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Client Accounting & Advisory Services Senior Associate

Kirkland, WA

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About Sweeney Conrad

At Sweeney Conrad, our foundation of “people first” begins with our employees—because we know the success of our firm stems from the relationships within it. We consider our employees family and foster a positive work culture, encouraging a healthy balance between work and life; building a career over having a job; continuing education and skill development; and being actively involved in the Puget Sound community where we live, work, and play.

We’re proud of our employees and our culture and have been recognized by Accounting Today as one of the “Best Accounting Firms to Work For” and by Puget Sound Business Journal as one of “Washington’s Best Workplaces”. For more information, visit www.sweeneyconrad.com.

About Ascend

Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a dynamic platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a Top 25 firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition and training, leading quality management resources, best-of-breed technology, AI tools, an offshore captive, shared back-office services, a catalytic leadership system, and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.ascendtogether.com.

 

Client Accounting & Advisory Services Senior Associate

This position is part of our Client Accounting and Advisory Services group, which provides outsourced accounting services for small and lower-middle market businesses. The team focuses on professional services, including engineering, architecture, construction, dental and medical offices, law firms, tech companies, veterinary clinics, and other service-based businesses. This is a full-time hourly role, with overtime generally limited to the month of January.

The Senior Client Accounting & Advisory Services Senior Associate leads complex client accounting engagements, overseeing day-to-day accounting activities such as transactional accounting support, reconciliations, and month-end close while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and adherence to best practices. In addition to managing client deliverables, this role provides advanced financial analysis and advisory support, identifies opportunities to improve client processes, and serves as a trusted advisor and primary point of contact for clients. The Senior Associate mentors junior team members, collaborates closely with leadership to deliver strategic guidance, and contributes to process and system enhancements across the practice. Curiosity, humility, and honor form the foundation of our department and shape how we ask thoughtful questions, admit when we’re wrong, and take ownership of our mistakes to live the fix. This position reports directly to the Director of Client Accounting & Advisory Services and is based in Kirkland, Washington, with a hybrid in-office work schedule.

Specific Duties Will Include

  • Associates handle transactional activities to maintain account balances, while Seniors oversee accounts at a higher level, reviewing balances for anomalies and investigating unusual variances
  • Review and manage end-to-end accounting process, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank and credit card reconciliations in QuickBooks Online (QBO), as well as full balance sheet reconciliations
  • Review and execute payroll using Gusto, including quarterly and annual payroll tax reporting
  • Review and execute state and city excise tax filings
  • Drive analytical review of client financial performance to provide deeper, value-based insights
  • Anticipate client needs and respond timely and professionally to emails and calls
  • Train and mentor existing and incoming associates on accounting processes and best practices
  • Support and actively contribute to departmental and firm-wide process improvements and innovations
  • Manage a large client load effectively through delegation, collaboration, and leadership
  • Perform other duties as assigned by the department managers

 The successful candidate will have

  • Minimum 4 years of accounting experience, preferrable within a mix in public accounting and corporate accounting
  • Minimum 2 years of experience using QuickBooks Online (QBO), Excel, Word, and Outlook
  • BA/BS in accounting or related field
  • Deep understanding of accounting principles and best practices
  • Working Knowledge of Accrual accounting and knowledge of GAAP
  • Working knowledge of Washington State tax practices
  • Proficient in managing large sets of data accurately and efficiently
  • Proficiency in analyzing and assessing financial statements
  • Ability to quickly learn various software applications
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills
  • Detail-oriented, organized, and able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

While not required, the following skills would be considered an asset

  • CPA designation
  • Experience using Gusto for payroll processing
  • Experience using Bill.com
  • Familiarity with Slack and Monday.com
  • Experience reviewing staff work and training others

Benefits:

The pay range for this role is $40.00 - $51.00 per hour. This range includes the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on various factors, including experience, education, and/or skill level.

For employees working 30 or more hours per week, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as dependent coverage; Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts; and employer-paid life and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan with employer match. We also provide flexible time off (PTO) and 12 paid holidays

At Ascend, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Ascend hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

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