Finance Manager

Westwise Group; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Westwise Group in Los Angeles, CA, seeks a Finance Manager who serves as the CFO’s right hand, leading the finance and bookkeeping functions, owning cash-flow forecasting, accounts payable, and the month-end close. The role involves strengthening controls and delivering timely reporting to the CFO.

You will partner with the COO and Senior Director of Operations on payroll, weekly client invoicing, and external CPA liaison in a hands-on, growth-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or related field.
• 5+ years progressive accounting/finance experience; 2+ years supervising or reviewing others' work.
• Hands-on experience running or supporting a month-end close and GAAP financial statements.
• Experience with cash flow forecasting, AR/AP management and payroll processes.
• Advanced Excel skills (lookups, pivot tables, modeling).
• Experience with Zoho Books, QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite or Sage Intacct.

Responsibilities

• Lead the bookkeeper; supervise, train and review work quality and deadlines.
• Own the general ledger, chart of accounts, and day-to-day transaction accuracy.
• Document and improve finance processes, internal controls and approval workflows.
• Coordinate month-end close with bookkeeper; deliver monthly package to CFO.
• Build 13-week cash flow forecast and longer-range monthly forecast.
• Oversee AR including invoicing, aging, collections, and DSO reporting.
• Own AP process: vendor setup, invoices, payments, and year-end 1099s.
• Oversee payroll in collaboration with COO and Operations leadership.
• Collaborate with outside CPA on tax filings, compliance, and audits.
• Support budgeting, pricing, headcount planning, and strategic projects.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Attention to detail

Clear communication

Discretion with confidential info

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance

Tools

Zoho Books

QuickBooks Online

Xero

NetSuite

Sage Intacct

Job description

The Finance Manager is the CFO's second-in-command, running day-to-day finance and accounting so the CFO can focus on strategy. You will lead the bookkeeper, own cash flow forecasting and AP, support the month-end close and payroll, and deliver monthly reporting to the CFO.

You will partner with the COO and Senior Director of Operations on payroll, weekly client invoicing and compliance, and serve as the main day-to-day contact for our outside CPA. This is a hands-on role in a fast growing company suited for someone who enjoys both doing the work and improving how it gets done.

Key responsibilities

Team leadership and accounting operations

• Supervise, train and review the work of the bookkeeper; set priorities and deadlines
• Oversee the general ledger, chart of accounts and accuracy of day-to-day transaction recording
• Document and improve finance processes, policies and internal controls, including approval workflows and segregation of duties

Month-end close and reporting

• Work with the bookkeeper to complete the month-end close on a set calendar (target: within 10 business days)
• Review account reconciliations, accruals, prepaid and deferred items, and journal entries
• Prepare the monthly financial package for the CFO: P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, budget-vs-actual variances and key metrics
• Support the annual budget and periodic reforecasts

Cash management and forecasting

• Build and maintain a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast and a longer-range monthly forecast
• Monitor daily cash positions, bank activity and the line of credit, if any
• Flag cash risks and timing issues to the CFO early

Accounts receivable and client invoicing

• Partner with the COO and Senior Director of Operations to produce accurate weekly client invoices
• Oversee AR: payment application, aging, collections follow-up and resolution of billing disputes
• Report on DSO, aging and at-risk accounts

Accounts payable

• Own the AP process: vendor setup, invoice review and approval routing, and scheduled payment runs
• Maintain vendor records and W-9s; prepare 1099s at year end
• Manage company credit cards and expense reimbursement review

Payroll

• Assist with payroll oversight alongside the COO and Senior Director of Operations
• Review payroll registers before approval and reconcile payroll to the general ledger
• Coordinate with the payroll provider on taxes, benefit deductions and changes

Tax, compliance and audit

• Serve as the day-to-day contact for the outside CPA; prepare schedules and support for tax filings
• Track and help manage sales/use tax, payroll tax, business licenses, insurance renewals and other compliance deadlines
• Work with the COO and Senior Director of Operations on operational and regulatory compliance issues
• Prepare for any CPA review, audit or lender reporting

Strategic support

• Analyze client, project and service-line profitability
• Support pricing, headcount planning and special projects as directed by the CFO

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or a related field
• 5+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience, including at least 2 years supervising or reviewing others' work
• Hands‑on experience running or supporting a month‑end close and preparing financial statements under GAAP
• Experience with cash flow forecasting, AR/AP management and payroll processes
• Advanced Excel skills (lookups, pivot tables, modeling)
• Experience with accounting software such as Zoho Books, QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite or Sage Intacct

Preferred

• CPA, or progress toward one
• Experience in a professional services or agency environment with client billing
• Experience at a company of roughly $20M–$100M in revenue
• Familiarity with payroll platforms (e.g., Justworks, ADP, Paylocity, Gusto) and expense tools (e.g., Expensify, Ramp, Bill)
• Familiarity with Zoho CRM
• Experience working directly with outside CPAs on tax returns and reviews or audits

Skills and attributes

• Detail-oriented and accurate, with sound judgment on what matters most
• Clear communicator who can explain numbers to non-finance leaders
• Comfortable being both the hands‑on doer and the reviewer
• Discreet with confidential compensation and company financial information
• Builds processes and drives improvement rather than just maintaining the status quo

What success looks like in the first year

• Month-end close completed reliably on a set calendar, with a monthly package delivered to the CFO
• A rolling 13-week cash forecast in place and trusted
• Weekly client invoicing running on time with improving AR aging and DSO
• AP and payroll reviews documented with clear controls
• The CFO spending substantially less time on transactional finance work

Compensation and benefits