Staff Accountant

TS3 Architects PC; Virginia Beach (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A purpose-driven architecture firm in Virginia Beach seeks a Staff Accountant to maintain financial integrity and provide strategic insights. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in accounting, including proficiency in QuickBooks Online and a solid understanding of GAAP. You will manage daily operations while supporting cash flow management and evolving into a senior financial leadership role. The firm values precision and strategic thinking beyond typical compliance roles.

Qualifications

• Proficient in QuickBooks Online with GAAP understanding.
• Ability to contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and strategic decisions.
• Experience with profit-first methodology and cash management.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily accounting operations including AP/AR and general ledger.
• Maintain and optimize cash management systems.
• Create annual budgets aligned with Profit First principles.

Skills

QuickBooks Online proficiency

Attention to detail

Strategic thinking

Strong communication skills

Entrepreneurial spirit

Sound business judgment

Education

5+ years of accounting experience

Job description

IMPORTANT: This Might Not Be a Fit For You If…

• You thrive on chaos and last-minute scrambles rather than systematic processes.
• You prefer transactional accounting with no expectation of strategic thinking.
• You’re uncomfortable making judgment calls based on business context.
• You avoid executive conversations or presenting financial insights.
• You dislike dashboards, interpreting trends, or explaining what the numbers mean.
• You’re skeptical of proactive cash management systems like Profit First and prefer traditional “bank balance accounting.”
• You want to “just do the books” without influencing how the business moves forward.

We’re hiring a Staff Accountant and if you’re ready to think strategically beyond the numbers and want to work where both financial rigor AND entrepreneurial judgment are valued, you’ll feel at home here.

This Role is Perfect for You If…

You’re a disciplined accounting professional who values precision and understands that real business success requires interpretation, judgment, and the ability to translate financial data into actionable insight. You’re tired of:

• Cleaning up chaos caused by poor systems and unclear leadership
• Being treated as a compliance clerk instead of a financial partner
• Preparing reports that no one uses to make decisions
• Following accounting rules blindly when they don’t serve business reality
• Being excluded from budgeting, forecasting, and strategic conversations
• Working in firms where “bank balance accounting” drives decisions instead of intentional cash management

What You Want:

You’re not just looking for another accounting job. You want a role where your experience, judgment, and strategic thinking are fully utilized, where your work actually influences decisions. Specifically:

• Maintain clean books and contribute strategic financial thinking
• Exercise business judgment, not blindly apply textbook procedures
• Work with documented procedures you can adapt and improve
• Be treated as a financial business partner, not a compliance clerk
• Work in a firm that prioritizes profit and cash flow management, not just revenue
• Contribute to budgets, forecasts, succession planning, and strategic decisions
• Grow into senior financial leadership with clear path and genuine respect

Who We Need:

5+ years of accounting experience with full responsibility for AP/AR, general ledger, and financial reporting in professional services or small business.

QuickBooks Online proficiency and solid GAAP understanding, and you know when to apply rules strictly vs. when business context matters more.

Experience with or openness to Profit First methodology by Mike Michalowicz, managing multiple bank accounts, allocation percentages, and intentional cash management systems.

Meticulous attention to detail paired with strategic thinking, you see the forest and the trees.

Strong communication skills to present financial information clearly to staff and leadership, translating complex accounting into business insights.

Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to operate in the gray areas between “perfectly by the book” and “what actually makes sense for a 15‑person architecture firm.”

Sound business judgment to distinguish “this violates GAAP” from “this is unconventional but perfectly appropriate for our situation”

What You’ll Do:

Daily Accounting Operations:

Manage accounts payable/receivable, general ledger entries, bank reconciliations, and monthly close in QuickBooks Online. Deliver timely financial reports to leadership by the 10th and 25th of each month. Maintain organized financial records and collaborate with our CPA firm for year‑end processes and tax preparation.

Cash Management & Profit First Implementation:

Maintain and optimize our Profit First cash management system including multiple bank accounts, allocation percentages (profit, owner’s pay, tax, operating expenses), and regular rhythmic transfers. Monitor cash flow proactively to ensure we’re taking profit first, not hoping for it at the end. Provide real‑time visibility into financial health beyond just bank balances, showing what’s actually available vs. allocated. Help leadership make decisions based on intentional cash allocation, not reactive “checking the bank account” thinking.

Strategic Financial Leadership:

Create and maintain annual budgets aligned with Profit First principles. Prepare quarterly financial presentations for staff. Update financial dashboards for leadership visibility. Collaborate with the Chief of Staff on developing financial reporting standards and procedures. Support succession planning and company valuation initiatives. Translate accounting data into business insights that drive smart decisions.

The Bottom Line: This role demands precision, strategic thinking, and pragmatic problem‑solving. You don’t just record transactions; you maintain financial integrity that enables smart business decisions. You’ll be supported by documented procedures (that you can improve), organized records, and leadership that respects both financial discipline and creative solutions.

This position is designed to grow with our firm. As we expand, this role has clear potential to evolve into senior financial leadership, Controller or Director of Finance. You’ll work directly with firm leadership where your expertise is valued, your strategic thinking drives impact, and your role evolves with the organization. You won’t be blamed for reporting issues, you’ll be respected for maintaining financial clarity and providing business insights that help us make better decisions. If you’re seeking a long‑term home where both precision and pragmatic thinking are foundational, this is it.

What Makes TS3 Different:

• You won’t clean up financial messes or chase missing information.
• You won’t be treated as a rules‑enforcer or number‑cruncher.
• We follow Profit First methodology, prioritizing profit and intentional cash management, not reactive “bank balance accounting.”
• Leadership values both precision and strategic thinking beyond the textbook.
• You’ll contribute to budgets, dashboards, strategic planning, and succession, not just month‑end close.
• You’ll be treated as the financial business partner you are.
• You’ll exercise business judgment daily, not follow procedures blindly.

About TS3 Architects:

We’re a purpose‑driven architecture and interior design firm known for award‑winning work across multifamily, mixed‑use, and commercial sectors. Our purpose is to Develop a Quality of Life —for our clients, our community, and our team.

Our values of Leadership, Integrity, Collaboration, and Vision shape everything we build. We care deeply about doing excellent work and building a culture of trust, clarity, and continuous improvement. That extends to how we manage our financials, with discipline, respect for process, appreciation for strategic thinking, and genuine value for someone who brings both technical excellence and business acumen.