OVERVIEW:
The Team Lead - Accounting is responsible for leading and supervising a team of accounting professionals to ensure accurate financial reporting, compliance with accounting standards, and timely completion of accounting activities. This role combines hands-on technical accounting work with people leadership, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. The Accounting Associate Process Manager acts as a key link between operational accounting staff and finance management.
GENERAL DUTIES:
Leadership & Team Management
- Supervise, coach, and mentor a team of accountants and accounting associates
- Assign and monitor daily, weekly, and monthly workloads to ensure deadlines are met
- Conduct performance reviews, provide regular feedback, and support employee development plans
- Facilitate team meetings to communicate priorities, changes, and best practices
- Assist in recruitment, onboarding, and training of new accounting staff
Accounting Operations
Oversee day-to-day accounting activities, including:
- General ledger maintenance
- Accounts payable and accounts receivable
- Billing operations
- Bank and balance sheet reconciliations
- Fixed asset accounting
- Journal entries and accruals
- Review and approve accounting entries and reconciliations for accuracy and completeness
- Ensure month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing activities are completed on schedule
Financial Reporting
- Prepare and/or review financial statements, management reports, and variance analyses
- Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards (e.g., GAAP, IFRS, local statutory rules)
- Support internal and external audits by providing documentation and explanations
- Identify and explain financial variances, trends, and risks to management
Compliance & Controls
- Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls, SOX Controls and regulatory requirements
- Help develop, document, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Identify control gaps and recommend corrective actions
- Support implementation and monitoring of internal control frameworks
Process Improvement
- Identify opportunities to streamline accounting processes and improve efficiency
- Support automation and system enhancements (ERP, accounting software, reporting tools)
- Participate in finance transformation or continuous improvement initiatives
- Ensure accurate and timely data entry and system usage by the team
Stakeholder Management
- Act as a point of contact for internal stakeholders (Finance, Tax, Audit, Operations, HR)
- Coordinate with external auditors, tax advisors, and regulatory bodies as needed
- Provide accounting guidance to non-finance departments when required
QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
- Professional certification (CPA, CMA, ACCA, or equivalent) is highly preferred
Experience
- 5–8 years of progressive accounting experience
- At least 2–3 years in a supervisory, senior, or team lead role
- Experience in month-end close, financial reporting, and reconciliations
- Exposure to audits and compliance requirements
- Experience in process migration, knowledge transfer, process documentation and standardization
Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of accounting principles and standards
- Proficiency in accounting systems/ERP (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, QuickBooks)
- Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, reconciliations)
- Experience with financial reporting and analysis tools is an advantage
Leadership & Soft Skills
- Strong people management and coaching abilities
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- High attention to details and accuracy
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
- Analytical mindset with problem-solving capabilities
