Senior General Ledger Accountant

Topstep•Chicago, IL

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role owns accrued expenses, AP aging, Deel contractor payments and accruals, capitalized software and other fixed assets, and available-for-sale (AFS) securities accounting, and plays a hands-on role in the monthly close process. The Senior GL Accountant also supports preparation of annual financial statement (AFS) schedules and audit support for owned areas, and serves as the direct supervisor of a GL Accountant, reviewing and approving that individual's work. This role requires strong attention to detail, sound accounting judgment, and the ability to work independently across several owned areas while supporting a close-knit finance team. As Topstep's finance team continues to grow, the specific areas owned by this role may shift, and the Senior GL Accountant should expect to take on additional accounting areas or ad hoc projects as the team's needs evolve.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance.
4-6 + years of progressive accounting experience, including: Hands-on experience with month-end close.
Experience with accrual accounting, AP/vendor accounting, and fixed asset accounting (including capitalized software).
Comfort working independently across multiple owned areas simultaneously.
Experience with NetSuite or a similar ERP system.
Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, etc.).
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple close deadlines simultaneously.
Detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Effective communicator with the ability to work cross-functionally and coach a direct report.
Ability to work independently and take ownership of areas with minimal supervision.

Nice To Haves

Experience reviewing or mentoring junior staff preferred.
Experience with Deel or similar contractor payment platforms preferred.
Familiarity with fixed asset / capitalized software accounting (ASC 350-40) preferred.
CPA or active pursuit of CPA preferred, but not required.

Responsibilities

Own and maintain accrual workbooks across assigned vendors/areas, including estimation methodology for expenses not yet invoiced at month-end.
Prepare and post monthly accrual and reversal journal entries; ensure accruals are supported by invoices, contracts, or a documented estimation approach.
Reconcile accrued expense and other current liability accounts on a monthly basis, resolving reconciling items timely.
Partner with AP and vendor-facing teams (e.g., Legal, Product) to obtain estimates for recurring accrual items.
Own the monthly AP aging review, ensuring the aging report ties to the trial balance and open items are properly supported.
Investigate and drive resolution of aged or unusual AP items in partnership with the AP Specialist and vendor owners.
Maintain documentation standards for AP aging support that are audit-ready.
Own processing and coding of Deel contractor invoices and payments, ensuring accurate departmental and entity coding.
Prepare and maintain the contractor accrual workbook and related monthly journal entries.
Maintain and improve tracking/reconciliation files for Deel activity and associated accruals.
Own the fixed asset process for capitalized software and related capitalized costs (e.g., software-in-development / CIP), including evaluation of capitalization criteria.
Maintain depreciation/amortization schedules and prepare related monthly journal entries and reconciliations.
Partner with Engineering/Product stakeholders to identify and evaluate capitalizable software development costs.
Own accounting for the Company's available-for-sale investment/reserve accounts (e.g., ML reserves), including monthly reconciliation to custodian/broker statements.
Record mark-to-market adjustments and unrealized gain/loss entries in accordance with ASC 320/321, and monitor for other-than-temporary impairment considerations.
Track and record transfers between AFS investment accounts and operating cash accounts; partner with Treasury on funding/replenishment activity.
Prepare supporting schedules and roll-forwards for AFS securities for audit and advisor (e.g., Miller Cooper) review.
Prepare supporting schedules for external audit requests related to owned areas (accruals, AP, Deel, fixed assets, AFS securities).
Respond to auditor and advisor requests timely and with well-organized support.
Maintain documentation standards that are audit-ready at all times.
Directly manage and support the GL Accountant, providing day-to-day coaching, workload prioritization, and guidance.
Review and approve work prepared by the GL Accountant for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to close deadlines.
Assist with preparation and maintenance of SOPs for the GL Accountant's assigned areas.
Escalate issues or resourcing needs to the GL Manager as appropriate.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and consistency across owned close areas.
Leverage NetSuite functionality effectively (including CSV import templates and automation tools); support system improvements as directed by the GL Manager, Assistant Controller, and Controller.
Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure vendor, contractor, and fixed asset data flows accurately into the general ledger.
Depending on business needs, this may include additional ownership areas such as leases, intercompany clearing, cash, credit card / expense reports, or other balance sheet reconciliations.
The Senior GL Accountant may be asked to take on ad hoc projects or other duties as assigned by the GL Manager or Controller.
This role requires flexibility and a willingness to support the team's needs as the organizational structure develops.