Onboarding Accountant

SMG Accountants, Bookkeepers and Advisors•Islandia, NY

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is a mix of hands-on accounting, client communication, and project coordination. The Onboarding Accountant will meet with new clients, review their existing books and accounting setup, identify what needs to be cleaned up or completed, and work with our offshore accounting team to get the account ready for ongoing service. This role is best suited for an accountant who enjoys the setup and problem-solving side of accounting. Every new client is different, so we need someone who can quickly understand a client's books, determine what needs attention, communicate clearly with the client and team, and get the account into good shape for ongoing service. The right person will be comfortable working independently, following up when something is missing, and taking an onboarding assignment from the initial accounting review through the final handoff to the accounting team. We are looking for someone who is comfortable stepping into a new set of books, figuring out what is going on, asking the right questions, and moving the work forward.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master's degree in accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Minimum of 2-3 years of accounting/bookkeeping experience, with proficiency in QuickBooks.
Experience reviewing and cleaning up accounting records.
Strong understanding of bank and credit card reconciliations, balance sheet accounts, journal entries, month-end close, and financial reporting.
Comfortable communicating directly with business owners and client accounting contacts.
Able to review another accountant's work and identify errors or incomplete items.
Strong organizational and follow-up skills with the ability to manage several new client assignments at the same time.
Strong multitasking abilities, effectively managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

CPA license is preferred.
Experience working with offshore or remote accounting teams is preferred.
Public accounting or outsourced accounting experience is preferred.
CPA or CPA candidate is a plus, but not required

Responsibilities

Lead accounting onboarding calls with new clients and gather the information needed to begin work.
Review QuickBooks and prior accounting records to understand the current condition of the books.
Review balance sheet accounts, reconciliations, prior-period activity, and outstanding accounting items.
Identify cleanup work, missing information, or issues that should be addressed before ongoing bookkeeping begins.
Work with clients to obtain bank, credit card, payroll, POS, AP, and other accounting system access as needed.
Coordinate bookkeeping and cleanup assignments with our offshore accounting team.
Provide the offshore team with clear instructions and supporting information needed to complete the work.
Review completed bookkeeping and cleanup work and make sure the books are accurate before the client moves to the operations accounting team.
Follow up directly with clients on outstanding accounting questions, documents, and access.
Keep onboarding assignments moving and communicate internally when client delays or accounting issues are holding up the process.
Understand the services included in the client's engagement and identify when requests or accounting needs fall outside of the agreed scope.
Document important client-specific accounting procedures, reporting requirements, and recurring items for the team taking over the account.
Work with the Partner/PIC, onboarding team, and accounting team to ensure a smooth handoff once onboarding is complete.

Benefits

Near-100% Employer-Paid Medical Premiums
Outstanding medical insurance coverage for team members with dental and vision options.
401(k) Retirement Plan with direct employer matching.
Ancillary Insurance Options
Immediate PTO Accrual
8 Company-Paid Holidays
Summer Hours Program (half-day Fridays during summer months)
Tax Season Meals
Summer Lunch-and-Learns
Onsite Continuing Education
Casual Dress Code
Structured Mentor Program
Employee Volunteer Program (earn additional paid time off for community involvement)
Engaging Team-Building Events