How to hire a senior staff accountant

How to hire a senior staff accountant, step by step

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

What does a senior staff accountant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior staff accountant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A senior staff accountant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior staff accountants 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.

   Here's a comparison of senior staff accountant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Staff Accountant	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Staff Accountant	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	$23-41
   Accounting Supervisor	Account supervisors are in charge of the accounting and financial operations within an organization's accounting department. They supervise the account team and provide feedback about their performance and recommend improvements when necessary... Show more	$24-44
   Accountant/Consultant	Accountants/consultants perform accounting tasks for organizations or companies. The accountants improve accounting practices and prepare financial statements at the end of every year... Show more	$22-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reconciliations
   • Account Reconciliations
   • CPA
   • GAAP
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Balance Sheet Accounts
   • Fixed Assets
   • External Auditors
   • Accruals
   • Internal Controls
   • Payroll Processing
   • Close Process
   • Strong Analytical
   • Financial Data

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage month end close process including journal entries, departmental analysis and preparation of consolidate financial statements and account reconciliations.
   • Involve in revenue recognition research (ASC 985-605 vs. ASC 605-25).
   • Aid managers in performing AP duties, generate financial reports for CPA, and reconcile bank accounts for corporate office.
   • Prepare balance sheet reconciliations and general ledger analysis in accordance with GAAP.
   • Advance SaaS deal and rev accounting.
   • Cultivate productive, trustful relationship with external CPA firm, critical to producing successful audits and year-end reporting.

   More senior staff accountant duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior staff accountants' average salary in maine is 50% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior staff accountants 44% less than senior-level senior staff accountants.
   • Certifications. A senior staff accountant 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 staff accountant's salary.

   Average senior staff accountant salary

   $65,019yearly

   $31.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior staff accountant salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average senior staff accountant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$81,295	$39
   2	New York	$76,850	$37
   3	California	$74,810	$36
   4	Maryland	$65,030	$31
   5	Washington	$64,448	$31
   6	Texas	$64,278	$31
   7	Virginia	$64,207	$31
   8	Georgia	$63,662	$31
   9	Massachusetts	$63,326	$30
   10	Delaware	$63,208	$30
   11	Illinois	$60,253	$29
   12	North Carolina	$59,496	$29
   13	Colorado	$59,304	$29
   14	Pennsylvania	$59,252	$28
   15	Indiana	$57,798	$28
   16	Nevada	$57,581	$28
   17	Florida	$57,232	$28
   18	Arizona	$57,004	$27
   19	Oklahoma	$55,736	$27
   20	Minnesota	$54,094	$26

   Average senior staff accountant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Calumet Specialty Products Partners	$76,574	$36.81
   2	Crown Castle International	$74,761	$35.94
   3	AMETEK	$74,726	$35.93	4
   4	FCP Building	$74,677	$35.90
   5	Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP	$74,437	$35.79	3
   6	Asbury Automotive Group	$74,225	$35.69	7
   7	Ascensus	$73,740	$35.45
   8	Bipartisan Policy Center	$73,580	$35.38
   9	Arrowhead Products	$71,958	$34.60
   10	Suburban Propane	$71,790	$34.51	3
   11	Something Digital	$71,532	$34.39
   12	Genesee & Wyoming	$71,418	$34.34
   13	Community Health Systems	$71,163	$34.21	96
   14	Energy Inc.	$70,729	$34.00
   15	Sulzer US Holding Inc	$70,171	$33.74
   16	Ulta Beauty	$70,115	$33.71	1
   17	Crowe	$69,723	$33.52	16
   18	Child Trends	$69,476	$33.40
   19	The Marketing Arm	$69,315	$33.32
   20	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$69,286	$33.31	1

4. Writing a senior staff accountant job description

   A good senior staff accountant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a senior staff accountant job description:

   Senior staff accountant job description example

   • Bachelor's degree in finance or accounting
   • CPA certification preferred
   • Minimum 5 years of accounting experience within a global corporate environment
   • Minimum 3 years of revenue recognition experience, preferably in a SaaS technology business
   • Minimum 5 years of experience working with ERP software (i.e. Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics)
   • Proven ability to prepare a complete set of financial statements (B/S, I/S, Cash Flow)
   • Experience with multi-currency and transaction/translation
   • Proven excellence in written and verbal communication
   • Working knowledge of accounting principles and regulations
   • Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel
   • Ability to understand, interpret and present conclusions on financial data
   • Demonstrated ability to work in a leadership role and supervise staff accountants

   We Support Who You Are….

   As a global company, we strive to create an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives spark innovation and meet the challenges of an evolving world. Whether you're launching a new career or expanding your current one, IDeaS is a company where you can balance great work with all other aspects of your life.

   At IDeaS, we also aspire to live our values each day by being Accountable, Curious, Passionate and Authentic. And we continue our quest to build a more inclusive environment that attracts, represents and provides a place for diverse ideas, unique perspectives, and authentic voices.

   Additional Information:
   To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States , and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status.

   SAS is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Read more: Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law. Also view the supplement EEO is the Law, and the notice Pay Transparency

   Equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience may be considered in place of the education requirement stated above.

   The level of this position will be determined based on the applicant's education, skills and experience.

   Resumes may be considered in the order they are received.

   IDeaS/SAS employees performing certain job functions may require access to technology or software subject to export or import regulations. To comply with these regulations, IDeaS/SAS may obtain nationality or citizenship information from applicants for employment. IDeaS/SAS collects this information solely for trade law compliance purposes and does not use it to discriminate unfairly in the hiring process.

   #LI-Hybrid

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior staff accountant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior staff accountant job on Zippia to find and recruit senior staff accountant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior staff accountant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 staff accountant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior staff accountant position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new senior staff accountant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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