Job Role Description

Payroll > Staff Accountant

Salary National Average

Low Medium High
66960.0000 74700.0000 83540.0000

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Candidate Supply: 44,300 Job Openings: 9,480

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Short Description:

A Staff Accountant is responsible for managing financial records, preparing and analyzing financial statements, and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations. They play a crucial role in budgeting, forecasting, and identifying cost-saving opportunities for an organization. Additionally, Staff Accountants collaborate with internal teams and external auditors to provide accurate and timely financial information, contributing to informed decision-making by stakeholders. Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and proficiency in accounting software are essential qualities for success in this role.

Duties / Responsibilities:

  • Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
  • Report to management regarding the finances of the establishment.
  • Establish tables of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.
  • Develop, implement, modify, and document recordkeeping and accounting systems using current computer technology.
  • Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.
  • Maintain or examine the records of government agencies.
  • Advise clients in compensation, employee health care benefits, accounting or data processing systems design, or long-range tax or estate plans.
  • Develop, maintain, and analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports comparing budgeted costs to actual ones.
  • Provide internal and external auditing services for businesses or individuals.
  • Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.

Skills / Requirements / Qualifications

  • Economics and Accounting: Knowledge of accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of office and accounting software.
  • Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. Including customer needs assessment, meeting service quality standards, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Job Zones

  • Title: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
  • Education: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. 
  • Related Experience: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. 
  • Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
  • Job Zone Examples: Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. 
  • Specific Vocational Preparation in years: 2-4 years preparation (7.0 to < 8.0)

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