How To Become An Accounting Clerk Lead: What It Is and Career Path

What is an accounting clerk lead and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Earl Godfrey,

Jodi Olson

As an accounting clerk lead, your purpose will be to head the accounting department's clerical and administrative duties within a company or an organization. Be it accountants or other personnel working in the department, it will be your duty to ensure that their work is as hassle-free and efficient as it can be.

Some of the duties and responsibilities that you will be performing in this capacity include collecting and sorting invoices and checks, keeping a thorough record of transactions, entering data from daily work logs, keeping track of consumer issues requiring refunds, or other similar tasks. Moreover, you will also be assisting senior accounting personnel with any tasks being conducted within the accounting department. Essential skills required to successfully complete these tasks are effective communication, interpersonal, attention to detail, exceptional organizational skills, and strong people skills.

A high school diploma or a GED is sufficient to qualify for this post, although having an associate's degree or a bachelor's would prove advantageous. Prior work experience in an office environment in a similar role is also desirable. The average hourly pay for this position is $23.85, which amounts to $49,617 annually.

What general advice would you give to an accounting clerk lead?

Earl Godfrey

Professor of Accounting, Gardner-Webb University

I would give graduates the same advice that I always have: Be hungry for additional credentials. They help highlight your "distinctive competence," as Porter would say. Also, be hungry for foundational experience. Often, opportunity comes from success in positions that allow you to demonstrate that you have learned but are a quick learner. Also, never take a job if you are not well prepared to handle its responsibilities. You have to know as much about the duties of those you supervise as they do. If you are too ambitious, there is often a penalty, rather than a payday.

ScoreAccounting Clerk LeadUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $70,816

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.0

Growth rate -5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.63%

Asian 6.60%

Black or African American 6.86%

Hispanic or Latino 14.57%

Unknown 3.97%

White 67.38%

Gender

female 73.92%

male 26.08%

Age - 53

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 53

Stress level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.4

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.3

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an accounting clerk lead

Explore accounting clerk lead education requirements

Most common accounting clerk lead degrees

Bachelor's

58.4 %

Associate

23.6 %

High School Diploma

8.1 %

Start to develop specific accounting clerk lead skills

Skills	Percentages
General Ledger	12.97%
HR	12.75%
GAAP	9.36%
Reconciliations	9.02%
Invoice	4.72%

Complete relevant accounting clerk lead training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New accounting clerks lead learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an accounting clerk lead based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real accounting clerk lead resumes.

Research accounting clerk lead duties and responsibilities

Manage weekly, monthly, and quarterly accruals and SOX reporting.
Lead the conversion to new trading software that enhance cash management and treasury reporting.
Prepare monthly trust experience reports, including reconciliations of trust contributions and disbursements.
Prepare adjusting journal entries, reconcile general accounts, and conduct bank reconciliations.

Get accounting clerk lead experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become an accounting clerk lead. The most common roles before becoming an accounting clerk lead include accounting clerk, accounts payable clerk team lead and staff accountant.

Prepare your accounting clerk lead resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your accounting clerk lead resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an accounting clerk lead resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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