The Complete Guide to Accountant Job Descriptions: Roles, Duties, and Templates

The global market value of the accounting industry was $544.06 billion in 2020 and it is expected to grow to $734.94 billion by 2025. While the market is growing at a rapid pace, many evolutions have surfaced in the workforce – shift in the age group and mindset of the modern-day accountants, rapid digital transformation, and the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, changing needs of the consumers, continuous regulatory change, and so much more.

A Sage 2019 report shed some light on the transformations that the industry is undergoing. Some of the findings include: 

 

• 62% of the respondents believe that training programs alone will not be enough to run a successful practice by 2030.

• 57% of respondents said that technological literacy is now a leading additional skill accountants need.

• 40% of the new staff join a practice based on its market reputation

 

Why are accountants so important?

 

The talent shortage in the accounting industry is real. One of the key reasons is the lack of a new generation of accountants, unwilling to join the workforce. The long hours, the lack of work-life balance are cited as some of the factors resulting in this. The leaders and firm owners are taking a new approach – addressing the concerns – to make accounting a better, more diverse, and befitting profession.

Despite these challenges, accounting is one of the most sought-after professions. Every organization needs them, irrespective of size, type, or industry. After all, accountants are not mere number crunchers. They are at the heart of any business. From ensuring compliance with the constantly evolving laws to providing critical insights to the leaders and other stakeholders, their knowledge, expertise, and judgment guide a firm’s strategic decision-making. They help businesses track performance, manage risks, optimize cash flow, and plan for growth. When organizations lack skilled accountants, they struggle to maintain financial health, meet even the basic regulatory obligations, or make informed decisions.

 

As the industry continues to evolve, leaders need to change too. “If you can equip leaders to lead in a new way – they are creating an innovative culture, they are focusing on growth, they have a strategic approach to problem solving, they are not just reactive – if you can do that early on in someone’s career, you have a lot of people in the same direction in the profession as a whole,” says Angie Grissom, Owner of Rainmaker Companies in the Accounting Influencers podcast with Rob Brown.

 

So, how do you prepare the next generation of leaders? This is where a great job description comes into the picture. It is the first step towards hiring a great team member.

 

 

What should be included in any accounting job description?

 

A job description has to be well-structured. Period. Whether you are hiring for an entry-level accounting position or a Director position, the structure is important for highly skilled resources to align with the actual job.. This is how you can structure each of the sections.

 

• Job Title:  Use a clear, recognizable title that candidates will search for. This will improve your search and visibility. 

• Position Summary: This is where you pitch your role to the candidates. Keep it brief, but explain what the position does and how it contributes to the firm. This is a self-filler for the candidates.
  
  

• Key Responsibilities: Use bullet points for ease of visibility, mentioning core duties. Use action-oriented language like “update”, “assist”, and “prepare” so that the candidates are certain of what they are expected to do. 

• Required skills: Mention any tools and certifications you want the team members to have. Also, include the experience you are looking for to ensure only the right candidates apply. 

• Reporting line: Specify who the role reports to and if there are any direct reportees or collaborators. This helps the candidates assess if the position is a right fit for them, depending on who they want to work with. 

• Showcase Your Company Culture: Modern-day workforce wants to know what they are signing up for, which means understanding what the company culture looks like, what the goal and vision of the company are, to ensure alignment. 

 

• Compensation & benefits: Your candidates want to know what you will pay them. No matter what anyone says, this is one of the primary things prospective employees look for. Transparency in pay also attracts trust. It is even better if you can include other benefits, besides compensation.

 

 

• Application process: Candidates want to know what happens after they have applied for a position. Mention the next steps, set timelines, interview rounds, or who they will be hearing from. This gives them peace and strengthens trust through clear communication.

 

Tips to Write Accounting Job Descriptions that Attract Top Talent

 

Attracting top talent is no cakewalk. It requires understanding the mindset of the candidates that you are hiring. It is not just about mentioning the roles and responsibilities. It is about pitching your organization, showcasing what value you will add to the resume and career of the people who become a part of your team. Hence, curating a JD that attracts top talent should be taken extremely seriously. Here are a few tips that can help you get started. 

 

• Start with a clear, optimized title: 

Why is it important: Even before a candidate sees your JD, it is the title that they are looking for. This is what they use to search for where the vacancies are available.

What should you do?

• Use standard terms for roles like “Accounting Manager,” “Tax Accountant,” or “Accounts Payable Specialist.”
• Avoid using jargon or made-up terms like “Finance Rockstar” or “Number Ninja”. They may seem fun, but they will not be able to deliver results in terms of hiring candidates.
• Add any key qualifiers (like “Remote,” “Part-Time,” “CPA Preferred”) to improve search relevance.

 

• Treat your role summary like an elevator pitch: 

Why is it important: When actively looking, top candidates look through dozens of roles in several organizations in a day. A strong and attractive role summary helps stop the scroll.

What should you do?

• Briefly, but clearly explain what the role is about, why it exists, and how it will add value to the company.
  
  For example, you could add something like “We’re looking for a results-driven Tax Accountant to support our growing portfolio of SMB clients. You’ll be the go-to expert on federal and state filings and play a key role in streamlining our compliance processes.”

 

• Talk about the outcomes, not just about the tasks

 

Why is it important: Top talent wants to know that they will add value and make a difference. Especially when hiring for senior-level positions or niche roles, it is important to mention the impact their role will have. 

What should you do?

• Instead of mentioning vague statements like “prepare financial reports”, a better way could be “deliver monthly reports within 7 business days, with 100% accuracy”.
• Your JD should include accountability and help candidates understand how the role will bring success. 

 

• Let your JD stand out by defining your personality

Why is it important: Generic job descriptions will always have a hard time standing out. Adding a bit of personality helps your JD stand out, especially in a complex hiring landscape.

What should you do?

• Use a conversational and friendly tone. Try using “You will…” instead of “the candidate will”. 
• Incorporating what your culture is, and what it means for the people, can be a good way for candidates to build a sense of belonging even before they become a part of your company. 

 

• Showcase what’s in it for them:

Why is it important: It is not enough to just convey what you want from your employees. You also need to tell them what is in it for them.

What should you do?

• For example, if you have training programs or remote flexibility, don’t forget to mention that in your job descriptions. 
• Be as transparent about the compensation and benefits as possible. Ultimately, this is what they are looking at. 

 

Popular Accounting Roles and Responsibilities

 

Accounting is a diverse profession. As you learn more and grow in the profession, gather experience, you get to choose the niche you prefer. In accounting firms, the teams are a blend of foundational and specialized roles. No matter the size of your firm, having clarity on the purpose of each of the roles you are hiring for helps you and your team (if you have one). 

Here are some of the common accounting roles that you may need to hire for based on the requirements of your firm: 

 

Role	Primary Focus
Accounting Associate	Supports day-to-day financial operations, including reconciliations, data entry, and reporting assistance.
Junior Accountant	Handles basic accounting duties such as journal entries, AR/AP tracking, and assisting with monthly closes.
Senior Accountant	Oversees complex reconciliations, ensures compliance, and leads month-end/year-end close processes.
Accounting Manager	Manages the accounting team, reviews financial statements, and ensures internal controls are in place.
Director of Accounting	Leads high-level strategy, financial planning, and reporting — aligning accounting with business goals.
Certified Public Accountant	Provides licensed expertise in audits, tax filings, and financial strategy with a high level of compliance.
Tax Accountant	Specializes in tax preparation, planning, and ensuring regulatory compliance for clients or the firm.
Property Accountant	Focuses on accounting for real estate assets — tracking rents, managing ledgers, and reconciling expenses.
Management Accountant	Delivers insights through budgeting, forecasting, and cost analysis to guide business decisions.
Senior Account Executive	Manages client relationships, service delivery, and retention within accounting or advisory services.
Senior Account Manager	Oversees strategic accounts, supervises junior staff, and ensures client satisfaction across projects.

 

Accounting Payable & Receivable Roles

A steady cash flow continues to be one of the pressing challenges for many firms. The reason is similar, almost always. Lack of account receivables and payables processes and specialists who understand how to tackle the unusual solutions or sudden changes in payment plans is among the top reasons.

Finding the right resource for such positions isn’t easy. You need to understand the challenges that your vendors face, be prepared for the unforeseen business challenges that might jeopardize the monthly payment cycles, and much more. 

Here are some roles that you can hire for in these positions. 

 

Role	Primary Focus
Accounts Payable Specialist	From vendor invoices to tracking due dates and ensuring timely payments to suppliers, an AP specialist is responsible for working closely with procurement and accounting teams to maintain accurate records and avoid late fees or penalties.
Accounts Payable Manager	As an accounting firm owner, you are probably dealing with hundreds of transactions weekly or across multiple locations. An AP Manager will lead the AP team, oversee internal controls, and ensure efficiency across all workflows.
Accounts Receivable Manager	The AR Manager focuses on ensuring that your business gets paid. They monitor receivables, client payment cycles, and minimize outstanding balances or bad debts.
Combined AR/AP roles	In case of small to mid-size accounting firms, you might consider hiring individuals with a combination of both skills. They can help with both payable and receivable without separate hires.

 

Specialized Accounting Roles with Important Hiring Tips

In accounting, several niche positions are in high demand. These roles are about knowing the industry in detail, ensuring compliance and accuracy, and having in-depth insights on specific areas like payroll, taxation, and much more. These roles demand experience and expertise that are directly proportional to the business performance. 

Some of the specialized roles that you may need to hire for include: 

 

• Payroll Accountant:

What Do They Do?

A Payroll Accountant is responsible for managing wage distribution, deductions, benefits, and tax withholdings, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time, while complying with employment laws and reporting standards – both local and global, if needed. 

Why Is It Specialized?

Payroll involves ever-changing labor laws, tax codes, and benefit structures. Mistakes here can lead to financial penalties and employee dissatisfaction.

Hiring Tip:

Look for candidates with experience using platforms like Gusto, ADP, or Paychex, with an in-depth understanding of multi-state or geographical payroll laws if your team is distributed. Make sure to lay out clear expectations right from the start and spread awareness about compliance and confidentiality.

 

• Tax Accountant: 

 

What Do They Do?

Tax season is a very important time for accountants. That is why you need a Tax Accountant – someone who understands the to-dos, the regulations, and everything in between that goes into the process. Tax Accountants are your strategic advisors when preparing taxes.

Why Is It Specialized?

Local, federal, and international tax laws are complex, constantly changing, and high-stakes. The right Tax Accountant doesn’t just file returns—they protect the business from liability and find legitimate savings opportunities.

Hiring Tip:

Prioritize CPAs or EA-certified professionals with experience in your industry. Ask for examples of past tax-saving strategies or audit handling.

 

• Property Accountant: 

What Do They Do?

Property Accountants focus on real estate-related financials—handling rent rolls, lease agreements, asset depreciation, and reconciliation for real estate portfolios.

Why Is It Specialized?

This role requires an understanding of property management software, lease accounting standards, and recurring revenue models.

Hiring Tip:

Look for candidates with industry-specific experience—especially in platforms like Yardi, AppFolio, or MRI. Ask how they’ve handled CAM reconciliations or capital expenditure tracking.

 

Still confused about what to include for specialized job description templates? Use our ready-to-use templates to get the right candidates onboard. 

DOWNLOAD SPECIALIZED JOB DESCRIPTION TEMPLATES

 

How can Job Descriptions help improve accountability and team performance?

We keep talking about how JDs are important when you are hiring for a specific role. But it doesn’t just end there. It is also important when you hire them and bring them on board. They know what it is they are signing up for, you know what to expect from them, and how to set the success parameters. A clear JD goes a long way in building a team that enables growth. 

 

• It helps align everyone on the expectations: 

When roles are clearly defined, everyone knows what’s expected — from day one. This alignment helps avoid miscommunication. Communication gaps in accounting can lead to several missed deadlines, duplicated work, conflicting priorities, and errors that can severely jeopardize the business. 

How it helps performance: Employees can focus their energy on what truly matters. Instead of guessing what the scope of work is, whether they have to communicate something to the client or other stakeholders, they can focus only on delivering outcomes.

How it drives accountability: There’s no room for “I didn’t know that was my job.” Everyone understands their ownership areas, making it easier to track progress and flag underperformance. This also allows leaders to step away from their desks and focus on strategic functions, instead of micromanaging the teams. 

 

• They provide a measurable basis for evaluation: 

Without a clear job description, performance reviews become subjective. With one, managers can measure outcomes against the responsibilities, KPIs, and tools listed in the JD.

How it helps performance: Employees are more likely to hit goals when they are aware of the goals that they are chasing and the results they are expected to deliver. 

How it drives accountability: Reviews become structured and fair. Underperformance becomes easier to identify, document, and address constructively.

 

• It reduces internal conflict: 

When job descriptions clearly define who owns what, it prevents overlapping responsibilities that can lead to inefficiencies or conflict between team members.

How it helps performance: Teams can collaborate better when roles are complementary, not competitive.

How it drives accountability: Ownership is clear — if something isn’t done, it’s easy to trace the gap and resolve it quickly.

 

• It speeds up the process of onboarding and transitions: 

When someone just joins the team, their job descriptions can act as a guidebook on how to get started. It guides them on the skills that they might be missing and need to learn. They gain an understanding of what success looks like and how they can contribute right from the beginning.

How it helps performance: When new hires know exactly what they are expected to do, in some cases, it can also reduce the time spent on training them or performing knowledge transfer. It speeds up productivity and shortens the learning curve. 

How it drives accountability: New hires know what they’re being measured against, so they step up early with direction.

 

• It strengthens trust and transparency: 

When everyone has access to everyone else’s job description, it fosters a culture of clarity and shared understanding. It also gives team members the confidence that they are not being burdened with work alone. 

How it helps performance: When teams understand cross-functional responsibilities, they try to support each other better. This makes room for better collaboration and fewer delays or confusion. 

How it drives accountability: People know who’s responsible for what, and why. No more passing the buck.

 

In-House Hiring vs. Outsourced Hiring – What is Better for You?

Now that you know what it is that you are looking for, it is time to decide whether you want to expand the team on the necessary roles in-house or choose offshoring. This analysis will help make a decision. 

 

Factor	In-house	Outsourcing
Control & culture fit	Strong control over culture, training, and team integration.	May require onboarding and cultural integration to align with a cross-geographic culture and global talent.
Scalability & flexibility	Scaling up can be time-consuming and costly (hiring, onboarding, benefits).	You can hire additional resources during high-demand times and scale down in off-seasons. This is ideal for tax season or the growth phase..
Cost	Higher fixed costs: salaries, benefits, infrastructure, training.	Lower operational costs — you pay just for skills, no overhead.
Hiring	Time-intensive hiring cycle; onboarding may take weeks or months.	With pre-qualified and pre-vetted resources, you get access to skilled teams almost immediately.
Access to expertise	This is limited to just local resources with limited skills and expertise.	Global talent access with niche expertise (e.g., US GAAP, tax prep, software-specific skills).

 

What are the performance metrics for accountants?

 

Job descriptions don’t just define roles—they should be able to set the tone for performance and growth. After all, growth happens when your team members understand what the JD stands for, what they are expected to do, and how they can contribute to growth. This is often symbolized by the key performance indicators. Incorporating KPIs in the JD can help align expectations from day one, track effectiveness and outcomes, facilitate more objectives for performance reviews, and motivate team members by defining what success looks like. 

Here are role-specific examples of KPIs that you can include to drive performance and accountability:

Accounting Associate

• Number of transactions recorded accurately per week
• Timeliness of month-end closing tasks
• Accuracy rate in data entry and reconciliations
• Number of errors flagged internally before an audit
• Response time to internal team queries

Accounts Payable Specialist

• Average invoice processing time
• Payment accuracy rate
• Early payment discount utilization rate
• Number of vendor issues resolved
• Timeliness of payment runs

Accounts Receivable Manager

• • Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)
  • Collection effectiveness index
  • The percentage of overdue accounts reduced
  • Accuracy of customer invoicing

• Time to resolve payment disputes

Tax Accountant

• On-time tax return submissions
• Number of audit flags/issues
• Accuracy in tax calculations and filings
• Time taken to implement new tax regulations
• Estimated tax savings identified for clients/company

Management Accountant

• Budget variance analysis accuracy
• Timeliness of management reports
• Forecast accuracy (%)
• Cost savings initiatives implemented
• Decision-making support is provided to departments

Accounting Manager

• • On-time monthly/quarterly close
  • Team productivity and error rates
  • Internal audit compliance rate
  • Team onboarding and training efficiency

• Accuracy of financial reporting

Director of Accounting

• Department-wide closed-cycle efficiency
• Cost-to-performance ratio of the accounting function
• Compliance with GAAP/IFRS standards
• Strategic initiatives implemented successfully
• Talent retention and engagement metrics

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

• Client satisfaction scores
• Number of financial audits passed without major adjustments
• Accuracy in financial statement preparation
• Advisory services converted into retained work
• Continuing education credits are completed annually

 

Accounting job descriptions aren’t just HR formalities—they’re the foundation of how you attract, hire, and grow the right talent.

When written with clarity, a great job description does more than list duties. It sets expectations, defines success, and gives your team members direction from day one. Whether you’re hiring your first accountant or building a multi-role accounting department, having a library of strategic, ready-to-use job descriptions can save time and improve results.

DOWNLOAD ACCOUNTING JOB DESCRIPTION TEMPLATES HERE

 

Our professionally written templates are tailored to each role and optimized for performance, hiring, and growth, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

 

Why Partnering with Finsmart Elevates Your Hiring Game?

 

Watch how this solo practitioner solved her capacity challenges with our team(Embed the video here): https://youtu.be/-raIeGDZLvw?si=WcAkoDc3v-WYUgp_ 

Hiring accountants today is not just about filling a role—it’s about building a future-ready team that’s agile, efficient, and aligned with your firm’s growth goals. That’s where Finsmart steps in as more than just a talent provider. We become your strategic partner in transforming how you hire, manage, and scale your accounting function.

Whether you’re a CPA firm looking to expand your capacity or a business aiming to streamline financial operations, we bring clarity to your hiring process from the beginning, with guided onboarding and access to top-tier offshore talent that works as an extension of your team.

With 18+ years of experience in accounting offshoring, catering to 7+ countries, we have built an offshoring model that solves the clients’ problem. We call it the Accounting Seat Model. It is an embedded model, which means you get pre-trained, pre-vetted, English-speaking, skilled resources who embed seamlessly into your systems. Need a junior Bookkeeper? We have them. Need a shared CFO? We have you covered.

With Finsmart Accounting, no matter the seniority level or the skills, you will get them all here. Our team members are not just task takers – they are proactive, collaborative, familiar with US GAAP, tax processes, and major accounting platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and more. They help you save time, reduce burnout, and maintain accuracy at every level of your accounting journey.

From the moment you partner with us, we work closely to:

• Understand your firm’s needs and workflows
• Customize the right job roles and responsibilities
• Set up secure systems and clear communication channels
• Integrate offshore team members who align with your culture and expectations

You don’t need to worry about hiring bottlenecks, unclear responsibilities, or training from scratch. With Finsmart, you get a head start—with the tools, templates, and talent you need to build a high-performing accounting team.

 

Partnering with Finsmart makes sure that your accounting processes are seamless from Day 1. To get started, we follow the following onboarding steps:

• Gather all details of the accounting firm – client name, address, partners, employees, point of contact, scope of work, and other basic details. 
• Together we set up the tech – Accounting Software, Internal Communications platform, time tracking, Document Management, task Management, Invoice Processing, Month Closing, Password Protection, and data security
• Deep dive into the accounting processes to understand what both parties expect
• Set the accounting offshoring workflow with our 14-step guide

 

“We are just happy to have a source where we can send our extra work to, so that we can take more work on. We don’t have to go hire more employees, we can just buy more time as needed, and a great resource,” says Julie Beth, Founder of JB Advisory, who has been using Finsmart Accounting for their recurring accounting activities. 

 

Ready to get started? Book a discovery call: 

Book a free discovery call to explore your options.

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