How to hire a senior accounting analyst

How to hire a senior accounting analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior accounting analyst hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior accounting analyst job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior accounting analyst
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior accounting analyst do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the senior accounting analyst you need to hire. Certain senior accounting analyst roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A senior accounting analyst's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior accounting analysts from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior accounting analysts.

   Type of Senior Accounting Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Accounting Analyst	Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records. They ensure that financial records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time... Show more	$25-46
   Finance Analyst/Accountant	In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently... Show more	$22-40
   Tax Analyst	A tax analyst specializes in managing and filing tax forms and tax returns, all while devising strategies to reduce tax payments legally. A tax analyst may work as a member of a company or independently... Show more	$20-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reconciliations
   • GAAP
   • Senior Accounting
   • Financial Reports
   • Internal Controls
   • External Auditors
   • Process Improvement
   • SOX
   • Accruals
   • Financial Analysis
   • Hyperion
   • Balance Sheet Accounts
   • Variance Analysis
   • General Ledger Accounts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide narrative comments for various financial packages to attain financial statement sign-offs as part of SOX compliance.
   • Rebate accruals must comply with ASC 650-50 guidelines and be recognize in the proper period in accordance with GAAP.
   • Perform as key member of ERP implementation team for migration from AS400 system to Mfg/Pro.
   • Work closely with the ERP developers to resolve system issues and updates due to changing business needs.
   • Assist the consulting CPA firm in the preparation of all year-end data and journal entries require for tax purposes.
   • Review general and subsidiary ledger balances for accuracy, policy and procedures for compliance with FASB industry guidelines and GAAP.

   More senior accounting analyst duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the senior accounting analyst job description is a good way to get more applicants. A senior accounting analyst salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a senior accounting analyst in Hawaii may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level senior accounting analyst. Additionally, a senior accounting analyst with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average senior accounting analyst salary

   $71,248yearly

   $34.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior accounting analyst salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

   Average senior accounting analyst salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$95,805	$46
   2	New York	$81,889	$39
   3	District of Columbia	$81,390	$39
   4	Virginia	$77,680	$37
   5	Arizona	$72,434	$35
   6	North Carolina	$70,938	$34
   7	Oregon	$70,006	$34
   8	Massachusetts	$69,671	$34
   9	Washington	$68,649	$33
   10	Michigan	$67,375	$32
   11	Connecticut	$66,966	$32
   12	Texas	$65,534	$32
   13	Minnesota	$65,451	$31
   14	Illinois	$64,152	$31
   15	Georgia	$63,253	$30
   16	Wisconsin	$63,035	$30
   17	Pennsylvania	$62,723	$30
   18	Colorado	$62,455	$30
   19	Maryland	$61,757	$30
   20	Florida	$60,229	$29

   Average senior accounting analyst salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$124,250	$59.74	17
   2	Virtu Financial	$106,982	$51.43
   3	Pacific Gas and Electric	$104,980	$50.47
   4	Citi	$104,838	$50.40	12
   5	Neuberger Berman	$103,400	$49.71
   6	General Motors	$101,665	$48.88	5
   7	Ocean Tomo	$101,414	$48.76
   8	Intuitive Surgical	$101,223	$48.66	5
   9	Chevron	$101,077	$48.59
   10	BNY Mellon	$100,041	$48.10	33
   11	Oaktree Capital Management	$100,010	$48.08
   12	Tri-State G&T	$99,771	$47.97	4
   13	Citrix	$98,745	$47.47
   14	Realogy	$97,337	$46.80
   15	Best Buy	$96,847	$46.56
   16	Expedia Group	$94,074	$45.23	6
   17	RSA Security LLC	$94,068	$45.23
   18	BNP Paribas	$93,951	$45.17
   19	Bank of the West	$93,461	$44.93
   20	Tesla	$91,935	$44.20	3

4. Writing a senior accounting analyst job description

   A senior accounting analyst job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a senior accounting analyst job description:

   Senior accounting analyst job description example

   • Experience with DOD financial systems or ERP systems to analyze, report and enhance DOD financial processes and systems.
   • Communication skills to effectively brief and apprise senior level officials regarding the status of financial conditions and senior level initiatives. (DAR-Q, Status of Funds, Un-Matched Transactions (UMTs), Unliquidated Obligations (ULOs) Notice of Findings Recommendations -NFR, Corrective Action Plans-CAPs, Contract Closeout, IDOCs, etc.)
   • Knowledge of various DOD appropriations pertaining to Defense Health Systems, Defense Health Program or O&M, R&D and Procurement.
   • Demonstrated knowledge of various financial or external feeder systems, GFEBS, GCSS-Army, FCM, IPAC, MOCAS, DTS, AXOL, ATAAPS, DMLSS, Power-track, DCAS, WAWF, EDA, etc.) Advanced GFEBS knowledge is preferred.
   • Knowledge and familiarity pertaining to entering accounting transaction codes (MIPRs, SPS PRs, FMY1, FMAVCR02) and pertaining to commitments, obligation, expenses, and disbursements.
   • Demonstrated knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Department of Defense Financial Management Regulations (DODFMR).
   • Proficiency in MS Office Applications (Word, Excel, Power-point, etc.)

   Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or related major

   Experience: 8 - 10 Years

   Security: Secret

   Location: Hybrid - DHA HQ, Falls Church, VA, 3 days a week

   MDC is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MDC Human Resources.

   In compliance with President Biden’s Executive Order 14042 and the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors, MDC requires all employees to follow the prevailing guidance at the time of hire.

   MDC is an equal opportunity employer. We provide employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our goal is for each staff member to have the opportunity to grow to the limits of their abilities and to achieve personal and organizational objectives. We will support positive programs for equal treatment of all staff and full utilization of all qualified employees at all levels within MDC.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find senior accounting analysts for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any senior accounting analysts they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior accounting analysts with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior accounting analyst job on Zippia to find and attract quality senior accounting analyst candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior accounting analysts, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior accounting analyst

   Once you've selected the best senior accounting analyst candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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