How to hire a senior accounting manager

How to hire a senior accounting manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior accounting manager 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 manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior accounting manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior accounting manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior accounting manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   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 manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior accounting managers 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 managers.

   Type of Senior Accounting Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Accounting Manager	Financial managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies and plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.	$38-70
   Finance Controller	A financial controller is primarily in charge of the daily finance activities and accounting functions of a company. Their responsibilities typically revolve around preparing and organizing financial reports, analyzing data and looking out for any discrepancies or inconsistencies, and overseeing the company's overall revenues and expenditures... Show more	$34-75
   Corporate Controller	A corporate controller is a professional who is responsible for supervising the overall daily accounting operations of an organization. Integral to the financial health of the organization, corporate controllers are required to help the organization with strategic financial decisions through forecasting reports and financial statements... Show more	$47-100

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPA
   • GAAP
   • Reconciliations
   • Internal Controls
   • SOX
   • Close Process
   • External Auditors
   • Senior Accounting
   • Payroll
   • Account Reconciliations
   • Customer Service
   • Process Improvement
   • Revenue Recognition
   • IFRS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead research, selection and implementation of government contracting ERP software and facilitate training of engineers and project managers.
   • Implement new or improve processes train on the ERP system and manage the transition assignments leading to quality staff performance.
   • Point manager in initiating and managing SOX compliance procedures and documentation.
   • Manage corporate accounting operations including general ledger system administration, month end close processes, and account reconciliations.
   • Initiate ongoing departmental projects to automate daily tasks which include the calculations for income distributions and the daily income account reconciliation.
   • Reorganize procurement and budgeting departments for SOX compliance.

   More senior accounting manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior accounting manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior accounting manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, senior accounting managers' average salary in hawaii is 42% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior accounting managers 45% less than senior-level senior accounting managers.
   • Certifications. A senior accounting manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior accounting manager's salary.

   Average senior accounting manager salary

   $109,420yearly

   $52.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior accounting manager salary

   $81,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average senior accounting manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$148,670	$71
   2	New York	$130,198	$63
   3	Washington	$128,512	$62
   4	Massachusetts	$127,033	$61
   5	New Jersey	$115,257	$55
   6	District of Columbia	$113,145	$54
   7	Connecticut	$113,140	$54
   8	Nevada	$113,023	$54
   9	Oregon	$111,907	$54
   10	Delaware	$111,723	$54
   11	Virginia	$110,990	$53
   12	Indiana	$106,581	$51
   13	Illinois	$105,734	$51
   14	Pennsylvania	$104,349	$50
   15	Texas	$99,367	$48
   16	North Carolina	$98,823	$48
   17	Maryland	$97,459	$47
   18	Florida	$97,371	$47
   19	Arizona	$97,120	$47
   20	Utah	$96,536	$46

   Average senior accounting manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Latham & Watkins	$170,629	$82.03	5
   2	Holland & Knight	$156,677	$75.33
   3	PacBio	$155,777	$74.89
   4	Chegg	$154,865	$74.45
   5	Snowflake Computing	$151,488	$72.83	1
   6	Intuit	$151,350	$72.76	27
   7	Cinedigm	$151,165	$72.68
   8	TripActions	$149,025	$71.65
   9	DoorDash	$147,893	$71.10	4
   10	New Relic	$147,406	$70.87	8
   11	Algolia	$147,212	$70.78
   12	Airtable	$145,302	$69.86	1
   13	Instacart	$143,908	$69.19	5
   14	Etsy	$143,060	$68.78
   15	DocuSign	$142,862	$68.68	2
   16	SoFi	$142,807	$68.66	23
   17	Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group	$140,918	$67.75	2
   18	ORIX USA	$139,885	$67.25
   19	BNY Mellon	$137,056	$65.89	42
   20	Yahoo	$136,228	$65.49

4. Writing a senior accounting manager job description

   A job description for a senior accounting manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a senior accounting manager job description:

   Senior accounting manager job description example

   EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.
   
   Echostar has an exciting opportunity for a Sr Accounting Manager I for our corporate accounting team who owns our general ledger, month end close, management reporting, and accounting processes and procedures for our varying businesses.
   
   This role can be based at either our EchoStar location in Englewood, CO or Gaithersburg, MD and will report to the Director of Corporate Accounting. The successful candidate must be a well versed in general accounting with the ability to develop and improve processes and procedures with minimal supervision. We are looking for someone who has demonstrated excellent full cycle accounting and analytical skills and enjoys working in a challenging and fast paced environment.
   Responsibilities:
   Actively participate in all aspects of month-end close to include creation and accuracy of journal entries, month end variance analysis, creation and accuracy of month-end balance sheet reconciliations and assist with the creation of accurate and timely management reporting Review subsidiary financial statements and work with respective teams to resolve any issues Prepare balance sheet reconciliations Assist with preparation of monthly and quarterly financial statement analysis Prepare consolidated schedules to be used in the SEC filings Prepare schedules used in audit testing by Internal and External AuditorsDocument, administer and maintain appropriate documentation and identification of the Company's SOX key processes and controls Participate in special projects and ad hoc requests
   
   Basic Requirements
   Bachelor's Degree in Accounting10+ years of related accounting experience including significant exposure to general ledger accounting - predominately at large, multi-national public companies5+ years of working with large, global ERP systems (Oracle or SAP)
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Masters' Degree in AccountingCPA preferred Very strong communication and influencing skills and a demonstrated ability to work effectively across multiple functional and business groups Superior organization and prioritization skills Advanced MS Excel skills and knowledge of spreadsheets, including various functions such a vlookups and pivot tables Highly skilled in data analysis and proven ability to present data in a clear, concise and compelling manner to all levels of management
   
   Will be eligible for discretionary bonus, with funding based on company performance.
   #LI-EM1
   
   Compensation Range
   Annual Salary: $93,500.00 - $124,000.00
   
   EchoStar is committed to offering a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. Our programs are designed to provide you with the ability to customize your benefits to best meet the needs of you and your family. Our philosophy for these programs is to support and encourage healthy living and wellness. Our benefits package covers it all-from healthcare savings plans to education assistance and more!
   Financial: 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match; employee stock purchase plan; profit-sharing; company-paid life insurance, AD&D and disability Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO), company-paid holidays, health and wellness events, exercise and sports facilities (locations may vary) Employee Incentives: Tuition reimbursement, employee referral program, year round employee events and community programs, discounts on Dish Network and HughesNetHealth: Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Health Savings Account (HSA) with opportunities to earn employer contributions; Health Care, Dependent Care and Transportation Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
   
   EchoStar and its Affiliated Companies are committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. U.S. Persons or those able to obtain and maintain U.S. government security clearances may be required for certain positions. EEO is the law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find senior accounting managers 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 managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior accounting managers 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 manager job on Zippia to find and recruit senior accounting manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior accounting managers, 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 manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior accounting manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new senior accounting manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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