Lead Accountant

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Department: Finance & Accounting
Employment Type: Full-Time
Classification: Exempt

Position Summary

The Lead Accountant – CFO Support & Financial Reporting is a key member of the Finance and Accounting team responsible for supporting the CFO with financial reporting, accounting operations, reconciliations, financial analysis, budgeting, and special projects.

This position will serve as a senior accounting resource and help ensure the accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of financial information across the organization. The Lead Accountant will work closely with the CFO, accounting team, department leaders, and operating management to improve financial controls, reporting, and overall accounting processes.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on accountant who can manage detailed accounting responsibilities while also helping the CFO analyze the financial performance of the business.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & CFO Support

• Assist the CFO with monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting.
• Prepare financial statements, management reports, schedules, and supporting documentation.
• Assist with consolidated and combined financial reporting across multiple companies and business entities.
• Prepare financial information and analysis requested by the CFO.
• Identify unusual trends, variances, accounting discrepancies, and potential financial risks.
• Assist the CFO with presentations and financial information for ownership, lenders, banks, and other stakeholders.
• Support special financial projects and strategic initiatives assigned by the CFO.

General Accounting

• Assist with and review general ledger activity.
• Prepare and review journal entries.
• Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations.
• Review bank and credit card reconciliations.
• Maintain supporting schedules for significant balance sheet accounts.
• Research and correct accounting discrepancies.
• Ensure transactions are properly recorded within the appropriate company, department, location, and accounting period.
• Assist with intercompany transactions and reconciliations.

Month-End & Year-End Close

• Take a leadership role in the monthly accounting close process.
• Maintain and monitor the month-end closing checklist.
• Ensure assigned reconciliations and journal entries are completed accurately and on time.
• Review accruals, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, depreciation, liabilities, and other closing entries.
• Assist with year-end closing procedures.
• Prepare schedules and documentation for outside CPAs, auditors, and tax professionals.

Multi-Entity Accounting

• Assist with accounting and financial reporting for multiple affiliated entities.
• Reconcile intercompany balances and transactions.
• Assist with consolidating financial results across operating companies.
• Maintain appropriate separation of expenses, revenues, assets, and liabilities between entities.
• Work with the CFO to improve reporting by company, location, department, and business segment.

Financial Analysis

• Prepare budget-to-actual and prior-year variance analysis.
• Analyze revenue, gross profit, operating expenses, payroll, and other key financial metrics.
• Assist in identifying opportunities to improve profitability and reduce unnecessary expenses.
• Develop financial schedules and reports that provide management with actionable information.
• Assist the CFO with cash-flow forecasting and financial projections.

Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable Oversight

• Provide senior-level support to the AP and AR functions.
• Review unusual or significant transactions when necessary.
• Assist with resolving vendor, customer, and accounting discrepancies.
• Help ensure proper documentation and approval procedures are followed.
• Monitor aging reports and identify potential collection or payment issues.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Assist the CFO in developing and maintaining strong accounting controls.
• Identify weaknesses in accounting procedures and recommend improvements.
• Help ensure company accounting policies are consistently followed.
• Maintain appropriate supporting documentation for financial transactions.
• Assist with fraud prevention and detection procedures.
• Support external audits, tax preparation, insurance audits, and lender reporting requirements.

Team Leadership

• Serve as a senior resource for accounting department employees.
• Review accounting work for accuracy and completeness when assigned.
• Assist with training and developing accounting team members.
• Help establish standardized accounting procedures and deadlines.
• Work with other departments to resolve accounting and financial issues.
• Promote accountability, accuracy, confidentiality, and professionalism throughout the accounting department.

CFO Special Projects

The Lead Accountant will also assist the CFO with projects including:

• Annual budgets and forecasts
• Cash-flow projections
• Capital expenditure tracking
• Acquisition and new-location financial analysis
• Banking and lender reporting
• Debt and loan schedules
• Financial modeling
• Business profitability analysis
• Accounting system improvements
• Process automation
• Development of management dashboards and KPIs
• Due diligence and other special financial projects

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive accounting experience.
• Strong understanding of GAAP and general accounting principles.
• Strong general ledger and financial statement experience.
• Experience with month-end and year-end closing.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Strong reconciliation and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage multiple companies, accounts, and deadlines.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding financial information.

Preferred:

• CPA or CPA candidate.
• Experience working directly with a CFO, Controller, or senior finance executive.
• Multi-company or multi-location accounting experience.
• Experience with consolidated financial statements.
• Retail, convenience store, petroleum, transportation, restaurant, or multi-unit operating experience.
• Experience implementing accounting systems, reporting tools, or process automation.

Key Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong accounting knowledge
• Financial analytical ability
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Ownership and accountability
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Strong organizational skills
• Professional communication
• Leadership capabilities
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to identify problems before they become larger financial issues

Performance Expectations

Success in this position will be measured by:

• Accuracy and timeliness of monthly financial reporting
• Completion of month-end close within established deadlines
• Accuracy of balance sheet reconciliations
• Reduction in outstanding accounting discrepancies
• Accuracy of intercompany accounts
• Quality of financial analysis provided to the CFO
• Improvement of accounting procedures and internal controls
• Responsiveness to CFO and management requests
• Development and support of the accounting team

Position Objective

The objective of the Lead Accountant position is to become a trusted financial and accounting resource to the CFO, allowing the CFO to spend more time on strategic financial management, banking, capital planning, acquisitions, growth initiatives, and executive-level decision-making while maintaining confidence that the company's day-to-day accounting and financial reporting are accurate and properly controlled.