What Does an Accounting Manager Do?
An accounting manager manages the month-end close and supervises the accountants who do the daily work. The role owns the close calendar, reviews journal entries and reconciliations, produces the monthly financial package, and manages a team of 2 to 8 staff and senior accountants. Accounting managers work in companies large enough to have an accounting department with layers, usually mid-size and up, across manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, construction, and technology. Most employers require a bachelor’s degree in accounting, 5 or more years of progressive experience, and at least 1 to 2 years supervising others; many prefer a CPA.
The job sits one rung below the controller, and employers often blur the two. A controller owns external reporting, internal controls, policy, and the relationship with auditors and the bank; the accounting manager makes sure the close happens on time and the numbers underneath are right. An assistant controller is often the same work with a technical accounting emphasis and a reporting line directly to the controller. An accounting director and a finance director sit above the controller at larger companies and spend more time on planning and strategy than on the close.
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Hiring an Accounting Manager: What to Expect
Most accounting manager candidates are senior accountants ready for their first team, or managers from public accounting who want to leave the audit schedule behind. The first group knows the close but has not managed people; the second has managed people but may never have owned a close from the inside. Screen for both halves. Ask how many business days their last close took and what they changed to shorten it, and ask how they handled a staff accountant whose reconciliations kept coming back wrong.
Postings for this title often describe a controller’s job at an accounting manager’s pay. A posting that asks the accounting manager to own GAAP policy, lead the audit, manage treasury, and build the budget will attract controllers who want controller pay, or managers who will leave once they see the scope. Decide whether you are hiring someone to manage the close or to own the finance function, and title and pay the role accordingly.
A posting for this role should name the ERP and close software in use, such as NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or Microsoft Dynamics 365 with FloQast or BlackLine, and state how many business days the close takes. If shortening the close is part of the job, the posting should say so and give the target, such as 5 to 8 business days. Candidates who have shortened a close before will describe how they did it in the interview.
On accounting and finance searches, 4 Corner Resources submits qualified candidates in an average of 4.5 days, clients interview an average of 1.46 candidates per hire, and we submit 1.82 candidates per hire.
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Accounting Manager Core Responsibilities
- Own the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close calendar and make sure every task closes on schedule
- Review and approve journal entries, account reconciliations, and accruals prepared by staff and senior accountants
- Prepare the monthly financial package, including balance sheet, income statement, cash flow, and variance commentary
- Supervise, train, and evaluate a team of staff and senior accountants, and set their close assignments
- Manage accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll accounting, either directly or through team leads
- Coordinate the annual financial audit, including the prepared-by-client list and auditor follow-up
- Maintain the chart of accounts and the ERP configuration for the general ledger
- Track close duration and task status in the close management software and report progress against the target close length
- Review the output of AI and automation tools in the close, such as auto-matched reconciliations, AI-drafted flux commentary, and auto-coded invoices, and set the review steps the team follows
- Enforce internal controls over cash, revenue, and expense cycles and document exceptions
- Prepare schedules for income tax, sales tax, and other compliance filings handled by the controller or outside CPA
- Identify close bottlenecks and lead projects to automate them, such as auto-matching rules in BlackLine or FloQast and recurring entries in the ERP
- Act as the accounting contact for operations, sales, and HR questions about coding, approvals, and timing
Required Skills and Qualifications
Hard skills
- Thorough knowledge of GAAP, including revenue recognition, leases, and accruals
- Hands-on experience managing a full close in a mid-market ERP such as NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics 365, or SAP Business One
- Experience reviewing, not only preparing, reconciliations and journal entries
- Advanced Excel skills, including Power Query, for consolidation, flux analysis, and close tracking
- Experience configuring and managing close software such as FloQast or BlackLine, including task lists, reconciliation templates, and auto-match rules
- Working knowledge of internal controls and audit documentation
- Ability to produce a monthly financial package with written variance explanations
- Supervisory experience, including hiring, training, and performance reviews
- Working knowledge of AI features in finance tools, such as Microsoft Copilot in Excel and AI flux analysis in close software, and the review controls they require
Soft skills
- Calm under a close deadline when a subledger does not tie
- Gives direct feedback on a reconciliation without discouraging a junior accountant
- Explains an accounting result to a department head in plain terms
- Prioritizes among competing requests from the controller, auditors, and operations
- Follows through on process fixes after the close so the same problem does not come back next month
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
- Master’s degree in accounting or an MBA is a plus but rarely required
Certifications
- None required, though most mid-size and larger employers prefer a CPA
- CMA (Certified Management Accountant) is an acceptable alternative for manufacturing and cost-focused roles
Preferred Qualifications
- CPA license, active or inactive
- Public accounting experience at the senior or manager level
- Experience shortening a close or leading an ERP implementation
- Multi-entity, multi-currency, or consolidation experience
- Industry experience that matches the employer, such as manufacturing, healthcare, or professional services
- Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or another reporting tool
- Experience implementing AP automation or spend management tools such as BILL, Ramp, or Coupa
How Much Does an Accounting Manager Make?
Typical national range: $90,409 to $140,776, with a national average of $109,215. Salary data reviewed October 2026 by 4 Corner Resources.
Accounting manager salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for an Accounting Manager is:
$109,215
Sample Job Description Templates for Accounting Managers
Accounting Manager (Mid-Size Company)
Position Overview
We are hiring an Accounting Manager to lead our 4-person accounting team and own the monthly close for a $60 million company with 3 locations. You will review the team’s work, produce the financial package for the CFO, manage the annual audit, and shorten a close that currently takes 12 business days. The position reports to the Controller.
Responsibilities
- Manage the close calendar and review all journal entries and reconciliations
- Prepare monthly financial statements and variance commentary for the CFO
- Supervise 2 staff accountants, 1 senior accountant, and 1 accounts payable specialist
- Coordinate the annual audit and respond to auditor requests
- Maintain internal controls over cash, expense, and revenue cycles
- Lead the project to move the close from 12 business days to 7
- Set up reconciliation auto-matching in the close software and a review step for AI-drafted variance commentary
Requirements
Hard skills
- 5 or more years of accounting experience, including 2 years managing a close
- Experience supervising at least 2 accountants
- NetSuite or Sage Intacct experience, including close management in FloQast or BlackLine
- Strong GAAP knowledge, including ASC 606 and ASC 842, and advanced Excel
Soft skills
- Coaches junior accountants through review comments
- Keeps the close on schedule under pressure
- Communicates clearly with the CFO and department heads
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting
Certifications
- CPA preferred
Accounting Manager, Manufacturing
Position Overview
Our manufacturing company is seeking an Accounting Manager to oversee general ledger, inventory, and cost accounting for 2 plants. You will manage the close, review standard cost updates and inventory reserves, and work with the plant controllers on variance analysis. The role reports to the Corporate Controller and supervises a team of 3.
Responsibilities
- Manage the monthly close for 2 plant entities and the corporate ledger
- Review inventory valuation, standard cost updates, and excess and obsolete reserves
- Analyze purchase price, labor, and overhead variances with the plant controllers
- Reconcile perpetual inventory to the general ledger and oversee the annual physical count
- Review cycle count results from the warehouse management system and approve inventory adjustments
- Supervise the cost accountant, staff accountant, and accounts payable clerk
- Support the annual audit and the bank’s quarterly covenant reporting
Requirements
Hard skills
- 6 or more years of accounting experience, with at least 3 in manufacturing
- Standard costing and inventory accounting experience
- ERP experience with Epicor Kinetic, Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP S/4HANA, or a comparable manufacturing system
- Advanced Excel for variance and inventory analysis
Soft skills
- Comfortable on the plant floor asking how a process works
- Pushes back on a cost standard that does not match reality
- Manages a team split across 2 sites
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
Certifications
- CPA or CMA preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with a physical inventory count or cycle count program
- Bill of materials and routing familiarity
Accounting Manager, Healthcare (Multi-Entity)
Position Overview
We are hiring an Accounting Manager for a healthcare group with 9 practice locations and a management services organization. You will manage the close across all entities, oversee intercompany and management fee accounting, and work with the revenue cycle team to record patient revenue and contractual adjustments correctly. The position reports to the Director of Finance and supervises 3 accountants.
Responsibilities
- Manage the month-end close for 10 entities and the consolidated statements
- Review intercompany entries, management fee allocations, and eliminations
- Record net patient revenue, contractual adjustments, and bad debt reserves with the revenue cycle team
- Supervise and develop 3 staff and senior accountants
- Prepare monthly reports for practice owners and the executive team
- Coordinate the annual audit and the 401(k) plan audit
Requirements
Hard skills
- 5 or more years of accounting experience, with 2 or more in healthcare or another multi-entity environment
- Consolidation and intercompany accounting experience
- Experience with Sage Intacct or a similar multi-entity ERP, including automated intercompany eliminations
- Understanding of net patient revenue and contractual allowance accounting
Soft skills
- Keeps 10 entities straight without losing the details
- Works well with clinical and billing staff who speak a different language than accounting
- Discreet with physician compensation data
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with a practice management or EHR system such as Epic, athenahealth, or eClinicalWorks
- CPA license
- Familiarity with HIPAA privacy rules for financial reports that include patient information
Accounting Manager, Professional Services
Position Overview
Our consulting firm is seeking an Accounting Manager to lead day-to-day accounting for a 200-person firm billing on time and materials, fixed fee, and retainer arrangements. You will manage the close, oversee client billing and collections, review revenue recognition on open projects, and produce the partner reporting package. The role reports to the CFO and supervises a billing specialist and 2 accountants.
Responsibilities
- Manage the monthly close, including unbilled revenue, deferred revenue, and work-in-progress review
- Oversee client invoicing, collections follow-up, and the accounts receivable aging
- Review time entry approvals and billing rules in the professional services automation system before invoices go out
- Review project revenue recognition for fixed fee and milestone engagements
- Prepare monthly partner reports on utilization, realization, and profitability by practice
- Supervise the billing specialist and 2 staff accountants
- Manage the annual review and the firm’s tax package for the outside CPA
Requirements
Hard skills
- 5 or more years of accounting experience, with professional services or project-based revenue experience
- Working knowledge of ASC 606 for service contracts
- Experience with a time and billing system such as Deltek Vantagepoint, BigTime, or Workday
- Advanced Excel for project profitability analysis
Soft skills
- Diplomatic with partners who are slow to approve their invoices
- Organized across dozens of open projects at different stages
- Direct about collections without damaging client relationships
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance