Client Accounting & Advisory Services Associate

Ascend; Kirkland (WA); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) plan with employer match

PTO and paid holidays

Job summary

Ascend is seeking a Client Accounting & Advisory Services Associate in Kirkland, WA to manage day-to-day client accounting, payroll, reconciliations, payables, and reporting, while providing financial insights and advisory support.

You will collaborate with senior staff and report to the Director of Client Accounting & Advisory Services in a hybrid in-office role. A BA/BS in accounting and 2+ years in public or corporate accounting are required, with strong QuickBooks Online and Excel skills.

Qualifications

• BA/BS in accounting or related field.
• 2+ years of public accounting and/or corporate accounting.
• Strong understanding of accounting principles.
• Proficiency in managing large data sets and financial statements.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end client accounting processes including payables in Bill.com and reconciliations.
• Perform payroll processing with Gusto and payroll tax reporting.
• Prepare state and city excise tax filings.
• Collaborate with senior team members to deliver high-quality accounting and advisory guidance.

Skills

QuickBooks Online

Excel

Communication

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Education

BA/BS in accounting or related field

Tools

Bill.com

Gusto

Slack

Monday.com

Job description

About Sweeney Conrad

At Sweeney Conrad, our foundation of “people first” begins with our employees—because we know the success of our firm stems from the relationships within it. We consider our employees family and foster a positive work culture, encouraging a healthy balance between work and life; building a career over having a job; continuing education and skill development; and being actively involved in the Puget Sound community where we live, work, and play.

Who We Are

At Sweeney Conrad, our foundation of “people first” begins with our employees—because we know the success of our firm stems from the relationships within it. We consider our employees family and foster a positive work culture, encouraging a healthy balance between work and life; building a career over having a job; continuing education and skill development; and being actively involved in the Puget Sound community where we live, work, and play.

We’re proud of our employees and our culture and have been recognized by Accounting Today as one of the “Best Accounting Firms to Work For” and by Puget Sound Business Journal as one of “Washington’s Best Workplaces”. For more information, visit www.sweeneyconrad.com.

About Ascend

Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a dynamic platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a Top 25 firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition and training, leading quality management resources, best-of-breed technology, AI tools, an offshore captive, shared back-office services, a catalytic leadership system, and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.ascendtogether.com.

Client Accounting & Advisory Services Associate

This position is part of our Client Accounting & Advisory Services group, which provides outsourced accounting services for small and lower-middle market businesses. The team focuses on professional services, including engineering, architecture, construction, dental and medical offices, law firms, tech companies, veterinary clinics, and other service‑based businesses. This is a full‑time hourly role, with overtime generally limited to the month of January. The Client Accounting & Advisory Services Associate manages day‑to‑day client accounting, including end to end accounting, payroll, reconciliations, payables and sate reporting needs, while ensuring accuracy and compliance. They provide financial insights and advisory support, help improve client processes, and serve as a key point of contact. The role also involves collaborating with senior team members to deliver high‑quality accounting and strategic guidance. Curiosity, humility, and honor form the foundation of our department and shape how we ask thoughtful questions, admit when we’re wrong, and take ownership of our mistakes to live the fix. This position reports directly to the Director of Client Accounting & Advisory Services and is based in Kirkland, Washington, with a hybrid in‐office work schedule.

Specific Duties Will Include

• Own end-to-end accounting processes, including payables in Bill.com, account reconciliations, and bank feed monitoring in QuickBooks Online (QBO)
• Perform payroll processing and administration using Gusto, including quarterly and annual payroll tax reporting.
• Prepare and complete state and city excise tax filings
• Anticipate client needs and respond timely and professionally to client emails/calls
• Perform other duties as assigned by the department managers

The successful candidate will have

• BA/BS in accounting or related field
• 2+ years of experience in public accounting and/or corporate accounting
• Deep understanding of accounting principles
• Proficient in managing extensive sets of data with ease
• Proficiency in critically assessing and analyzing financial statements
• Strong skills using QuickBooks Online (QBO), Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Ability to learn various software applications
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Detail-oriented, organized and able to handle multiple tasks at once
• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple tasks and in organizing and prioritizing work assignments and ongoing duties
• Ability to communicate effectively and timely in writing and verbally with colleagues, clients, and other external partners
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse team environment

While not required, the following skills would be considered an asset

• CPA designation
• Experience using Bill.com
• Experience using Gusto for payroll processing
• Familiarity with Slack and Monday.com

Benefits

The pay range for this role is $35.00 - $44.00 per hour. This range includes the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on various factors, including experience, education, and/or skill level.

For employees working 30 or more hours per week, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as dependent coverage; Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts; and employer‑paid life and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan with employer match. We also provide flexible time off (PTO) and 12 paid holidays

At Ascend, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Ascend hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.