Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for General Ledger Accountant

🎯 Role Definition

Welcome! We're on the hunt for a meticulous and driven General Ledger (GL) Accountant to join our dynamic finance team. This isn't just a numbers-and-spreadsheets job; you will be the backbone of our financial integrity, ensuring every transaction is accurately recorded, reconciled, and reported.

As a GL Accountant, you will own critical components of the financial closing process, from preparing complex journal entries to performing in-depth balance sheet reconciliations. You will be a key player in maintaining the accuracy of our financial statements, supporting audits, and driving process improvements. This role is perfect for a proactive problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about building a scalable and compliant accounting function.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Staff Accountant
Junior Accountant
Accounts Payable/Receivable Specialist with advanced duties

Advancement To:

Senior General Ledger Accountant
Accounting Manager
Assistant Controller

Lateral Moves:

Financial Analyst
Internal Auditor
Financial Systems Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage and execute the full cycle of month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing procedures in accordance with a strict timeline.
Prepare, review, and post complex journal entries with appropriate supporting documentation, ensuring accuracy and compliance with company policies.
Perform detailed reconciliations for all balance sheet accounts, including cash, accounts receivable, fixed assets, prepaids, accruals, and intercompany accounts.
Investigate, analyze, and resolve accounting discrepancies, irregularities, and reconciling items in a timely manner.
Maintain the general ledger chart of accounts, ensuring its structure supports dynamic financial reporting and analysis needs.
Manage the complete fixed asset lifecycle, including recording acquisitions and dispositions, tracking capital projects, and running monthly depreciation schedules.
Assist in the preparation of internal and external financial reporting packages, including balance sheets, income statements, and statements of cash flow.
Ensure consistent compliance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and company-specific accounting policies.
Act as a key point of contact for external and internal audit requests, preparing schedules, providing supporting documentation, and explaining accounting treatments.
Conduct thorough fluctuation analysis (flux analysis) of income statement and balance sheet accounts, providing insightful commentary on variances.
Manage intercompany transactions, ensuring proper recording, reconciliation, and elimination of balances across multiple entities.
Oversee and process accrued expenses and prepaid amortization, ensuring expenses are recognized in the correct period.
Support the integrity of the company’s internal control framework (SOX) by executing and documenting assigned controls.
Collaborate with Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable teams to ensure sub-ledgers are accurate and reconcile to the general ledger.
Assist in the preparation of regulatory filings and tax compliance documents, such as sales and use tax or property tax returns.
Review and analyze expense reports and corporate credit card transactions to ensure proper coding and adherence to company policy.
Participate in the annual budgeting and periodic forecasting processes by providing historical data and insights.
Reconcile bank statements and other financial data streams to ensure all transactions are accounted for.

Secondary Functions

Actively participate in process improvement projects aimed at increasing the efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of the accounting and finance organization.
Support the implementation and optimization of accounting software and ERP systems, including user acceptance testing and process documentation.
Assist senior finance leadership with ad-hoc financial analysis, reporting requests, and special projects as they arise.
Contribute to the development, documentation, and rollout of new accounting policies and procedures across the business.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Deep proficiency in enterprise-level ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics).
Advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities, including VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, complex formulas, and data modeling.
Comprehensive knowledge of U.S. GAAP and the ability to research and apply complex accounting standards.
Proven experience executing full-cycle month-end and year-end close processes.
Expertise in preparing and analyzing detailed balance sheet account reconciliations.
Familiarity with financial reporting tools and platforms (e.g., BlackLine, FloQast, Workiva).
Strong understanding of internal controls and SOX compliance frameworks.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy and data integrity.
Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with a knack for investigating and resolving complex issues.
Excellent organizational and time management abilities, with a proven capacity to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.
Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills, capable of explaining complex accounting concepts to non-financial stakeholders.
A proactive and self-motivated work ethic, with the ability to operate independently with minimal supervision.
High level of integrity, discretion, and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation.
Collaborative team player with a positive attitude and the ability to build strong working relationships across departments.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related business field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s Degree in Accounting or Finance.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license or active CPA candidate status is highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Accounting
Finance

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of progressive experience in an accounting role, with a strong focus on general ledger operations.

Preferred: A combination of experience from public accounting (Big 4 or regional firm) and a corporate accounting environment is highly valued.