Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Clean Energy Counsel, LLP is a mission-driven law firm focused on accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels through renewable energy legal work. The Accounting Manager will lead the firm’s day-to-day accounting operations, including general ledger, reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, trust accounting, payroll, financial reporting, and month-end and year-end close activities. The role also supervises accounting staff, maintains internal controls, supports audits and tax activities, and improves accounting systems and processes.
Responsibilities
- Own and manage the day-to-day execution of the Firm’s accounting operations
- Maintain the general ledger and ensure transactions are accurately, consistently, and timely recorded
- Prepare and post routine and approved adjusting journal entries
- Manage the monthly accounting close process and ensure required activities are completed according to established deadlines
- Prepare and/or review balance sheet reconciliations and supporting schedules
- Review general ledger activity and account balances for accuracy, completeness, and unusual or inconsistent activity
- Research and resolve accounting discrepancies and reconciling items
- Maintain appropriate documentation supporting accounting transactions, account balances, and reconciliations
- Escalate significant or unusual accounting matters requiring additional judgment to the Director of Finance
- Maintain accurate accounts receivable accounting records following the posting of client invoices
- Manage the accounting and application of client payments, credits, write-offs, adjustments, and other accounts receivable activity
- Research and resolve unapplied cash and accounting discrepancies in coordination with Billing personnel
- Maintain appropriate accounting documentation supporting accounts receivable activity
- Provide accurate accounts receivable balances and supporting financial information to the Director of Finance and Billing function as needed
- Manage day-to-day accounts payable operations and established payment processes
- Ensure invoices and employee reimbursements are properly documented, approved, coded, and processed
- Review vendor account activity and resolve discrepancies
- Maintain appropriate vendor records and supporting documentation
- Monitor payment deadlines and established cash-disbursement controls
- Review accounts payable work performed by accounting staff for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established procedures
- Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and controls over cash disbursements
- Maintain accurate accounting records for the Firm’s operating cash accounts
- Prepare or review bank and credit card reconciliations
- Research and resolve outstanding or unidentified transactions
- Maintain accurate records of cash receipts, deposits, transfers, and other banking activity
- Monitor outstanding checks and other reconciling items and ensure timely resolution
- Prepare cash balance and activity information for review and cash-flow analysis by the Director of Finance
- Assist with operational banking administration as assigned
- Manage or oversee recurring trust/IOLTA account reconciliations
- Maintain complete and accurate trust accounting records and supporting documentation
- Ensure trust transactions are properly recorded and processed in accordance with established Firm procedures
- Monitor trust balances and identify unusual, aged, or unreconciled items for review
- Maintain appropriate accounting controls over client and third-party funds
- Support compliance with applicable trust accounting requirements
- Promptly escalate trust accounting discrepancies or potential compliance concerns to the Director of Finance
- Manage accounting activities associated with payroll processing
- Review and reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts
- Ensure payroll activity is accurately recorded in the Firm’s accounting system
- Research payroll accounting discrepancies and coordinate corrections as necessary
- Maintain payroll-related accounting schedules and supporting documentation
- Provide payroll expense information and supporting data to the Director of Finance for financial reporting, budgeting, and analysis
- Own and coordinate the monthly accounting close process and close calendar
- Establish close deadlines and ensure required accounting activities are completed timely
- Prepare and review account reconciliations, accruals, journal entries, and supporting schedules required for close
- Review account balances and financial activity for accuracy, completeness, and unusual trends
- Resolve accounting discrepancies before completion of the close
- Prepare preliminary monthly financial statements and supporting schedules for review by the Director of Finance
- Coordinate accounting activities associated with the year-end close
- Prepare year-end reconciliations and supporting schedules
- Record approved year-end and tax adjustments and maintain appropriate supporting documentation
- Identify opportunities to improve the timeliness, accuracy, and efficiency of the close process
- Prepare recurring financial statements, management reports, schedules, and supporting financial information for review by the Director of Finance
- Ensure financial reports reconcile to the general ledger and underlying accounting records
- Maintain recurring reporting schedules and supporting documentation
- Prepare budget-to-actual reports and supporting account-level detail
- Provide historical financial information and accounting data used by the Director of Finance in budgeting and forecasting
- Research financial reporting discrepancies and ensure source data is complete and accurate
- Prepare accounting schedules, reconciliations, and supporting workpapers required for tax preparation and external audits
- Compile financial information requested by the Director of Finance, CPA, tax advisors, or auditors
- Prepare year-end tax workpapers and supporting accounting schedules
- Maintain documentation supporting tax payments and filings as directed
- Research accounting questions or discrepancies identified during tax preparation or audit activities
- Record approved audit and tax adjustments
- Execute and monitor accounting controls, policies, and procedures established in coordination with the Director of Finance
- Ensure accounting staff consistently follow established processes, approval requirements, and segregation-of-duties controls
- Document recurring accounting procedures and maintain current process documentation
- Identify control weaknesses, accounting risks, inefficiencies, or process gaps and recommend improvements to the Director of Finance
- Implement approved accounting process and control improvements
- Periodically review accounting workflows to ensure controls remain appropriate as the Firm grows
- Serve as the operational lead for the Firm’s accounting systems
- Maintain accounting system data and oversee routine accounting-system administration
- Identify opportunities to improve accounting workflows, accuracy, efficiency, automation, and documentation
- Participate in implementation, testing, and training associated with new or modified financial systems
- Coordinate with the Billing function where billing-system activity interfaces with accounting records
- Assist the Director of Finance with finance-related technology and process improvement initiatives
- Provide day-to-day supervision and direction to designated accounting personnel, including accounts payable, accounts receivable/cash receipts, payroll accounting, and other accounting staff as assigned
- Establish work priorities, responsibilities, and recurring accounting deadlines
- Review staff work for accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and compliance with established procedures
- Train, mentor, and develop accounting staff
- Establish and maintain appropriate cross-training and backup coverage for critical accounting functions
- Maintain clear documentation of departmental processes and responsibilities
- Identify staffing, training, workflow, and resource needs and communicate recommendations to the Director of Finance
- Foster accountability, collaboration, responsiveness, continuous improvement, and professional development within the accounting team
Skills
- 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, preferably including supervisory or team-lead responsibilities
- Strong knowledge of general ledger accounting, account reconciliations, month-end and year-end close, accounts payable, accounts receivable accounting, cash management, and financial statement preparation
- Working knowledge of GAAP and internal accounting controls
- Experience with accounting and legal billing software such as QuickBooks, Clio, Elite, Aderant, or similar systems
- Strong Excel skills and ability to work effectively with complex financial data
- Demonstrated ability to manage recurring deadlines and multiple priorities
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Ability to effectively supervise, train, and develop accounting staff
- Strong operational and technical accounting knowledge
- Financial accuracy and attention to detail
- Accountability and ownership
- Organization and deadline management
- Analytical and problem-solving ability
- Effective staff supervision and development
- Process improvement mindset
- Sound judgment and appropriate escalation
- Strong communication and collaboration
- High integrity and commitment to confidentiality and ethical standards
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred
- Law firm or professional services accounting experience strongly preferred
- Experience with law firm billing and trust accounting strongly preferred
- Experience with trust/IOLTA accounting strongly preferred
Benefits
- Annual merit bonuses
- Fully remote work environment with annual in-person retreat
- 401(k), including firm profit-sharing matching
- Dental/Health/Vision/Rx insurance
- Paid time off and paid holidays
Company Overview