breakwater accounting + advisory corp · 1 month ago
Senior Accountant - Cleanup Manager
Breakwater Accounting & Advisory provides outsourced bookkeeping and accounting services for businesses and nonprofit organizations across the U.S. They are seeking a Senior Accountant who specializes in cleanups and reconciliations, responsible for transforming messy financials into accurate, audit-ready records. The role involves deep analysis of client books, balance sheet substantiation, and improving financial workflows.
AccountingAdviceFinancial Services
Responsibilities
Perform deep-dive reviews of client books to understand the “before” state
Trace transaction histories to identify how and why financials went off track
Diagnose root-cause issues, not just surface-level errors
Build clear, prioritized cleanup plans aligned with best practices
Fully reconcile and substantiate the balance sheet, including: Payroll liabilities, Prepaids and accruals, Deferred revenue and work-in-progress, Loans, equity, and capital accounts, Depreciation and amortization, Investments and other complex accounts
Create supporting schedules and workpapers that prove accuracy—not just tie-outs
Rebuild chaotic or poorly structured charts of accounts
Redesign P&L structures so financials clearly tell the business story
Ensure financials are usable, accurate, and scalable going forward
Reverse-engineer existing client workflows
Identify process breakdowns feeding incorrect data to the GL
Collaborate with internal specialists to design improved, sustainable workflows
Implement solutions that permanently fix problems—not temporary patches
Navigate complex QuickBooks Online issues with confidence
Resolve challenges such as: Negative AR/AP, Old or uncleared transactions, Inventory misclassification, Broken bank feeds and system integrations
Apply creative, technically sound cleanup strategies inside QBO
Communicate directly with clients to ask targeted questions and gather missing information
Explain complex accounting concepts clearly to non-accountants
Prepare detailed cleanup documentation and handoff materials for ongoing service teams
Collaborate with junior team members by delegating appropriately and maintaining momentum
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Accounting
5+ years of high-level accounting, audit, or full-cycle bookkeeping experience
Strong experience with balance sheet substantiation and supporting workpapers
Advanced knowledge of accrual accounting, revenue recognition, depreciation, and amortization
Expert-level QuickBooks Online proficiency
Strong investigative instincts and attention to detail
Clear, professional written communication skills
Ability to manage multiple cleanups simultaneously with organization and focus
Preferred
Experience in outsourced accounting serving multiple clients
Prior cleanup work across multiple industries
Familiarity with tools such as Dext, BILL, Ramp, Google Workspace, and advanced Excel functions
Benefits
Competitive salary, benefits, and five weeks of PTO