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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Finance Systems Accountant

💰 $95,000 - $135,000

FinanceAccountingTechnologySystems Analysis

🎯 Role Definition

As a Finance Systems Accountant, you will be the cornerstone of our financial infrastructure, acting as the crucial link between the Accounting/Finance department and our technology platforms. You are not just an accountant who is good with computers; you are a strategic partner who understands the nuances of financial processes and can translate them into efficient, scalable system solutions. Your primary objective is to ensure the integrity, accuracy, and performance of our financial systems (ERP, reporting tools, etc.), enabling the finance team to deliver timely insights and maintain robust controls. You will spearhead projects to enhance system functionality, automate manual tasks, and empower users through training and support, directly contributing to the operational excellence of the entire organization.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Accountant / Staff Accountant (with a systems focus)
  • Financial Analyst / FP&A Analyst
  • IT Business Analyst (with a finance specialization)

Advancement To:

  • Finance Systems Manager
  • Director of Financial Systems
  • Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Lateral Moves:

  • Senior FP&A Analyst
  • Finance Transformation Project Manager
  • Internal Audit Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Serve as the primary administrator and subject matter expert for our core financial systems, including the ERP (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) and related financial applications.
  • Lead and participate in the full lifecycle of financial system projects, from requirements gathering and design to configuration, testing, deployment, and post-go-live support.
  • Develop, maintain, and optimize complex financial reports, dashboards, and data models to support month-end close, financial planning, and strategic decision-making.
  • Partner with accounting and finance stakeholders to identify system inefficiencies, streamline business processes, and implement automated solutions to enhance productivity and accuracy.
  • Manage user access, security roles, and permissions within financial systems, ensuring compliance with internal controls and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve complex system issues, acting as the key liaison between end-users and IT or third-party application vendors to ensure timely resolution.
  • Create and maintain comprehensive system documentation, including process flows, configuration guides, and training materials for end-users.
  • Drive the continuous improvement of financial systems and processes, staying current with new features, releases, and industry best practices.
  • Act as the finance lead for system integrations, ensuring seamless data flow between the ERP and other business systems like CRM, HRIS, and procurement platforms.
  • Perform system reconciliations and data validation to guarantee the integrity and accuracy of financial data across all platforms.
  • Design and execute test scripts for system upgrades, patches, and new module implementations, coordinating user acceptance testing (UAT) with the finance team.
  • Support internal and external audits by providing system-generated reports, data extracts, and documentation related to system controls and configurations.
  • Train finance team members and new hires on financial system functionalities, best practices, and internal processes.
  • Translate business requirements from finance leadership into technical specifications for system enhancements and reporting needs.
  • Manage the chart of accounts and other master data elements within the financial systems, ensuring consistency and governance.
  • Develop and monitor key system performance metrics to proactively identify potential issues and opportunities for optimization.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer critical business questions.
  • Contribute to the organization's broader data governance strategy and roadmap by representing the needs of the finance department.
  • Collaborate with business units outside of finance to understand their interaction with financial systems and identify areas for cross-functional process improvement.
  • Participate in sprint planning, retrospectives, and other agile ceremonies as part of technology-led project teams.
  • Evaluate new financial technology tools and applications, providing recommendations to leadership on potential investments.
  • Assist in the preparation of materials for executive-level presentations that rely on system-generated data and analysis.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced proficiency with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 ERP system (e.g., Oracle NetSuite, SAP S/4HANA, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Workday Financials).
  • Strong experience with financial reporting, consolidation, and business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Anaplan, Adaptive Planning, Hyperion HFM).
  • Solid understanding of relational databases and proficiency in SQL for data extraction, manipulation, and analysis.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas, pivot tables, Power Query, and a working knowledge of VBA macros.
  • In-depth knowledge of core accounting principles (US GAAP / IFRS) and financial processes (Procure-to-Pay, Order-to-Cash, Record-to-Report).
  • Proven experience with system implementation methodologies, data migration projects, and change management.
  • Familiarity with SOX compliance and designing/maintaining IT General Controls (ITGCs) within a financial systems context.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities with a keen attention to detail and accuracy.
  • Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical finance and business stakeholders.
  • A proactive and continuous improvement mindset, constantly seeking opportunities to automate, streamline, and innovate.
  • Customer-service orientation with a collaborative spirit, focused on empowering end-users and enabling business success.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree or a relevant professional certification (e.g., CPA, PMP, CISA).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Management Information Systems (MIS)
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5-8 years of progressive experience in accounting or finance, with at least 3 years in a systems-focused role.

Preferred: We are especially interested in candidates with a proven track record in a hybrid finance/IT role within a public company or a high-growth, pre-IPO environment. Direct experience leading a system implementation or major upgrade is highly desirable.

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