Senior Accountant – US Accounting

Company Description

GSRA & Associates is a professional services firm providing accounting, taxation, compliance, payroll, business advisory, and market-entry support to Indian and international businesses.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Accountant to join our US Accounting team.

This role goes beyond routine bookkeeping. We are looking for someone who can take ownership of the accounting function, work closely with a US Controller/CFO, manage responsibilities delegated by them, review the work of junior team members, and gradually operate at an Assistant Controller level.

Work Mode: Work from Home

Working Hours: US Shift - approximately 6:30 PM to 3:30 AM IST

*Timing may vary by approximately one hour depending on US daylight saving time and client requirements.*

Key Responsibilities

Accounting & Month-End Close

* Manage and review day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping for US clients.

* Take ownership of the monthly close process and ensure books are closed accurately and within agreed timelines.

* Prepare and review monthly P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow statements.

* Handle and review bank and credit card reconciliations, AR/AP, journal entries and general ledger adjustments.

* Manage accruals, prepayments, depreciation, fixed assets and other month-end adjustments.

* Prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations and supporting schedules.

* Review the General Ledger, identify unusual balances or transactions and resolve accounting issues independently.

* Ensure accounting records are complete, accurate and maintained in accordance with applicable accounting policies and US GAAP.

Controller / CFO Support

* Work directly with the Controller, CFO and other US finance stakeholders on accounting and financial reporting matters.

* Take ownership of tasks and deliverables delegated by the Controller/CFO and drive them to completion with limited follow-up.

* Prepare schedules, reconciliations, reports and analysis required by the Controller/CFO.

* Perform month-over-month and budget-to-actual variance analysis, investigate significant movements and provide meaningful explanations.

* Identify accounting issues or missing information proactively rather than waiting for them to be identified during review.

* Support year-end close, external audits, tax preparation and other Controller/CFO requirements.

* Support 1099 filings, sales tax, payroll accounting and year-end schedules, where applicable.

Review & Team Management

* Review work prepared by junior accountants/bookkeepers and ensure its accuracy and completeness.

* Delegate and follow up on accounting tasks where appropriate.

* Provide guidance to junior team members and help resolve accounting issues.

* Ensure accounting deliverables are completed according to the agreed close calendar and client deadlines.

* Maintain proper supporting documentation and a clear review trail.

Process & Controls

* Understand the client's accounting processes rather than simply processing transactions.

* Identify weaknesses, recurring errors or inefficiencies in accounting processes and recommend improvements.

* Help develop and maintain month-end close checklists, accounting schedules, SOPs & internal controls.

* Look for opportunities to improve the quality, accuracy and efficiency of the accounting function.

Client & Stakeholder Management

* Communicate directly and professionally with US clients and their finance teams.

* Independently follow up for missing information and resolve accounting queries.

* Provide clear updates regarding the status of the close, outstanding items and accounting issues.

* Escalate significant accounting or control issues to the Controller/CFO on a timely basis.

Requirements

* Minimum 5 years of overall accounting experience, including at least 3 years of hands-on experience in US accounting.

* Strong knowledge of full-cycle accounting, AP, AR, General Ledger, reconciliations, journal entries and month-end closing.

* Demonstrated experience in independently handling or taking significant ownership of the monthly close process.

* Good understanding of US GAAP and financial statement preparation.

* Ability to review a Trial Balance and General Ledger and independently identify accounting issues.

* Experience preparing and reviewing balance sheet reconciliations and month-end schedules.

* Proficiency in QuickBooks Online, Xero or similar accounting software.

* Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.

* Strong analytical, review and problem-solving skills.

* Good written and verbal English communication.

* Ability to work independently and communicate confidently with US clients and senior finance professionals.

* Ability to take ownership of assigned responsibilities with limited supervision.

* Must be comfortable working from home during US business hours / night shift in India.

Preferred

* B.Com, M.Com, CA Inter, CMA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent qualification.

* Experience with a US accounting firm, CPA firm, outsourced accounting practice or finance team of a US company.

* Prior experience working directly with a Controller, Assistant Controller, Finance Director or CFO.

* Experience reviewing or supervising the work of junior accounting team members.

* Experience with multi-entity accounting, intercompany transactions, consolidations or management reporting.

* Exposure to 1099 reporting, US sales tax, payroll accounting, BILL/Bill.com, Gusto, ADP, Ramp, Brex or NetSuite will be an advantage.

What We Are Looking For

We are not looking for someone whose experience is limited to processing transactions or completing assigned bookkeeping tasks.

The ideal candidate should have the mindset of an Assistant Controller, someone who takes ownership of the books, understands what the numbers mean, anticipates issues, manages deadlines, reviews the work of others and can become a dependable second layer to the Controller/CFO.

You should be comfortable receiving an objective from the Controller/CFO, determining what needs to be done, coordinating with the team and client where required, and taking the responsibility through to completion.

• For the right candidate, this role provides an opportunity to progressively take on broader responsibilities and grow into an Assistant Controller / Controller-level role.