• Oversee day-to-day accounting activities, ensuring financial records remain accurate.
• Prepare and interpret financial statements and management reports.
• Lead month-end and year-end close procedures.
• Verify adherence to accounting standards, tax laws, and internal policies.
• Design and enforce internal controls to detect and prevent errors or fraud.
• Supervise, train, and support accounting team members.
• Coordinate audits and liaise with external auditors when required.
• Direct accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger functions.
• Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and broader financial planning efforts.
• Pinpoint and implement process improvements to boost efficiency and reporting precision.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related discipline.
• CPA or CA certification preferred.
• Demonstrated track record in accounting, financial management, or equivalent roles.
• Thorough understanding of accounting principles, tax law, and financial-reporting standards.
• Proficient with accounting software and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms.
• Outstanding analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proven leadership skills and experience managing teams.
• Able to juggle multiple priorities and consistently meet deadlines.
• Meticulous attention to detail and commitment to accurate financial reporting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

What Accounting Management Work Should Your New Hire Own?

An Accounting Manager overseeing the monthly close for a SaaS company has different responsibilities from someone supervising accounting operations for a financial consulting firm or managing the books of several business entities.

Some Accounting Managers specialize in general ledger operations and financial reporting, while others have stronger experience with multi-entity accounting, revenue recognition, internal controls, or managing accounting teams.

The right hire depends on the complexity of your financial operations, the accounting standards your company follows, and how much responsibility the manager will have for reviewing and approving financial information.

An experienced Accounting Manager may cover several of these functions, particularly in a growing company with a small finance team.

However, technical accounting experience and managerial experience should both match the responsibilities you're delegating.

For example, a venture-backed SaaS company may need someone familiar with ASC 606, deferred revenue, NetSuite, and monthly reporting to investors.

A professional services company may prioritize accrual accounting, project-related expenses, client profitability reporting, and QuickBooks Online.

Meanwhile, a financial consulting firm may need an Accounting Manager capable of reviewing several clients' books, supervising accountants, and delivering accurate financial reporting on different schedules.

Before hiring, define the systems the employee will use, the number of entities involved, the size of the accounting team, and which financial reports they'll be responsible for reviewing.

How Should a Remote Accounting Manager Fit Into Your Finance Team?

A remote Accounting Manager can oversee the monthly close, review accounting work, coordinate financial reporting, and lead accountants or bookkeepers while collaborating with your U.S.-based finance leadership.

The arrangement works best when your company establishes clear reporting responsibilities, review procedures, approval authority, and deadlines.

For example, an Accounting Manager may review all material reconciliations before the Controller approves the final financial reporting package.

In a smaller company without a Controller, the manager may report directly to the CFO and assume broader operational accounting responsibilities.

The appropriate structure depends on the size and complexity of your finance function.

Define Ownership of the Monthly Close

One of the most important responsibilities to establish is who owns the month-end close.

For example, imagine your company closes its books on the tenth business day of each month.

The accounting team completes bank reconciliations, reviews accounts payable, records accruals, reconciles payroll, and prepares financial statements.

However, several tasks depend on information from different departments, and nobody has clear responsibility for keeping the process on schedule.

An Accounting Manager should help organize that work into a documented close calendar.

The calendar should identify:

• Each close activity
• The employee responsible
• Required inputs
• Dependencies between tasks
• Preparation deadlines
• Review deadlines
• Approval requirements
• Supporting documentation
• Escalation procedures
• Final reporting deadlines

For example, accounts payable staff may need to complete invoice coding before the manager can review expense accruals.

The payroll team may need to provide approved payroll data before related journal entries can be finalized.

The Accounting Manager should coordinate those dependencies and ensure that unresolved items are identified early.

A well-managed close process produces reliable financial information on a predictable schedule, with evidence that important accounts have been reviewed.

Establish how completed work is documented and when the manager should escalate delays.

If a material reconciliation remains unresolved, the issue should be visible before financial statements are finalized.

Separate Preparation, Review, and Approval Responsibilities

As an accounting team grows, responsibilities that were previously handled by one person may need to be separated.

For example, a Staff Accountant may prepare journal entries and balance sheet reconciliations.

The Accounting Manager reviews the calculations, verifies supporting documentation, and checks whether the entries follow the company's accounting policies.

The Controller or another authorized finance leader may approve the final reporting package.

This structure creates accountability for different parts of the process.

Consider documenting responsibility for:

• Journal entry preparation
• Journal entry approval
• Bank reconciliations
• Balance sheet account reviews
• Expense accruals
• Revenue recognition schedules
• Intercompany reconciliations
• Accounts payable oversight
• Financial statement preparation
• Financial statement approval
• Audit documentation

For example, a Staff Accountant may prepare a monthly prepaid expense schedule.

The Accounting Manager reviews whether the expenses are being recognized in the appropriate periods and investigates unusual changes.

When the manager identifies an issue, the correction should follow the established accounting review and approval process.

In a small company, complete separation of duties may be difficult.

Your finance leadership should identify the most significant risks and establish appropriate compensating controls.

The Accounting Manager should understand which work they can approve and where independent review is required.

Establish a Financial Reporting Review Process

Financial statements are most useful when leadership can rely on the numbers and understand significant changes.

For example, your company may report a sharp increase in operating expenses.

The Accounting Manager should be able to investigate whether the change reflects actual business activity, a timing difference, a classification error, or another accounting issue.

Establish a monthly reporting process that includes:

• Reviewing the trial balance
• Completing balance sheet reconciliations
• Evaluating unusual account balances
• Investigating significant period-over-period changes
• Reviewing accruals and adjustments
• Confirming consistency with accounting policies
• Preparing income statements and balance sheets
• Reconciling relevant supporting schedules
• Documenting unresolved issues
• Preparing explanations for material variances

The materiality thresholds and reporting requirements should reflect the company's financial reporting needs.

For example, a $2,000 expense variance may deserve attention in a small startup while being immaterial to the monthly reporting of a much larger organization.

An Accounting Manager should understand how to apply the company's review standards.

They should also communicate important findings in language that finance leadership and other stakeholders can understand.

For instance, instead of simply reporting that accounts payable increased, the manager might explain that the balance reflects several large vendor invoices received near month-end.

The explanation should be supported by accounting records.

Strong financial reporting combines accurate numbers, documented review, and useful explanations of significant changes.

Coordinate Accounting Across Multiple Entities

Multi-entity accounting creates additional responsibilities that can significantly increase the complexity of an Accounting Manager's position.

For example, imagine your business has a U.S. parent company and operating subsidiaries in two other countries.

The entities may share services, transfer funds, or incur expenses on each other's behalf.

Your Accounting Manager may need to coordinate intercompany entries, reconciliations, and reporting.

Relevant responsibilities include:

• Maintaining entity-level close schedules
• Reviewing intercompany balances
• Coordinating intercompany settlements
• Identifying transactions requiring elimination
• Reviewing foreign currency accounting
• Maintaining consistent account mappings
• Coordinating accounting policies
• Preparing consolidation schedules
• Investigating differences between entities
• Working with local accounting teams

For example, one subsidiary may record an intercompany receivable while another records the corresponding payable.

Those balances should be reconciled and appropriately treated when preparing consolidated financial statements.

The Accounting Manager may oversee the process and escalate complex accounting questions to the Controller or technical accounting specialist.

For businesses operating internationally, local statutory accounting and tax requirements may differ from the reporting standards used by the U.S. parent company.

Your organization should establish who is responsible for local compliance and who reviews consolidation adjustments.

For multi-entity positions, evaluate hands-on consolidation and intercompany experience rather than relying on general accounting management experience alone.

Establish Internal Controls and Audit Preparation Standards

Accounting Managers frequently oversee processes that affect the reliability of financial information.

For example, a company may have several employees authorized to submit vendor invoices.

If supplier records can be changed without an appropriate review process, the business may face unnecessary payment and fraud risks.

The Accounting Manager should understand how to implement and monitor controls within their assigned responsibilities.

These may include:

• Journal entry approval requirements
• Segregation of duties
• Account reconciliation reviews
• Vendor master data controls
• Documented payment approval workflows
• Restricted system permissions
• Supporting documentation standards
• Exception reporting
• Periodic balance reviews
• Audit trails for financial changes

For example, the company may require independent verification of supplier bank account changes before approving a payment.

The Accounting Manager can help ensure that the accounting team follows the established control procedure.

For companies subject to formal internal control requirements, including applicable SOX obligations, the manager may also assist with documentation, testing, and remediation under the direction of the appropriate control owners.

Audit readiness is another important responsibility.

The manager may coordinate supporting schedules, respond to auditor requests, and ensure accounting records can be traced to appropriate evidence.

An organized audit request tracker can include the requested document, owner, deadline, review status, and outstanding questions.

The goal is to maintain reliable evidence and control execution throughout the year, making external reviews easier to manage.

Manage the Accounting Team and Review Work Quality

Hiring an Accounting Manager often changes how a company's accounting team operates.

For example, a CFO may currently review the work of several Staff Accountants and Bookkeepers.

As the business grows, this arrangement can consume increasing amounts of the CFO's time.

An Accounting Manager can take responsibility for coordinating daily accounting work and reviewing assigned deliverables.

Management responsibilities may include:

• Assigning close activities
• Reviewing account reconciliations
• Monitoring deadlines
• Coaching junior accountants
• Identifying training needs
• Maintaining accounting procedures
• Reviewing journal entry support
• Managing workload distribution
• Providing performance feedback
• Escalating recurring quality issues

For example, imagine a Staff Accountant repeatedly struggles to reconcile a clearing account.

The manager should investigate why the issue keeps occurring.

Possible causes include unclear procedures, incomplete transaction data, software configuration, or insufficient accounting knowledge.

The manager may need to improve the process, clarify expectations, or provide targeted coaching.

A strong Accounting Manager improves the team's output by developing repeatable review procedures and helping employees resolve the causes of recurring errors.

For remote teams, establish regular close meetings and a clear process for requesting help.

Shared working hours can make it easier to resolve questions with U.S.-based finance leaders before close deadlines.

Maintain Reliable Accounting Systems and Data

Accounting Managers often work across several financial systems.

For example, a growing SaaS company may use NetSuite for its general ledger, Stripe for payments, Ramp for expenses, and a separate subscription management platform.

Information moves between those systems through integrations, exports, and manual accounting procedures.

The manager should understand how transactions enter the general ledger and where errors can occur.

Relevant systems may include:

• QuickBooks Online
• NetSuite
• Sage Intacct
• Xero
• Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Oracle Financials
• Bill
• Ramp
• Stripe
• Gusto
• BlackLine
• FloQast
• Excel and Google Sheets

For example, your company may discover that certain corporate card transactions aren't appearing correctly in the expense ledger.

The Accounting Manager should understand how to investigate the issue, identify the affected period, coordinate with system owners, and ensure any corrections are appropriately reviewed.

For companies migrating from QuickBooks to NetSuite, the manager may support chart of accounts mapping, opening balance validation, process documentation, and testing.

Major system changes should follow the company's project governance and accounting approval procedures.

An Accounting Manager should also recognize when an issue requires assistance from IT, ERP implementation specialists, or technical accounting professionals.

Improve the Close Without Weakening Accounting Quality

As a company grows, month-end close processes may become slower and more complicated.

For example, a business may spend twelve business days closing its books because several reconciliations depend on manual spreadsheets and delayed department submissions.

An experienced Accounting Manager can investigate the workflow and identify opportunities for improvement.

They might review:

• Which tasks consistently finish late
• How long reconciliations take
• Whether supporting schedules are current
• Which transactions require manual intervention
• How journal entries are approved
• Where close information is stored
• Which tasks depend on other departments
• Whether automation is appropriately configured
• How accounting errors are identified and corrected

The manager may recommend moving certain reconciliations earlier, automating approved data imports, standardizing templates, or improving documentation.

For example, reviewing bank transactions throughout the month may reduce the workload required at month-end.

However, faster reporting should remain subject to appropriate accounting review.

The objective is a close process that is timely, accurate, well-documented, and sustainable as transaction volume grows.

Track both efficiency and quality when evaluating improvements.

A shorter close timeline provides limited value if it results in recurring adjustments or unresolved reconciliation differences.

Related Roles to Consider

Accounting management overlaps with financial control, bookkeeping, financial reporting, and broader finance leadership.

Depending on your company's existing team structure, another position may be a better fit or a useful addition.

• Financial Controller: Oversees accounting policies, financial reporting, audit readiness, internal controls, and the overall integrity of the accounting function.
• Accountant: Handles general accounting activities, journal entries, reconciliations, and preparation of financial information.
• Staff Accountant: Supports month-end close, account reconciliations, general ledger maintenance, and assigned financial reporting tasks.
• Accounting Associate: Assists with transaction processing, accounting records, reconciliations, and recurring accounting workflows.
• Bookkeeper: Maintains transaction records, bank reconciliations, and routine financial information for businesses with relatively straightforward accounting needs.
• Financial Analyst: Analyzes financial performance, prepares business insights, and supports forecasting and decision-making.
• Tax Accountant: Focuses on tax-related accounting, reporting, documentation, and compliance requirements within their areas of expertise.
• FP&A Manager: Leads financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis to support business decisions.

An Accounting Manager is generally the strongest fit when your business needs someone who can supervise the accounting team's work, own recurring close processes, and review the accuracy of financial reporting.

If your company needs broader oversight of accounting policy, audit relationships, and financial control, a Financial Controller may be more appropriate.

If the immediate challenge is completing journal entries and reconciliations, an experienced Staff Accountant may provide the capacity you need.

And if leadership primarily needs budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning, consider an FP&A Manager.

How to Evaluate Accounting Manager Candidates

Accounting Manager candidates may list U.S. GAAP, QuickBooks, NetSuite, month-end close, financial reporting, and team supervision on their résumés.

Those qualifications provide a starting point, but the strongest candidates should demonstrate how they review accounting work, identify financial reporting risks, lead close processes, and communicate accounting issues to management.

A practical assessment can help you evaluate those capabilities.

Use a Realistic Accounting Management Assessment

Consider giving shortlisted candidates the following scenario:

Your company is a growing U.S.-based B2B SaaS business with $8 million in annual revenue.

The accounting team includes two Staff Accountants and one Accounts Payable Specialist.

Your company uses NetSuite, Stripe, Ramp, and Excel.

The monthly close currently takes twelve business days. Leadership wants to evaluate whether the process can become more efficient.

The most recent close includes several outstanding issues:

• A bank reconciliation contains an unexplained $18,000 difference.
• A $24,000 annual software subscription was charged entirely to one month's expenses.
• A deferred revenue schedule doesn't reconcile with the general ledger.
• The accounts payable team received several material invoices after the close cutoff.
• A Staff Accountant has repeatedly submitted reconciliations without sufficient supporting documentation.
• The CFO needs a draft financial reporting package in four business days.

How would you prioritize these issues, organize the accounting team, and communicate the reporting risks?

Provide candidates with:

• A fictional trial balance
• Sample reconciliation schedules
• A simplified close calendar
• Several journal entries
• A deferred revenue rollforward
• A list of unresolved accounting items
• An accounting policy summary
• A sample financial reporting package

Ask candidates to prepare a short assessment of the existing process.

The exercise should evaluate their ability to identify accounting risks, determine which issues may affect the financial statements, assign responsibilities, and develop a realistic resolution plan.

A strong candidate should recognize that the unresolved bank reconciliation and deferred revenue difference require investigation.

They should also assess the treatment of the annual software subscription under the company's accounting policies and evaluate whether material late invoices require accruals.

The candidate should explain how they'd communicate unresolved issues to the CFO and how they'd organize the team to complete the necessary work.

Use the following evaluation scorecard:

Test Their Ability to Manage the Close

Ask candidates to explain a real close process they've managed.

For example:

"Walk me through the last monthly close you supervised. Who completed each major task, when were reconciliations reviewed, and what happened when deadlines were missed?"

Strong candidates should explain the sequence of activities and the dependencies between them.

They should also describe how they monitored completion and handled unresolved items.

For example, a candidate may describe coordinating payroll entries, accounts payable accruals, bank reconciliations, and financial statement review.

Ask how the process changed as the company grew.

A manager who has supervised a close involving several entities and reporting deadlines may have a different level of experience from someone who has only prepared individual reconciliations.

Look for evidence of ownership of the entire process, including review, escalation, and delivery.

Assess U.S. GAAP Knowledge Through Practical Scenarios

U.S. GAAP knowledge is especially important when hiring an Accounting Manager for a U.S. company.

Consider asking:

"Your business receives $120,000 upfront for a twelve-month subscription. How would you evaluate the revenue recognition treatment and related accounting entries?"

A strong candidate should begin by reviewing the relevant contract terms and performance obligations.

For a straightforward service arrangement in which revenue is recognized evenly over twelve months, the candidate may explain the initial deferred revenue treatment and subsequent recognition.

However, more complex contracts may require additional analysis under ASC 606.

You can also evaluate knowledge of:

• Expense accruals
• Prepaid expenses
• Fixed asset accounting
• Allowances and estimates
• Deferred revenue
• Intercompany transactions
• Foreign currency accounting
• Financial statement classification

Match the assessment to the company's actual accounting requirements.

For example, a professional services company may need stronger expertise in project-related accruals.

A subscription business may need deeper experience with contract revenue and deferred revenue schedules.

For complex technical accounting conclusions, determine who will provide specialist or Controller-level review.

Evaluate Reconciliation and Error Investigation Skills

A strong Accounting Manager should know how to investigate unexplained differences.

Consider asking:

"The cash balance in the general ledger differs from the bank reconciliation by $35,000. How would you investigate?"

The candidate should explain how they'd review the reconciliation, underlying transactions, outstanding items, timing differences, and relevant posting activity.

They should also consider whether the issue is isolated or reflects a recurring process weakness.

For example, an error may originate from duplicate journal entries, incorrect transaction mapping, or unreconciled deposits.

Strong candidates should document the investigation and follow appropriate approval procedures before posting corrections.

They should also understand the importance of retaining supporting evidence.

Test Internal Control Judgment

Accounting Managers often review processes involving financial risk.

Consider asking:

"The same employee can create new vendors, change vendor bank details, and prepare payment batches. What concerns would you raise?"

A strong candidate should identify the risks associated with inappropriate access and insufficient separation of duties.

They may recommend approval controls, independent verification of supplier changes, access restrictions, or other safeguards appropriate to the organization's size.

The candidate should explain how those controls would operate in practice.

For example, an employee changing vendor bank details might be required to follow a separate verification and approval workflow before payments are released.

For more senior roles, ask how they'd evaluate whether a control is actually being performed and documented.

Assess Their Ability to Lead Accountants

An Accounting Manager needs the technical skills to review work and the management skills to help employees improve.

Consider asking:

"A Staff Accountant has submitted incomplete balance sheet reconciliations for three consecutive months. How would you address the issue?"

Strong candidates should investigate the cause and establish clear expectations.

They may review whether the employee understands the reconciliation requirements, has access to the correct information, and is managing a reasonable workload.

The manager should then provide feedback, training, and appropriate follow-up.

They should also explain how they'd verify that the quality issue has been resolved.

Look for candidates who can maintain accountability while improving team performance.

Evaluate ERP Experience and Reporting Communication

Give candidates a scenario involving an accounting system issue.

For example:

"After your company integrates a new expense platform with NetSuite, several transactions appear in the wrong general ledger accounts. What would you do?"

Strong candidates should identify the affected transactions, investigate the integration mapping, coordinate with system owners, and determine the appropriate correction process.

They should also assess whether the issue affects a closed reporting period.

Ask candidates to prepare a brief explanation for the CFO.

The update should describe the issue, potential financial impact, next steps, and any outstanding decisions.

An experienced Accounting Manager should be able to turn technical accounting findings into clear information for decision-makers.

What Should an Accounting Manager Accomplish in the First 90 Days?

The first three months should demonstrate whether your new Accounting Manager understands the company's accounting environment, can review team output reliably, and is improving the consistency of financial reporting.

First 30 Days: Understand the Accounting Environment

During the first month, your manager should learn the company's financial structure, systems, policies, and reporting requirements.

Initial responsibilities may include:

• Reviewing the chart of accounts
• Understanding the entity structure
• Studying accounting policies
• Reviewing recent financial statements
• Examining the month-end close calendar
• Reviewing balance sheet reconciliation procedures
• Understanding the ERP and related integrations
• Meeting the accounting team
• Identifying existing reporting deadlines
• Reviewing audit and control requirements
• Understanding approval authority
• Assessing open reconciliation items
• Participating in the current monthly close

A useful first milestone is completing an assessment of the current close process, understanding significant accounting risks, and successfully reviewing assigned accounting deliverables.

For example, a new Accounting Manager may discover that several balance sheet accounts lack consistent supporting schedules.

They should document the issue, evaluate its significance, and recommend an appropriate resolution plan.

At this stage, finance leadership should evaluate technical understanding, communication, attention to detail, and the quality of the manager's review.

Days 31–60: Take Ownership of Close and Team Management

During the second month, the Accounting Manager should begin leading a defined portion of the accounting operation.

Depending on the position, responsibilities may include:

• Managing the close calendar
• Reviewing journal entries
• Approving assigned reconciliations
• Coordinating accounts payable and receivable work
• Preparing financial reporting packages
• Reviewing accrual schedules
• Supervising Staff Accountants
• Resolving recurring accounting issues
• Maintaining audit documentation
• Coordinating with finance leadership
• Reviewing ERP data quality
• Improving accounting procedures

For example, a manager joining a SaaS company may take ownership of the monthly close while the Controller continues reviewing complex accounting matters and approving final financial statements.

A manager joining a financial services firm may begin supervising multiple client accounting engagements and reviewing their reporting packages.

Managers should be evaluated on the accuracy of reviewed work, reliable delivery, staff coordination, and timely escalation of important issues.

Days 61–90: Demonstrate Measurable Accounting Value

By the third month, your Accounting Manager should be taking consistent ownership of assigned close and reporting processes.

Useful performance indicators include:

• Timeliness of monthly close activities
• Percentage of reconciliations completed and reviewed by deadline
• Number and age of unresolved reconciliation differences
• Frequency of post-close corrections
• Accuracy of financial reporting packages
• Completion of audit support requests
• Compliance with journal entry approval procedures
• Quality of supporting documentation
• Team workload and deadline management
• Resolution of recurring accounting problems
• Progress on approved process improvements
• Quality of communication with finance leadership

The specific targets should reflect the company's existing accounting environment.

For example, a business with a relatively clean close may expect the manager to maintain timely reporting and strengthen review procedures.

A company with significant historical accounting issues may need several months of cleanup before close times improve.

The manager should document progress, distinguish newly identified issues from resolved items, and prioritize work according to financial reporting risk.

A successful first 90 days should establish dependable accounting leadership, better visibility into financial reporting risks, and a structured process for delivering accurate monthly results.

How South Helped a Financial Consulting Firm Hire an Accounting Manager and Specialist in 22 Days

A growing financial consulting company may reach a point where one senior accounting professional can no longer comfortably handle client reporting, operational reviews, and daily accounting work.

One U.S.-based financial consulting firm encountered this challenge after parting ways with its previous Controller.

The company provided accounting, financial reporting, and operational finance services to business clients.

It needed experienced professionals capable of managing multiple accounting workflows while maintaining the quality of its financial deliverables.

The Challenge: Replacing an Expensive Controller Role

The company previously relied on a Controller who cost $9,500 per month.

After the role became vacant, leadership wanted to maintain accounting quality while developing a more scalable team structure.

Its requirements included:

• U.S. GAAP expertise
• Accrual-based accounting experience
• Month-end close management
• Multi-client accounting support
• Financial reporting
• Team leadership
• Accounting process improvement

The employer needed both hands-on accounting execution and senior-level review.

South recommended a structure that would distribute those responsibilities across two complementary positions.

The Solution: An Accounting Manager and Accounting Specialist From Latin America

South helped the firm hire two full-time remote accounting professionals in 22 days.

The team consisted of an Accounting Manager and an Accounting Specialist.

The combined monthly cost was $7,700.

The Accounting Manager brought more than ten years of experience across Big Four consulting, multinational companies, and startups.

His background included U.S. GAAP, financial controlling, leadership of international teams, and experience supporting growing finance organizations.

His responsibilities included:

• Reviewing accrual-based financial statements
• Overseeing monthly closes
• Approving account reconciliations
• Leading the accounting team
• Managing client-facing accounting communication
• Improving processes and reporting consistency

The Accounting Specialist brought more than five years of accounting experience, including work supporting U.S. and Canadian entities.

Her responsibilities included:

• Managing close activities
• Preparing accruals
• Completing balance sheet reconciliations
• Cleaning up QuickBooks records
• Resolving historical inconsistencies
• Preparing financial statements

The two positions provided a combination of supervisory review and hands-on accounting execution.

The Results: A More Structured Accounting Team

According to South's published success story, the financial consulting firm improved its accounting team structure and gained greater capacity to manage multiple client accounts.

The company also reduced its reliance on a single senior employee.

Its previous Controller cost $9,500 per month.

The new Accounting Manager and Accounting Specialist cost $7,700 per month combined.

That represented approximately $1,800 in monthly savings, or $21,600 annually, compared with the previous arrangement.

The client also gained a clearer division of responsibilities between reviewing financial work and completing accounting processes.

These figures describe the combined two-person placement and shouldn't be interpreted as the standalone cost of hiring an Accounting Manager.

What This Means for Companies Hiring Accounting Managers

This placement highlights an important hiring decision: determining which accounting responsibilities require senior-level review and which can be assigned to another qualified professional.

A company may need an Accounting Manager to supervise the close, review reconciliations, develop staff, and communicate with finance leadership.

The same organization may also need Staff Accountants or Accounting Specialists who can prepare journal entries, complete reconciliations, and maintain accounting records.

A clear division of responsibilities can help businesses build reliable financial reporting processes as their operations grow.

For companies operating with a small finance team, defining those responsibilities before hiring can help determine whether one Accounting Manager has sufficient capacity or whether additional accounting support is appropriate.

South can help U.S. businesses identify Latin American accounting professionals with relevant technical expertise, management experience, and familiarity with U.S. financial reporting requirements.

Read the full success story: A Client Replaced One Controller With Two Accounting Roles for $7,700/Month.

Hire an Accounting Manager in Latin America With South

As your business grows, accounting becomes more demanding.

More transactions require review, reporting deadlines become more important, and finance leaders need reliable information to make decisions.

An experienced Accounting Manager can help your company supervise accounting operations, manage monthly closes, review financial reporting, and develop stronger processes across the accounting team.

South helps U.S. companies hire full-time, pre-vetted Accounting Managers from Latin America, matched to their accounting systems, industry, reporting standards, and management requirements.

Whether you need someone overseeing U.S. GAAP financial reporting, leading a team of accountants, managing multiple entities, improving close processes, or coordinating audit preparation, we can help you find professionals with relevant experience.

You'll benefit from overlapping U.S. working hours, English-screened professionals, one consolidated monthly invoice, no minimum commitments, and free replacement support if a hire doesn't work out.

Schedule a free call with South to find an Accounting Manager who fits your financial operations and hiring budget.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Should I Hire an Accounting Manager or a Financial Controller?

Hire an Accounting Manager when your company needs someone to supervise day-to-day accounting, manage close processes, review reconciliations, and lead accounting staff.

A Financial Controller generally has broader responsibility for the accounting function, including accounting policies, financial reporting oversight, internal controls, and audit coordination.

Responsibilities can overlap in smaller organizations.

The right choice depends on who currently owns accounting policy, reporting approvals, and finance leadership.

When Does a Company Need an Accounting Manager?

A company may benefit from an Accounting Manager when its accounting workload becomes too complex for a Bookkeeper or individual Staff Accountant to manage independently.

Common indicators include longer close cycles, recurring reporting errors, multiple accounting employees requiring supervision, and increasing reconciliation or approval demands.

Businesses with several entities or more complex revenue arrangements may also benefit from dedicated accounting management.

The right timing depends on transaction volume, team structure, reporting requirements, and financial complexity.

What's the Difference Between an Accounting Manager and a Staff Accountant?

A Staff Accountant typically prepares journal entries, completes reconciliations, maintains accounting schedules, and supports financial reporting.

An Accounting Manager oversees those activities, reviews work quality, manages deadlines, and coordinates the accounting team.

The manager may still perform hands-on accounting work, particularly in a smaller company.

However, the position generally requires stronger review judgment, process ownership, and leadership experience.

Can an Accounting Manager Handle U.S. GAAP Financial Reporting?

Yes. Accounting Managers with appropriate U.S. GAAP experience can oversee financial reporting processes, review accounting entries, and prepare financial statements.

The required expertise depends on the business.

For example, a SaaS company may need experience with ASC 606 and deferred revenue.

A multi-entity business may require consolidation and foreign currency accounting knowledge.

For complex technical accounting matters, determine whether the position will receive specialist or Controller-level support.

Can a Remote Accounting Manager Supervise a U.S.-Based Accounting Team?

Yes. Remote Accounting Managers can assign accounting work, review reconciliations, coordinate the month-end close, conduct team meetings, and monitor deadlines using shared accounting systems.

Effective remote management requires clear reporting responsibilities, documented review procedures, and reliable communication.

Latin America's overlapping U.S. working hours can help managers resolve accounting questions with U.S.-based colleagues during the same business day.

What Accounting Software Should an Accounting Manager Know?

Common systems include QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, Oracle Financials, and Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Depending on the company, experience with Bill, Ramp, BlackLine, FloQast, and payroll or billing platforms may also be relevant.

Advanced Excel skills are particularly useful for reconciliations, account analysis, and supporting schedules.

Prioritize experience with your existing ERP and the accounting workflows the manager will oversee.

Can an Accounting Manager Lead the Month-End Close?

Yes. Managing the month-end close is a core responsibility for many Accounting Managers.

The manager may coordinate the close calendar, assign tasks, review journal entries, oversee balance sheet reconciliations, and prepare financial reporting packages.

The exact approval responsibilities depend on the company's finance structure.

For example, the Accounting Manager may prepare and review the close while the Controller approves the final financial statements.

How Do I Evaluate an Accounting Manager's Technical Skills?

Use a practical assessment involving a trial balance, reconciliation schedules, journal entries, and a close calendar.

Ask candidates to identify discrepancies, evaluate accounting treatment, prioritize corrections, and explain their review process.

For example, a candidate might investigate an unexplained bank difference or review a deferred revenue schedule.

The assessment should also test their ability to supervise staff and communicate accounting issues to the CFO or Controller.

Does an Accounting Manager Need a CPA?

A CPA may be valuable, particularly for companies requiring advanced technical accounting, audit readiness, or specialized reporting expertise.

However, a CPA isn't necessary for every operational accounting management position.

Relevant experience with U.S. GAAP, financial reporting, accounting systems, and team leadership may be more directly important for some roles.

Activities requiring a particular professional license or legal authorization must be performed by appropriately qualified individuals.

Define the actual requirements before making certification mandatory.

Can an Accounting Manager Handle Multiple Business Entities?

Yes. Experienced Accounting Managers can coordinate accounting across multiple entities.

Responsibilities may include entity-level closes, intercompany reconciliations, consolidation schedules, and financial reporting coordination.

However, multi-entity accounting may require specialized experience with eliminations, foreign currency transactions, and different reporting requirements.

For international operations, establish which professionals are responsible for local statutory and tax compliance.

Can an Accounting Manager Improve a Slow Month-End Close?

Yes. An Accounting Manager can review close dependencies, identify recurring delays, standardize reconciliation procedures, and recommend appropriate process improvements.

For example, moving selected accounting activities earlier in the month may reduce the workload required after month-end.

The manager may also improve supporting schedules, task ownership, and ERP workflows.

Evaluate improvements through close timeliness, reconciliation quality, error rates, and the reliability of financial reporting.

Should an Accounting Manager Be Responsible for Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable?

An Accounting Manager may supervise accounts payable and accounts receivable as part of the broader accounting function.

This can include reviewing reconciliations, monitoring month-end cutoff, overseeing staff, and maintaining appropriate controls.

In larger teams, dedicated AP and AR managers or specialists may handle day-to-day operations.

Define the position according to transaction volume and the existing organizational structure.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Accounting Manager From Latin America?

South's Accounting Manager page lists an average U.S. salary of approximately $9,000 per month, compared with an all-in monthly rate of $6,525 for Latin American talent through South.

That represents approximately 28% potential savings.

Actual hiring costs depend on seniority, U.S. GAAP expertise, management experience, ERP proficiency, and the complexity of the accounting function.

The advertised rate is separate from South's case study involving an Accounting Manager and Accounting Specialist hired together for $7,700 per month.

Should I Hire a Senior Accountant or an Accounting Manager?

Hire a Senior Accountant when your company needs stronger individual accounting expertise, complex reconciliations, journal entry preparation, and financial reporting support.

An Accounting Manager is generally more appropriate when the position involves supervising employees, reviewing accounting work, coordinating deadlines, and owning recurring processes.

A Senior Accountant may mentor colleagues or review selected deliverables, but the management responsibilities can differ significantly.

Choose according to the level of team leadership and operational ownership required.

What Should an Accounting Manager Accomplish in the First 90 Days?

Within the first 30 days, the manager should understand the company's accounting policies, ERP systems, reporting requirements, and existing close processes.

By day 60, they should be managing defined close activities, reviewing accounting work, and coordinating staff responsibilities.

By day 90, the employee should demonstrate reliable ownership of assigned accounting workflows and measurable progress on important process or reporting improvements.

The exact milestones should reflect the organization's starting point and accounting complexity.

Can South Help Me Hire an Accounting Manager With NetSuite or QuickBooks Experience?

Yes. South can help U.S. companies find Accounting Managers whose experience matches their accounting software and reporting requirements.

For example, a business using NetSuite may need someone familiar with multi-entity financial reporting, account reconciliations, and ERP-based close processes.

A smaller company using QuickBooks Online may prioritize general ledger oversight, financial statement preparation, and staff supervision.

Define the software, accounting standards, and management responsibilities that matter most before beginning the search.

What Should I Prepare Before Hiring an Accounting Manager Through South?

Start by documenting your current finance team structure, reporting deadlines, and accounting systems.

Identify the responsibilities the Accounting Manager will own, the people they'll supervise, and who will approve final financial statements.

You should also define the required accounting standards, industry experience, entity complexity, and level of technical expertise.

If possible, prepare a fictional close calendar, sample trial balance, reconciliation exercise, and team management scenario.

South can use those requirements to identify Accounting Managers whose backgrounds match your company's accounting operations.