Sr. Manager - Accounting and Finance

Job description

Position Overview The Senior Manager reports directly to the Controller and serves as a senior technical and operational leader within the Accounting function, operating in an Assistant Controller capacity. This role is designed to bring immediate accounting depth and senior judgment to the team, take ownership of the month-end close, and lead process improvement, documentation, and project management across the department. The Senior Manager absorbs key accounting decisions currently held at the Controller level. This position focuses on close ownership, process and documentation leadership, project management, and Controller-adjacent decision-making, bringing senior accounting judgment and operational discipline to the department. Core Responsibilities Month-End Close & Reporting Own core areas of the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, including journal entry preparation, account reconciliations, and variance analysis. Drive the continuous compression of close timelines through process discipline, standardized workpapers, and identification of upstream improvements. Review close work product across assigned areas, providing technical oversight to ensure accuracy, completeness, and timeliness. Establish and maintain a documented close calendar, task ownership, and status reporting to give the Controller clear visibility into close progress and risk. Assist in the preparation of financial and management reporting packages. Process Improvement & Documentation Serve as a primary driver of process improvement initiatives across the accounting function, identifying inefficiencies, redundancies, and manual workarounds that can be eliminated or automated. Document current-state workflows and design improved future-state processes in partnership with the Controller and process owners. Build and maintain a durable library of desktop procedures, process narratives, and control documentation that reduces key-person dependency and supports scalability. Evaluate existing close, reporting, and operational accounting workflows for accuracy, timeliness, and scalability, and standardize them as the team grows. Collaborate with technology and operations stakeholders to ensure system capabilities are fully utilized and aligned with accounting requirements. Project Management Lead and coordinate cross-functional accounting and finance initiatives from intake through implementation, including scoping, timelines, milestones, and stakeholder communication. Manage change management and team training associated with new processes, systems, and reporting deliverables. Maintain structured project plans and status reporting that keep the Controller and stakeholders informed of progress, dependencies, and risks. Partner with project management resources and system implementation partners to keep initiatives on schedule and aligned to accounting requirements. Leadership & Direct Report Management Provide senior leadership within the accounting function, modeling accountability, judgment, and professional standards for the broader team. Manage and develop assigned staff, including remote team members, providing clear direction, ongoing feedback, and a structured growth path. Establish working rhythms and communication norms that support effective collaboration and accountability across onsite and remote staff. Review work product prepared by direct reports, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with accounting standards. Partner with the Controller to expand direct reports' scope as capability develops and to build bench strength across the function. Technical Accounting Serve as a key technical accounting resource for the department, supporting judgments on matters including revenue recognition, accruals, reserves, intercompany transactions, and GAAP application. Absorb accounting decisions currently escalated to the Controller, exercising independent judgment within established frameworks. Prepare and review technical accounting memos and position papers as needed, particularly for new or evolving business activities. Support the ongoing use and optimization of the Zuora Revenue platform, including reconciliation of revenue system output to the general ledger. Internal Controls & Cross-Departmental Collaboration Partner with leaders across the organization — including operations, revenue, IT, and HR — to evaluate the design and operating effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting and key business processes. Lead walkthroughs and process reviews with cross-functional stakeholders to identify control gaps and develop practical, documented improvements in collaboration with process owners. Support the Controller in building shared ownership of financial controls across non-finance departments. Serve as an accounting liaison during external audits and regulatory reviews, coordinating documentation and responses within assigned areas. Qualifications Required 6+ years of progressive accounting experience, including ownership of close processes and complex accounting matters Prior experience in public accounting (audit or advisory) and an industry accounting role Strong command of US GAAP including revenue recognition, consolidations, and intercompany accounting Demonstrated track record of identifying and driving process improvements and building accounting documentation Experience leading projects or system/process initiatives from planning through implementation Proven ability to lead and manage staff, including remote team members Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and at least one mid-to-enterprise ERP system Preferred CPA license or active progress toward licensure Experience in a multi-entity, multi-state operating environment Familiarity with revenue management platforms (e.g., Zuora) or subledger reconciliation Prior experience in a team undergoing systems implementation or process transformation Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to partner effectively across non-finance departments What Success Looks Like In the first 90 days: Has absorbed primary ownership of designated close areas and Controller-level accounting decisions with limited escalation. Has established documented close ownership — calendar, task ownership, and status reporting — giving the Controller clear visibility into close progress. Has completed an initial process assessment identifying high-priority improvement and documentation opportunities. Has established effective working rhythms with assigned staff and built productive relationships with key cross-functional stakeholders. Within 12 months: Has materially improved at least two core accounting workflows, with measurable impact on close time, accuracy, or team capacity, supported by durable documentation. Has led at least one cross-functional project or process initiative from planning through implementation. Has taken ownership of internal control evaluation across at least two non-finance departments. Has become a key technical and operational authority on the team, reducing Controller involvement in day-to-day accounting decisions. This position description outlines the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and may evolve as organizational needs develop. About U.S. LawShield At U.S. LawShield our focus is on encouraging people to take proactive measures to improve their safety and self-defense abilities—and to serve those who do. We strive to create better-protected communities of responsible self-defenders who have the peace of mind to live their lives confidently. Our company was established in 2009. After initially launching in Texas as Texas LawShield®, the demand for services developed well beyond state lines. Our coverage began to expand across the United States, which is when we became U.S. LawShield. Today, we provide coverage in 46 states and have proudly served more than 2 million people in their self-defense journey.