Accounting Advisor

Vaco; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco in Memphis, TN is seeking an Accounting Advisor to own key components of the monthly close and to handle more complex accounting matters. The role involves investigating unusual activity, researching accounting treatments, and communicating findings to both accounting and business partners.

Experience with employee benefits, retirement plans, insurance, self-insurance, or related areas is valuable but not required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related quantitative field.
• Approximately 5+ years of progressive accounting and/or financial reporting experience.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP.
• Hands-on general ledger and month-end close experience.
• Experience preparing journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations.
• Ability to research accounting issues and document conclusions.
• Experience operating within a SOX/internal controls environment.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to identify and explain financial variances.
• Ability to work effectively with accounting, finance, and non-finance business partners.
• Experience within public accounting and/or a large, complex corporate accounting environment.

Responsibilities

• Own and support assigned areas of the monthly and quarterly close process.
• Prepare and review journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules.
• Analyze general ledger activity and investigate significant fluctuations, discrepancies, or unexpected results.
• Research complex accounting questions and document conclusions in clear technical accounting memos.
• Ensure assigned accounting areas are appropriately supported and aligned with U.S. GAAP.
• Maintain effective internal controls and support SOX compliance requirements.
• Perform variance analysis and communicate key financial drivers to accounting, finance, and business partners.
• Assist with forecasts, financial outlooks, and other forward-looking analyses for assigned areas.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to understand operational changes and their accounting or financial impact.
• Support internal and external audit requests.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen accounting processes, controls, reporting, and overall efficiency.
• Provide accounting guidance and support to less experienced team members as appropriate.

Skills

U.S. GAAP

SOX controls

Month-end close

Journal entries

Variance analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Financial analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Financial reporting systems

Job description

Position Overview

The Accounting Advisor will take ownership of key components of the monthly close while also serving as a resource for more complex accounting matters. This person should be comfortable moving beyond transaction processing to investigate unusual activity, research accounting treatment, understand the business drivers behind financial results, and communicate findings to both accounting and business partners.

Experience supporting employee benefits, retirement plans, insurance, self-insurance, claims, or related accounting areas would be particularly valuable, but is not required.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and support assigned areas of the monthly and quarterly close process
• Prepare and review journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules
• Analyze general ledger activity and investigate significant fluctuations, discrepancies, or unexpected results
• Research complex accounting questions and document conclusions in clear technical accounting memos
• Ensure assigned accounting areas are appropriately supported and aligned with U.S. GAAP
• Maintain effective internal controls and support SOX compliance requirements
• Perform variance analysis and communicate key financial drivers to accounting, finance, and business partners
• Assist with forecasts, financial outlooks, and other forward-looking analyses for assigned areas
• Partner with cross-functional teams to understand operational changes and their accounting or financial impact
• Support internal and external audit requests
• Identify opportunities to strengthen accounting processes, controls, reporting, and overall efficiency
• Provide accounting guidance and support to less experienced team members as appropriate

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related quantitative field
• Approximately 5+ years of progressive accounting and/or financial reporting experience
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP
• Hands-on general ledger and month-end close experience
• Experience preparing journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations
• Ability to research accounting issues and document conclusions
• Experience operating within a SOX/internal controls environment
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to identify and explain financial variances
• Ability to work effectively with accounting, finance, and non-finance business partners
• Experience within public accounting and/or a large, complex corporate accounting environment

Preferred

• CPA or progress toward CPA certification
• Big 4 or other public accounting experience
• Experience with a large public company or similarly complex organization
• Accounting experience related to employee benefits, retirement plans, pensions, insurance, self-insurance, or claims
• Experience working with significant accounting estimates or judgmental accounting areas
• Data analytics experience
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with large ERP or financial reporting systems

Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate will likely be a Senior Accountant or Accounting Advisor-level professional who has developed a solid technical and operational accounting foundation and is ready to take on more complex ownership.

This role is particularly well suited for someone who:

• Can independently own meaningful portions of the close
• Understands both the mechanics of an accounting entry and the reasoning behind it
• Is comfortable researching GAAP and documenting an accounting position
• Can analyze results, identify unusual trends, and explain what is driving them
• Has worked in an environment with significant audit and control requirements
• Can balance technical accounting work with forecasting and financial analysis
• Enjoys working across departments rather than operating solely within accounting
• Has experience with benefits, retirement, insurance, or self-insurance accounting, although candidates with strong transferable corporate accounting experience will also be considered

Why Consider the Opportunity?

• Exposure to sophisticated accounting matters within a large corporate environment
• Broad responsibilities spanning close, technical accounting, reporting, forecasting, variance analysis, and controls
• Opportunity to work with accounting areas involving meaningful estimates and judgment
• Significant cross-functional interaction with Finance and operational teams
• Opportunity to lead process improvements and accounting initiatives

By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions.