-related activity—including payroll, bonuses, equity, benefits, reconciliations, and close support—in a multi-entity, multi-country environment. The position partners with Compensation, Recruiting, FP&A, and Payroll to ensure accurate accounting, thorough reconciliations, and clear supporting documentation. It is suited to a technically strong accounting professional with public accounting training, private company experience, sound judgment, discretion with sensitive data, and a continuous improvement mindset. The role is based in Boston, Massachusetts, on a hybrid schedule requiring three days per week in the office. Keystone cannot provide relocation support or sponsor employment visas; applicants must already be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Requirements

Active CPA license.
Approximately five years of progressive accounting experience, including Big 4 public accounting experience and substantive private company experience in compensation accounting, technical accounting, or a closely related area.
Hands-on experience accounting for payroll entries, corporate bonuses, sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses, equity-based compensation, 401(k), profit sharing, and other employee benefits.
Experience owning compensation-related account reconciliations across multiple accounts, entities, and countries.
Understanding of multi-jurisdiction payroll complexity, statutory requirements, local employer contributions, and related compensation accounting considerations.
Strong close discipline and a track record of meeting deadlines in a high-volume, multi-entity environment while maintaining accuracy and completeness.
High proficiency with ERP systems and intermediate-to-advanced Excel skills, including working with large and complex data sets.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to partner with HR, Recruiting, FP&A, Payroll, and other non-accounting stakeholders.
Exceptional organization, attention to detail, and professionalism in preparing workpapers, reconciliations, and communications.
Maturity and discretion in handling highly confidential compensation data.
Must already be authorized to work in the United States without employment visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with equity plan accounting.
Familiarity with multi-currency consolidation.
Familiarity with HRIS platforms such as Workday or ADP.
Familiarity with payroll-to-GL integrations.
Familiarity with process automation or accounting technology initiatives.

Responsibilities

Prepare, review, and post compensation-related journal entries for monthly, quarterly, and annual close, including payroll, accrued bonuses, sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses, and other variable compensation.
Record equity compensation expense, including stock options, RSUs, and other equity instruments, in accordance with ASC 718 or applicable standards.
Record and reconcile benefits-related entries, including 401(k) employer contributions, profit sharing, and other employee benefit programs.
Maintain close checklists and supporting documentation for compensation accounts.
Own reconciliations for compensation-related balance sheet accounts, including accrued compensation, accrued bonuses, equity award liabilities, deferred compensation, and benefits payables.
Investigate and resolve reconciling items promptly, escalating aged or material items with explanations and proposed resolutions.
Coordinate with Payroll to reconcile payroll register data to the general ledger and resolve discrepancies.
Manage compensation accounting entries across international jurisdictions, accounting for local statutory requirements, currency considerations, social charges, employer contributions, and entity-level reporting needs.
Serve as the primary accounting liaison to Compensation, Recruiting, FP&A, and Payroll, providing data for headcount reporting, budget-to-actual analysis, and compensation planning.
Partner with Recruiting on the accounting treatment and amortization schedules for sign-on bonuses and retention awards.
Support FP&A with compensation variance analysis and explanations for period-over-period movements in compensation expense.
Prepare compensation-related audit schedules and supporting documentation, and respond to auditor requests.
Ensure compensation accounting policies and procedures are documented and consistently applied across entities and jurisdictions.
Evaluate compensation accounting processes and identify opportunities to automate, streamline, and improve delivery quality and speed.
Contribute to ERP enhancements, payroll system integrations, and related tool implementations affecting compensation accounting workflows.
Develop scalable templates, workpapers, and documentation to support consistency as the firm grows.