Accounting + Advisory Services Senior Accountant

Smith & Howard; Chattanooga (TN); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Excellent training opportunities

Great benefits

Job summary

Smith + Howard, a Southeast accounting and advisory firm, is seeking an Accounting + Advisory Services Senior Accountant for our Chattanooga office in a hybrid role. You will lead controllership tasks for a diverse client portfolio, ensuring accurate month-end closes and robust reporting.

You will apply full-cycle accounting knowledge, GAAP, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver high-quality financial statements, process improvements, and client service excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance is required.
• CPA license or active pursuit with a defined path is preferred.
• 2–4 years of progressive accounting experience including at least 2 in public accounting or outsourced client services.
• Solid understanding of full-cycle accounting and GAAP.
• Excellent judgment and communication skills—know when to dig into details and when to see the big picture.
• Comfortable working in different client environments and accounting platforms.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and adapt to shifting priorities with professionalism.
• Hybrid working arrangement out of Chattanooga office.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a controllership resource, guiding clients through monthly and year-end closes, complex reconciliations, accrual adjustments, and more.
• Prepare financial statements including Balance Sheets, Income Statements, and Statements of Cash Flows.
• Triage and resolve accounting errors creatively—prioritizing materiality, impact, and client experience.
• Analyze financial data to identify trends, variances, and opportunities for improved reporting.
• Coach and support client personnel and junior team members in applying accounting principles and using accounting systems effectively.
• Work across accounting platforms, including QBO, Xero, NetSuite, Intacct, Acumatica, and AppFolio—and adapt quickly to new tools and workflows.
• Use CaseWare Working Papers to maintain clear documentation of trial balances, adjusting entries, and balance sheet support.
• Contribute to process improvement internally and with clients, helping streamline operations and improve reporting accuracy.
• Review 1099s, W-2s, 941s, 940s, and other required federal/state payroll forms.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Communication skills

Multitasking / project management

Public accounting experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

QBO

Xero

NetSuite

Intacct

Acumatica

AppFolio

CaseWare Working Papers

Job description

Accounting + Advisory Services Senior Accountant
Do you want a careerwithout limits? Do you want to shape your own future and be surrounded by people who listen? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you at Smith + Howard.

Smith + Howard is a family of companies that offers tax, audit, accounting and advisory and wealth management services. We are headquartered in Atlanta with offices across the Southeast, while still offering a local firm flavor.

We offer competitive pay, excellent training opportunities and great benefits. You can help influence our culture and have the support and dedication from our leaders to help you achieve your career goals. Smith + Howard provides a great opportunity for professional growth and advancement within one of Atlanta’s top accounting Firms.

If you are ready to make a career move and join a firm consistently named an “AJC Top Work Place” and a “Best of the Best Firms” (Inside Public Accounting), we invite you to complete our employment application.

Summary

Our Accounting + Advisory Services – Controllership Team works across a diverse portfolio of small to mid-market clients spanning industries, geographies, and needs. We provide everything from year-end write-up work and monthly accrual conversions to full outsourced controllership, AP oversight, payroll compliance support, and internal or compiled financial reporting.

This isn’t just accounting—it’s partnering with clients to understand their operations, identify financial issues, and apply practical judgment. Our team relies on full-spectrum accounting knowledge and strong critical thinking to untangle issues, correct errors efficiently, and build meaningful financial reports.

Essential Functions

• Serve as a controllership resource, guiding clients through monthly and year-end closes, complex reconciliations, accrual adjustments, and more.
• Prepare financial statements including Balance Sheets, Income Statements, and Statements of Cash Flows.
• Triage and resolve accounting errors creatively—prioritizing materiality, impact, and client experience.
• Analyze financial data to identify trends, variances, and opportunities for improved reporting.
• Coach and support client personnel and junior team members in applying accounting principles and using accounting systems effectively.
• Work across accounting platforms, including QBO, Xero, NetSuite, Intacct, Acumatica, and AppFolio—and adapt quickly to new tools and workflows.
• Use CaseWare Working Papers to maintain clear documentation of trial balances, adjusting entries, and balance sheet support.
• Contribute to process improvement internally and with clients, helping streamline operations and improve reporting accuracy.
• Review 1099s, W-2s, 941s, 940s, and other required federal/state payroll forms.

PositionRequirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance (required)
• CPA license or active pursuit with a defined path (preferred)
• 2–4 years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 2 in public accounting or outsourced client services
• Solid understanding of full-cycle accounting and strong working knowledge of GAAP
• Excellent judgment and communication skills—you know when to dig into details and when to step back for the big picture
• Comfortable working in different client environments and accounting platforms
• Ability to manage multiple projects and adapt to shifting priorities with professionalis
• Comfortable working hybrid out of our Chattanooga office