Accounting Job Description
Job Description: Accounting staff are responsible for giving advice about the finances of their clients and companies. Accounting staff assure that bills are being paid on time with taxes being deducted as well as suggestions on how to cut expenses. Some accounting staff members also handle collections. The accounting staff may consist of different types of accountants with varying responsibilities. The general accountants are responsible for tax matters, budgeting, asset management and cost management, while government-related accountants deal with fraud and bankruptcies. Accountants from the accounts payable department ensure bills are paid on time, while accountants from the accounts receivable department handle the collection of debt and payments. Accounting clerks perform various clerical duties such as filing, typing, forward mailing and bookkeeping.
Duties: Duties of an accounting staff member varies largely depending on the department they work in and the type of accounting experience they possess. Some duties an accounting staff member include maintaining bookkeeping and accounting records of clients or the company, creating and maintaining cash flow analysis, balancing sheets and income statements; and coordinating billings with outside service providers and vendors. Other accounting staff members create and maintain a tickler system to follow cash flow obligations of a client or company, assist controller with tax calculation for the client, assists in creating and maintaining document retention systems for legal documents and assist in establishing standard operating procedures when it comes to finances both internally and externally. Some accounting staff provide administrative services to the client and company if necessary; and maintains constant communication with clients and top management providing them with quality services.
Education and Training: Employers look for accounting staff members with either a bachelor’s or master's degree depending on the level of position to be filled. Courses that should appeal to aspiring accounting staff are math, administration, business, finances and economics. Accounting staff members such as clerks posses associate degrees and certificates as they work their way to master their jobs and training to possess a higher position in the company.
Knowledge and Skills: Accounting staff need not to be excellent mathematicians but they should possess good written and oral communication skills. They must have a strong background though in mathematics and possess excellent analytical skills. They must be driven and handle the thorough analysis of financial data and information. They must be highly organized and must be capable of solving problem errors.
Working Conditions: Accounting staff may be employed in a variety of companies such as government agencies, legal firms or banks. They must be comfortable in both working alone and being part of a team. They are usually employed on a standard 40-hour a week schedule and may be required to the occasional overtime.
Salary: With the accounting staff having a wide range of responsibilities and positions, the average annual salary of $52,000 will depend on the experience, type of job and educational attainment of the personnel. Other factors such as location and industry of the company he is employed in also contribute to the variation of his salary.
