Accounting Assistant

Michael Best; Waukesha (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Base Pay

Medical & Vision

401(k) with company match

Professional Growth

Job summary

Michael Best in Waukesha seeks an Accounting Assistant to support the Finance & Accounting department with vendor reconciliations, cash receipts, bank reconciliations, and invoice routing. You will enter transactions, assist AR and billing teams, and help with audits and special projects.

The role emphasizes cross-team collaboration, accuracy, and timely processing within a professional office environment at the Waukesha office.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; degree preferred.
• Associate or bachelor degree in accounting/finance preferred.
• Experience with vendor statement reconciliation and bank reconciliations is favorable.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Monitor accounting mailboxes and route invoices for approval.
• Assist with monthly bank reconciliations and bar dues renewals.
• Enter financial transactions into internal databases and expense systems.
• Process vendor statements and support client payment activity.
• Collaborate with billing, payroll, collections, and AR teams.

Skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Vendor & internal comms

Organizational skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Accounting databases

Expense management software

Credit card processing software

Job description

The Accounting Assistant is responsible for completing administrative and transactional accounting tasks for the Finance & Accounting Department, including vendor statement reconciliations, cash receipts, bank reconciliations, check processing, invoice routing, and payment support. Reporting to the Accounting Manager, this role supports accurate, timely, and service-oriented accounting operations by maintaining accounting inboxes, entering financial transactions, coordinating vendor and client payment activity, supporting audit requests, and collaborating with billing, payroll, collections, and accounts receivable teams in support of Finance & Accounting, Accounts Receivable, Billing, Payroll, Collections, vendors, clients, and all firm offices.

This role is based in the Waukesha office and supports Finance & Accounting administrative workflows, vendor statement reconciliations, monthly bank reconciliations, annual bar dues renewals, cash receipts, returned checks, unclaimed property research, audit requests, client payment links, invoice uploads, approval routing, deposits, check requests, and special projects.

Duties & Responsibilities

Leadership:

• No direct people leadership responsibilities are specified; however, the role coordinates accounting requests, payment support, vendor communications, and administrative accounting workflows across teams and offices.
• Support team priorities by monitoring accounting mailboxes, routing invoices, completing assigned requests, and escalating issues as needed.
• Provide reliable follow-through on accounting tasks, vendor requests, audit requests, deposits, and special projects.

Core Responsibilities:

• Monitor certain internal and external-facing accounting team mailboxes.
• Assist the team in performing monthly bank reconciliations.
• Assist with annual bar dues renewals.
• Enter financial transactions into internal databases.
• Research unclaimed property and returned checks.
• Perform vendor statement reconciliations and correspond with domestic and international vendors to facilitate payment.
• Process check requests for all 19 offices as needed.
• Assist the Accounts Receivable team with entering cash receipts.
• Send client payment links via credit card processing software.
• Upload invoices into expense management software and route invoices to ensure appropriate approval is obtained before payment is processed.
• Work collaboratively with the billing, payroll, and collections teams to meet internal and external client needs.
• Perform additional duties and special projects as needed.

Stakeholder Partnership:

• Partner with Finance & Accounting, Accounts Receivable, Billing, Payroll, Collections, vendors, clients, and office stakeholders to support accurate and timely accounting operations.
• Correspond professionally with domestic and international vendors to facilitate payment and resolve statement reconciliation needs.
• Collaborate with internal teams to support client payment activity, invoice approvals, cash receipts, and check processing.
• Communicate clearly regarding missing information, approval needs, returned checks, unclaimed property items, audit requests, and payment-related issues.
• Support internal and external client needs through responsive, accurate, and service-focused accounting assistance.

Programs/Initiatives:

• Support monthly bank reconciliation workflows.
• Support annual bar dues renewal processes.
• Support vendor statement reconciliation and payment facilitation processes.
• Support audit request completion, unclaimed property research, returned check review, and internal transaction entry processes.
• Support invoice upload, approval routing, check request, deposit, cash receipt, client payment link, and special project workflows.

Process, Tools, and Reporting:

• Use internal accounting databases to enter financial transactions accurately and timely.
• Use expense management software to upload invoices and route approvals before payment processing.
• Use credit card processing software to send client payment links.
• Maintain organized documentation related to vendor statements, bank reconciliations, audit requests, returned checks, unclaimed property, check requests, deposits, cash receipts, and invoice approvals.
• Follow established Finance & Accounting processes for mailbox monitoring, transaction entry, reconciliation support, payment routing, and interdepartmental coordination.

Continuous Improvement / Strategy:

• Identify opportunities to improve accounting mailbox workflows, vendor reconciliation tracking, invoice approval routing, transaction entry, and payment support processes.
• Use attention to detail, process discipline, and follow-through to support accurate accounting records and timely payment activity.
• Escalate issues when information is missing, approvals are delayed, vendor discrepancies arise, or payment timing may be affected.
• Support clean audit responses and organized accounting documentation through consistent recordkeeping.
• Contribute to efficient Finance & Accounting operations through collaboration, accuracy, and responsive internal client service.

Job Requirements:

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

Experience:

• Experience in accounting, finance, accounts payable, accounts receivable, administrative support, or related professional office work preferred.
• Experience with vendor statement reconciliation, cash receipts, bank reconciliations, check processing, invoice routing, deposits, or audit support preferred.
• Experience using accounting databases, expense management software, credit card processing software, Microsoft Office, or related financial systems preferred.
• Experience communicating with vendors, clients, and internal finance-related teams preferred.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when entering transactions, reconciling statements, routing invoices, and processing payment-related requests.
• Ability to manage multiple accounting tasks, deadlines, inboxes, and special projects with strong follow-through.
• Ability to communicate professionally with domestic and international vendors, clients, and internal stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to maintain accurate records, logs, approvals, and documentation.
• Ability to work collaboratively with billing, payroll, collections, accounts receivable, and Finance & Accounting team members.
• Ability to handle confidential financial, client, vendor, and firm information with discretion and professionalism.
• Comfort using internal databases, Microsoft Office, expense management software, credit card processing tools, and other accounting systems.
• Required: Use approved AI-enabled tools responsibly and effectively to improve quality, efficiency, and decision-making, consistent with organizational policies, confidentiality, and applicable laws.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Accounts payable, cash receipt, deposit, check processing, and accounting support transactions are completed accurately and within established deadlines.
• Vendor statements, reconciliations, invoice documentation, and accounting records are maintained with a high level of accuracy and completeness.
• Internal and external inquiries from vendors, clients, and firm personnel are responded to, routed, or resolved within agreed service expectations.
• Monthly reconciliation support, audit requests, transaction entries, and financial reporting assistance are completed in a timely manner and with minimal corrections required.
• Payment processing, invoice approvals, deposit activities, and related accounting workflows comply with firm procedures and established controls.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

This position is primarily performed in a professional office environment, with occasional work at client sites. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands:

• Sedentary work with prolonged computer, email, database, spreadsheet, accounting system, invoice, and document review.
• Frequent keyboard/mouse use, data entry, transaction review, invoice routing, reconciliation support, and email communication.
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, reaching, and handling/transport of files, checks, deposits, documents, or office materials; lifting/carrying 0–10 lbs, up to 10–25 lbs as applicable.

Travel / Client Site Visits:

• This position is based in the Waukesha office.
• No regular travel required unless business needs require occasional local travel for bank deposits, meetings, training, or firm initiatives.

Communication:

• Ability to read and review vendor statements, invoices, check requests, approval records, audit requests, bank reconciliation materials, returned check information, unclaimed property research, cash receipt documentation, client payment information, and accounting records in paper and electronic formats.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, verbally and in writing, with Finance & Accounting, Accounts Receivable, Billing, Payroll, Collections, vendors, clients, and office stakeholders.
• Ability to participate in meetings, training, vendor communications, internal discussions, and workflow coordination in person, by phone, and by video conference.
• Primarily indoors in a professional office environment with typical office noise levels.
• Work may involve high-volume email, accounting systems, vendor communications, payment records, invoice routing, and internal team coordination.
• Occasional work at banks, client sites, or firm offices may occur as applicable.

Scheduling:

• Standard business hours.
• Overtime and/or evening/weekend work may be required as needed to support month‑end activities, audit requests, vendor payment timing, deposits, check processing, or urgent Finance & Accounting needs.

Core Competencies

• Client Value
• Integrity
• Access & Engagement
• Community

The Company

This is an opportunity to work with the Best. We are Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP. We are a full-service law firm with more than 350 lawyers and technical professionals who work in collaborative, interdisciplinary practices to serve clients around the world.

We work with companies in all kinds of industries, as well as trade associations, nonprofits, educational institutions, governments, family trusts, and high-net‑worth individuals. Since our firm’s founding in 1848, we’ve continuously evolved to meet our clients’ changing needs and expectations. One thing remains the same: For generations, clients have relied on Michael Best for exceptional legal service and business acumen.

The Location

We have offices in Wisconsin (Green Bay, Milwaukee, Madison, Waukesha); Illinois (Chicago); Utah (Salt Lake City); Colorado (Denver, Broomfield); Texas (Austin); North Carolina (Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington); California (Los Angeles); Nebraska (Lincoln) and Washington DC. Our contemporary office spaces are ideal for concentration and collaboration; supporting our culture of working together to make great things happen for our clients. This position is located in our Waukesha Office.

Why You Should Apply

At Michael Best, we are proud to offer a comprehensive and competitive Total Rewards package that provides a variety of resources designed to enhance its employees’ overall well‑being, both at work and at home. Competitive base pay, outstanding benefits, opportunities for learning and growth, all programs designed to help you plan for the future, and perks that inspire your downtime are all part of our total compensation package.

Learning and Growth

• Challenging and Dynamic Role
• Professional Growth Opportunities
• Performance Management and Coaching
• Specialized Training Programs
• Medical
• Vision CareHealth Savings Accounts
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Wellness Program
• Employee and Family Assistance Program

Total Compensation

• Competitive Base Pay
• Annual Merit Review/Incentive Pay

Planning for the Future

• 401(k) with Company Contribution
• Short Term Disability Plan
• Long Term Disability Plan
• Life Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Parental/Family Leave

Culture and Workplace

• Respected organization with Collaborative Culture
• Growing Firm with an Exciting Future
• Contemporary Work Environment
• Positive and Respectful Work Climate
• Performance Recognition

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Michael Best Strategies LLC, and Michael Best Consulting LLC (collectively known as "Michael Best") are steadfastly committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination based upon age, race, religion, color, disability, marital status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

• If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact our Recruiting team at 414.225.4999 or [e-mail] to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.