Job Description of an Accounting Manager

March 31, 2010

Job Title: Accounting Manager
Years of Experience: 14
Current Employer: Miles Sand and Gravel Co/dba Concrete Nor’West
Where: Burlington, WA
Education: Skagit Valley College, Associate in General Studies, Associate in Office Technology, Accounting Certificate
Other Relevant Work Experience: Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Payroll
Salary: Use the PayScale Research Center to find information on an accounting manager salary.

Job Description of an Accounting Manager

Accounting is a field that will always be highly in demand. Known as “the language of business,” accounting is essential to any business and the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts positive growth for accountant positions over the next several years. An accounting manager's career path may include related positions such as certified public accountant, auditor or certified management accountant. In the following description of an accounting manager job, we learn the ins and outs of a typical day as well as a common method of starting in this industry and typical problems to avoid.

PayScale: What is the job description of an accounting manager?

Manage a team of three to four accounting professionals; work directly with CFO on monthly entries, reconciling bank accounts; prepare and publish profit & loss statements, balance sheets, sales reports, inventory; prepare and report WA State DOR excise returns and quarterly B&O; file for refund of state and federal fuel tax; journal entries; reconcile monthly allocations of prepaid expenses; prepare schedules for year end taxes.

PayScale: How did you get started as an accounting manager?

I like working with numbers and balancing. I wanted a profession that I could easily support myself with and that is useful to myself both professionally and personally.

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PayScale: What do you love about your accounting manager job?

I love working with spreadsheets and the feeling I get when completing a reconciling project.

PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face in your accounting manager job?

Managing others is the trickiest and most difficult part of my job. It’s very easy to get into your work as an accountant crunching numbers and forget about the part of managing a team of people and ensuring they have the proper tools to do their jobs as well as be productive. It’s also hard to play the balancing act between being a boss and a peer at the same time.

PayScale: What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an accounting manager?

I had a choice early in my college years of whether I wanted to go toward a practical accounting degree and get into the workforce early or whether I wanted to take different courses that would transfer and apply toward a four-year degree. I wish I had taken the path of working toward my four-year degree. I didn’t have the college funds at the time and was anxious to get into my career, so I took practical accounting classes. I have been climbing the ladder to learn through on-the-job experience without a four-year degree. I also struggle for a salary that pays me for my skills and experience rather than a four-year degree.