Staff Accountant

Title: Staff Accountant

Location: Bedford, MA, Hybrid 3 days onsite, 2 days remote

Industry: $1B Global, Publicly Held Biotechnology/Medical Device Company

Required:

• Degree in accounting
• Experience working in Big 4 accounting OR at a public biotech company
• Strong GAAP and SEC knowledge
• journal entries, reconciliation, variance analysis
• 3-5 years experience

Preferred:

• CPA or on the CPA track , strongly preferred
• Public company experience
• Biotech or Pharma industry experience

Job Description:

The Staff Accountant is responsible for supporting the preparation of the month-end close and consolidation processes, maintaining accountability for specific areas within Accounting, including ERP systems, general ledger, audit, and compliance. This role also contributes to the development and implementation of financial policies, procedures, controls, and new systems or projects across the organization. Reporting to the Accounting Manager, this position plays a key role in ensuring efficient financial operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Month-End Close & Reconciliation: Prepare analysis and manual entries, and perform month-end general ledger reconciliations. Coordinate with internal and external contacts to review transactions, ensure proper accounting, and resolve any variances. Research and reconcile assigned accounts based on a thorough understanding of the responsibilities.
• Balance Sheet & Income Statement Reconciliation: Reconcile assigned balance sheet and income statement accounts, ensuring all supporting documentation is accurate and complete.
• Budget vs. Actual Analysis: Compare general ledger activity against budget and forecasts, providing explanations for any differences between expected and actual results.
• Process & Control Maintenance: Assist in the setup and maintenance of processes, procedures, and controls to accurately capture, track, and report financial results, in compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, U.S. GAAP, and company policies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with cross-functional teams, as well as domestic and international members of the Accounting & Finance team, to ensure alignment and efficiency.
• ERP Systems Support: Contribute to the setup, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the company’s ERP systems. Assist with ERP transactional processing, data management, business intelligence analysis, reporting, and other relevant systems used by the Accounting & Finance team.
• Reporting & Analysis: Interpret reports and financial records for managers and stakeholders, and conduct month-end balance sheet and income statement variance analysis.
• Audit Support: Provide requested documentation to both internal and external auditors, addressing questions and concerns in a timely manner.
• Footnote Disclosure: Support the preparation of footnote disclosures for financial reporting purposes, specifically related to fixed assets and construction in progress.
• Forecasting & Budgeting: Assist in the preparation of quarterly forecasts and annual budgets for assigned balance sheet and income statement accounts.
• Revenue Accounting: Prepare and review journal entries related to revenue, including deferred revenue, unearned revenue, and revenue adjustments. Ensure accurate recording of all revenue transactions in accordance with accounting principles and company guidelines.
• Revenue Account Reconciliation: Perform detailed reconciliations of revenue-related accounts, such as accounts receivable and revenue accounts, ensuring completeness and accuracy. Investigate and resolve discrepancies or variances during the reconciliation process.

Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in Accounting.
• Certifications: CPA or CPA track preferred.
• Experience: 3 years of accounting experience; recent public accounting experience preferred.
• Technical Knowledge: Proficiency in manual and automated accounting and reporting systems.
• Process Improvement: Strong focus on continuous improvement to transition to a “best in class” finance organization.
• Professional Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, to all levels of the organization.
• Time Management: Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple deadlines, and prioritize effectively.
• Self-Motivation: A sense of urgency and self-driven commitment to meeting deadlines.