Senior Accountant, Client Accounting & Assurance
About the Role
We are seeking a Senior Accountant, Client Accounting & Assurance to join our team in Norfolk, VA. This role is ideal for someone with strong accounting and assurance experience who enjoys working with nonprofit clients, preparing financial statements, reviewing workpapers, supervising staff, and managing client deadlines. This position includes a mix of assurance work, client accounting, bookkeeping cleanup, financial statement preparation, and some tax preparation.
The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, deadline-driven, proactive, and comfortable owning projects from start to finish.
This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to grow with a firm, develop into a leadership role, and directly impact client service and internal team development.
Key Responsibilities
The Senior Accountant will support and manage client accounting and assurance engagements, including:
- Preparing and reviewing audit, review, and compilation workpapers.
- Preparing complex nonprofit audit sections, including net assets, revenue recognition, restricted funds, grants, and related disclosures.
- Reviewing basic and intermediate workpaper sections prepared by staff and interns, including cash, investments, expenses, and supporting schedules.
- Preparing full financial statements in accordance with GAAP.
- Assisting with audit testing, documentation, and client request lists.
- Supporting reviews, compilations, and other assurance engagements.
- Performing client accounting and bookkeeping cleanup projects.
- Reviewing and analyzing general ledger activity, reconciliations, and financial reports.
- Preparing selected individual and business tax returns.
- Assisting with nonprofit tax filings and related compliance projects, as needed.
- Communicating directly with clients to request information, resolve questions, and manage project status.
- Managing assigned deadlines and workflows through Canopy and internal project management systems.
- Supervising, training, and reviewing the work of staff accountants and interns.
- Providing clear feedback to staff and helping them improve their technical skills.
- Researching accounting, audit, tax, and nonprofit compliance questions before escalating issues.
- Helping improve firm processes, templates, checklists, and client deliverables.
- Taking ownership of assigned projects from start to finish, including planning, follow-up, completion, and communication.
Approximate Work Mix
This role is expected to include:
- 55% audit, review, compilation, and assurance-related work
- 20% tax preparation
- 20% client accounting and bookkeeping cleanup
- 5% client communication and project management
Percentages may vary depending on the season, client deadlines, and firm needs.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
- Strong understanding of GAAP and financial reporting.
- Experience preparing financial statements.
- Experience with audit, review, compilation, or assurance work.
- Strong Excel skills, including advanced formulas, analysis, and spreadsheet organization.
- Ability to supervise, train, and review the work of staff accountants and interns.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to manage deadlines and follow through on assigned projects.
- Detail-oriented and organized, with a strong sense of ownership.
- Ability to work directly with clients in a professional and service-focused manner.
- Ability to research issues, problem-solve, and communicate questions clearly.
- Comfortable working in a small-firm environment where priorities may shift based on client needs.
Preferred Qualifications
- CPA license or progress toward CPA certification.
- Public accounting experience.
- Nonprofit accounting or audit experience.
- Experience with grant accounting, restricted net assets, and nonprofit financial statements.
- Experience preparing individual and business tax returns.
- Experience with QuickBooks Online, Canopy, AuditFile, ProConnect, Gusto, Google Workspace, and similar systems.
- Interest in growing into a manager-level role.
Software and Technical Skills
The ideal candidate will have experience with or be willing to learn:
- QuickBooks Online
- Canopy
- AuditFile
- ProConnect
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Workspace
- Gusto
Advanced Excel skills are important for this role, including the ability to organize, analyze, and review financial data efficiently.
The Right Fit
This role is a good fit for someone who:
- Takes ownership of projects from beginning to end.
- Can manage deadlines without constant reminders.
- Communicates proactively when they are stuck, waiting on information, or at risk of missing a deadline.
- Is comfortable asking thoughtful questions after doing initial research.
- Enjoys working with nonprofit and mission-driven clients.
- Can review staff work and explain corrections clearly.
- Wants to grow with a small firm and have a visible impact.
- Is low-drama, collaborative, and committed to high-quality work.
- Understands that client service requires both technical accuracy and strong communication.
This role is not a good fit for someone who wants to do only data entry, avoid client communication, or wait for step-by-step instructions on every task.
Compensation
The compensation range for this position is $75,000-$95,000, based on experience.
Final compensation will depend on experience with nonprofit accounting, assurance engagements, financial statement preparation, staff supervision, tax preparation, and ability to manage client projects independently.
Benefits
Overhead Solutions Group offers:
- Unlimited PTO.
- Paid holidays.
- Flexible schedule.
- Potential hybrid work arrangement.
- Retirement plan eligibility after one year, with vesting after four years.
- CPE reimbursement.
- CPA exam support.
- Bonus eligibility.
- Professional development and training opportunities.
- Opportunity to grow into a manager-level role.
- Supportive, collaborative small-firm environment.
- Generally 40-hour workweeks, with additional hours occasionally required during peak deadlines or client engagements.
