Staff Accountant

Instant Alliance, LLC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Instant Alliance, LLC is seeking a Staff Accountant to support the daily accounting and financial operations of a multi-entity shared-services organization, serving a diversified portfolio of businesses, including SaaS and technology consulting firms.

The role reports to the Controller, handling AP, AR, month-end close, and financial reporting across several entities while ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and timely delivery of financial information.

Qualifications

• Working knowledge of AP, AR, GL accounting, and month-end close.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational ability, analytical judgment, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities across multiple businesses and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and the ability to learn new accounting and operational systems.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Manage vendor setup, invoices, approvals, and payments.
• Maintain client records, invoice processing, and collections.
• Assist with month-end close and financial reporting across multiple entities.
• Prepare journal entries and reconciliations; review the general ledger for accuracy.
• Monitor the accounting inbox and route requests; post and reconcile monthly card activity.
• Coordinate entity registrations, renewals, and regulatory documentation.
• Support internal controls and process improvements across the shared-services organization.

Skills

Accounts payable

Accounts receivable

General-ledger accounting

Month-end close

Microsoft Excel

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Analytical judgment

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

Applicant Tracking Systems

Payroll systems

Factoring platforms

Job description

Position Overview

The Staff Accountant will support the daily accounting and financial operations of a shared-services organization serving a diversified portfolio of businesses. The portfolio includes family-office initiatives, software-as-a-service companies serving clients across multiple industries, technology consulting firms, and other professional-services organizations.

Reporting to the Controller, this hands-on role will manage accounts payable and accounts receivable, assist with month-end close and financial reporting, maintain accurate records across multiple entities, and coordinate business-compliance and legal-administrative matters that intersect with accounting. The position requires someone who can meet deadlines, exercise sound judgment, protect confidential information, and take ownership of work from initial request through completion.

Strategic Priorities and Core Responsibilities

A) Accounts Payable and Vendor Administration

• Manage vendor setup and maintain complete, current vendor records.
• Post vendor invoices, verify required approvals, and code expenses to the appropriate general-ledger accounts.
• Compare invoices with contracts, research discrepancies, communicate with vendors, and issue payments accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain supporting documentation and an organized audit trail for all disbursements.

B) Accounts Receivable and Collections

• Establish and maintain client records; prepare, post, and distribute invoices.
• Respond to client inquiries and follow up consistently on past-due balances.
• Apply and reconcile client payments and investigate payment discrepancies.
• Deposit physical checks received in the office and maintain complete deposit documentation.

C) Month-End Close and Financial Reporting

• Assist with month-end close across multiple companies and legal entities.
• Prepare journal entries and balance-sheet reconciliations; review the general ledger for completeness and accuracy.
• Reconcile revenue, cost-of-services, and related accounts and review key financial and operating metrics.
• Support financial statements, management reports, commission reports, and other recurring schedules.
• Maintain applicant tracking system activity and other operating-system data used for financial reporting.

D) Daily Accounting Administration

• Monitor the accounting email inbox daily and ensure requests are handled or routed promptly.
• Review incoming mail and direct accounting, compliance, and legal-administrative items appropriately.
• Post and reconcile monthly credit-card activity and work with team members to obtain accurate coding and supporting documentation.
• Process employee expense reimbursements in accordance with company policy.

E) Shared Services, Entity Compliance, and Special Matters

• Coordinate with clients, vendors, financial institutions, factoring partners, payroll providers, accountants, attorneys, and government agencies.
• Assist with entity registrations, renewals, withdrawals, account closures, and related state or regulatory documentation.
• Provide accounting records and administrative support for bankruptcy, litigation, claims, or other matters involving outside counsel, without providing legal advice.
• Handle sensitive business and family-office information with discretion and confidentiality.

F) Systems, Processes, and Internal Controls

• Research and help implement technology that improves efficiency, accuracy, and visibility across the shared-services organization.
• Document accounting processes, procedures, and policies and help strengthen internal controls.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and assist with implementation across supported businesses.
• Cross-train with payroll, provide backup support as needed, and complete additional projects assigned by the Controller.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This is not a narrowly defined AP/AR processing position. It is a broad staff-accounting role for someone who can reliably manage recurring accounting work while learning the operational, compliance, and administrative requirements of several businesses. The ideal candidate is comfortable working in an entrepreneurial environment where priorities may shift and responsibilities frequently cross functional lines.

The Right Candidate Will Be

• Meticulous, organized, and consistent in maintaining financial records and supporting documentation.
• Proactive and willing to investigate issues, ask thoughtful questions, and recommend solutions.
• Accountable for deadlines and able to follow work through to completion with limited supervision.
• Comfortable balancing routine accounting responsibilities with time-sensitive projects and unfamiliar requests.
• Professional and effective when communicating with internal teams, clients, vendors, advisors, and outside counsel.
• Discreet and trustworthy when handling confidential company, employee, client, and family-office information.

Required and Preferred Qualifications

Required

• Working knowledge of accounts payable, accounts receivable, general-ledger accounting, and month-end close.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational ability, analytical judgment, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize competing responsibilities and meet deadlines across multiple businesses.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and the ability to learn new accounting and operational systems.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Two or more years of relevant accounting experience.
• Experience supporting multiple entities, a shared-services organization, SaaS companies, consulting firms, professional-services businesses, or a family office.
• Experience with applicant tracking systems, payroll coordination, commission reporting, factoring arrangements, or entity-compliance administration.

Key Performance Indicators and Success Measures

• Accurate and timely completion of accounts payable, billing, cash application, and collection activities.
• Consistent achievement of month-end close deadlines and completion of assigned reconciliations.
• Accuracy and completeness of general-ledger coding, supporting schedules, and financial-system data.
• Improvement in accounts-receivable aging and timely resolution of client and vendor discrepancies.
• Responsiveness and reliability in managing the accounting inbox, mail, and cross-entity requests.
• Quality and accessibility of electronic records, process documentation, and audit support.
• Demonstrated process improvements, stronger internal controls, and increased operating capacity for the Controller.