Are you searching for top accounting jobs? Are you a manager looking to attract the best people in the accounting and finance field? Are you curious about the typical accountant salary for 2024?
The Robert Half Salary Guide provides starting salary ranges for accounting and finance positions, from corporate and industry accounting, to public accounting, financial services, and healthcare. It can also help you calculate salaries based on your city or region.
In addition, the Salary Guide will give you findings on hiring trends, options for entry-level workers and remote work. There's data on industries that are leading the way in hiring, along with lists of sought-after soft skills, top certifications and degrees, and hottest jobs in finance and accounting. Keep in mind that bonuses, incentives and benefits are not included in the finance and accounting salary projections.
Take a look at these 10 accounting jobs and finance positions — in no particular order — and a description of their typical duties.
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1. Staff accountant
Organizations are bolstering their ability to realize company-wide goals by adding analytics-savvy staff accountants to finance departments.
Typical duties: Reviewing general ledger accounts and preparing and adjusting journal entries; performing account analysis and reconciliation, including bank statements and intercompany general ledger accounts; maintaining general ledger chart of accounts; assisting with initial internal control evaluations; and posting monthly, quarterly and yearly accruals.
2. Financial analyst
Financial analyst hiring is on the upswing as firms look for guidance on how to increase efficiencies, keep costs in check and maximize the benefits of new and existing information systems.
Typical duties: Analyzing new and existing product lines, promotion spending and service segment costs of the organization; preparing profit and loss models, balance sheets and other management reports to forecast financial outcomes; securing and maintaining confidential financial information; performing budgeting variance and forecasting analysis for various levels of management.
3. Senior compliance analyst
With ever-changing compliance mandates and heightened enforcement, compliance professionals such as senior compliance analysts are in demand.
Typical duties: Assisting the compliance officer in regulatory examinations and internal audits across the organization; conducting periodic compliance reviews of departments; preparing documentation of internal procedures; maintaining the company website as an information source for compliance; preparing compliance manuals and programs; assisting with developing compliance training modules and training of compliance team members; performing due diligence visits and risk assessments.
4. Internal auditor (manager)
Given the changing regulatory environment and the interconnectivity of business today, organizations find that strong internal audit leaders rank among their top accounting employees. Senior internal auditors identify and weigh emerging risks and opportunities.
Typical duties: Managing complex audits and preparing audit reports; performing critical project management duties in the planning, scheduling, coordinating, reviewing and reporting of the work of audit teams; developing procedures, schedules, priorities and programs for achieving audit objectives and goals; undertaking comprehensive planning and risk assessments to identify potential business risks; planning, assigning and supervising the daily activities and work of the audit team; identifying and communicating changes in professional standards, pronouncements, laws, guidelines and audit requirements to audit staff; developing and maintaining productive client and staff relationships; hiring, training and supervising internal audit staff.
5. Controller
The heightened regulatory involvement is also fueling demand for controllers skilled in technology, analysis and management. In-depth knowledge of Sarbanes-Oxley provisions, SEC guidelines and all aspects of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) is critical.
Typical duties: Planning, directing and coordinating accounting operational functions; managing the accumulation and consolidation of all financial data necessary for an accurate accounting of consolidated business results; coordinating and preparing internal and external financial statements; coordinating activities of external auditors; managing the budget process; assessing accounting operations and offering recommendations for improvement and implementing new processes; evaluating accounting and internal control systems; evaluating the effectiveness of accounting software and supporting databases; developing and monitoring business performance metrics; overseeing regulatory reporting; hiring, training and retaining accounting staff.
6. AR/AP clerk
Companies can’t achieve success without accounts receivable and accounts payable specialists. These operational support professionals make sure accurate and timely payments are made and received. They also oversee reconciliation and resolution of customer and vendor issues.
Typical duties: Matching, batching, coding and entering invoices; entering, posting and reconciling batches; researching and resolving accounts payable or accounts receivable issues with customers or vendors; updating and reconciling sub-ledger to the general ledger; maintaining cash applications, account reconciliations and chargebacks.
7. Senior accountant
Companies are seeking well-rounded senior-level accountants who can prepare financial statements and budgets, assess internal controls, and conduct risk assessments.
Typical duties: Reconciling sub-ledger to general ledger account balances; preparing financial statements; assessing internal controls, including risk assessments and reviews of risk areas; assisting with budget preparation and preparing the monthly budget variance analyses; maintaining and reconciling fixed assets schedules; assisting with initial internal control evaluations; supervising accounting staff.
8. Payroll manager/supervisor
Whether it’s compliance, government reporting or policy implementation, payroll managers and supervisors have irons in many complex fires.
Typical duties: Ensuring compliance with current government regulations; establishing and implementing policies on such matters as garnishments and payroll advancements to employees; preparing government reporting; preparing accruals and reconciling sub-ledger to the general ledger; hiring, training, developing and supervising payroll staff.
9. Senior cost accountant
Analyzing inventory value, operational expenses and depreciation schedules are crucial to organizational success, typically handled by senior cost accountants.
Typical duties: Analyzing manufacturing operations; analyzing manufacturing equipment availability and utilization; performing month-end cost accounting close; maintaining cost accounting system and cost ledger; performing life cycle cost-benefit analysis; analyzing inventory valuations.
10. Senior business analyst
Big data is a big deal. As finance departments move from a reporting-focused function to a more analytics-centric one, firms need experienced senior business analysts to make sense of data and offer sound strategic recommendations.
Typical duties: Assisting with implementation and support of business information systems across multiple departments; conducting market analysis and analyzing product lines and the overall profitability of the business; developing and sharing reports that enable advertising, customer service, finance, sales and marketing managers to make better business decisions by understanding geography, supply chain and price; ensuring business data and reporting needs are met; developing and monitoring data-quality metrics.
