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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Finance Supervisor

💰 $85,000 - $120,000

FinanceAccountingManagementSupervisory

🎯 Role Definition

As a Finance Supervisor, you will be the cornerstone of our accounting operations, reporting directly to the Finance Manager. You are responsible for leading a team of talented accountants, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of our financial records, and enforcing robust internal controls. This hands-on leadership role requires a professional who can not only manage the day-to-day accounting functions but also contribute to strategic financial initiatives, mentor a growing team, and partner effectively with cross-functional departments. You will be instrumental in optimizing our financial processes and providing the critical data that guides our business decisions.


📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Accountant
  • Senior Financial Analyst
  • Public Accounting Senior Associate

Advancement To:

  • Accounting Manager
  • Finance Manager
  • Assistant Controller

Lateral Moves:

  • Senior FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis) Analyst
  • Internal Audit Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of staff and senior accountants, overseeing their daily activities, providing coaching, and managing performance evaluations to foster a high-performing and collaborative environment.
  • Orchestrate the entire month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing processes, ensuring all journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations are completed accurately and within established deadlines.
  • Conduct thorough reviews and provide ultimate approval for complex journal entries, high-risk balance sheet account reconciliations, and financial statement fluctuations.
  • Guarantee the integrity and accuracy of the general ledger by establishing and monitoring policies, procedures, and system controls.
  • Oversee the full cycle of accounts payable (AP) and accounts receivable (AR), ensuring efficient invoice processing, timely collections, and effective vendor/customer relationship management.
  • Prepare and analyze a complete set of monthly financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows) in accordance with GAAP/IFRS.
  • Perform in-depth variance analysis of actual results against budget, forecast, and prior periods, providing insightful written commentary and explanations to senior management.
  • Serve as a key point of contact for external and internal auditors, preparing audit schedules, providing necessary documentation, and facilitating the audit process to ensure a smooth and timely completion.
  • Design, implement, and maintain a robust framework of internal controls to ensure SOX compliance and safeguard company assets.
  • Manage all aspects of fixed asset accounting, including tracking capital projects, recording acquisitions and disposals, and ensuring the accuracy of depreciation schedules.
  • Drive continuous process improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities for automation and efficiency gains within the accounting and finance functions.
  • Assist in the annual budgeting process and the development of periodic financial forecasts, collaborating with various department heads to gather necessary data.
  • Manage and review payroll processing to ensure accurate and timely payment to employees, along with the corresponding journal entries and reconciliations.
  • Provide expert guidance on technical accounting matters, conducting research and preparing memoranda on the application of new accounting standards.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the Finance Manager and Controller with ad-hoc reporting, special projects, and complex financial analysis as needed to support strategic decisions.
  • Partner with IT and other departments on financial system implementations, upgrades, and enhancements, serving as a subject matter expert for the accounting team.
  • Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for the accounting team to track efficiency and effectiveness of financial operations.
  • Facilitate cross-functional training to non-finance departments to improve their understanding of financial policies and procedures.
  • Assist in the preparation of materials and presentations for executive leadership and board of directors' meetings.
  • Monitor cash flow, perform cash forecasting, and support treasury functions to ensure optimal liquidity.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • GAAP/IFRS Expertise: Deep and current knowledge of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and/or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
  • Advanced Excel Proficiency: Mastery of Microsoft Excel, including complex formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, and data modeling.
  • ERP System Experience: Hands-on experience with large-scale ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or Microsoft Dynamics 365.
  • Financial Reporting: Proven ability to prepare, analyze, and interpret a full set of financial statements for management and external stakeholders.
  • Internal Controls (SOX): Solid understanding of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance and the ability to design and test internal control frameworks.
  • Budgeting & Forecasting: Experience participating in the corporate budgeting and forecasting cycle.
  • Data Analysis & Visualization: Skill in extracting and analyzing data to identify trends and insights, with experience in BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) being a plus.

Soft Skills

  • Leadership & Mentorship: Demonstrated ability to lead, train, and motivate a team, fostering professional development and a positive work culture.
  • Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex financial information clearly to both financial and non-financial audiences.
  • Analytical & Problem-Solving: A strong analytical mindset with a talent for identifying issues, diagnosing root causes, and implementing effective solutions.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous and highly organized, with an unwavering commitment to accuracy and quality in all work products.
  • Time Management & Prioritization: Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s Degree (MBA or Master's in Accounting).
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation is highly preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5-8 years of progressive accounting experience.

Preferred:

  • At least 2-3 years of experience in a supervisory or senior/lead accountant role with direct reports.
  • A combination of public accounting (Big 4 preferred) and private industry experience is highly desirable.