How to hire a systems accountant

How to hire a systems accountant, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the systems accountant you need to hire. Certain systems accountant 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

   Hiring the perfect systems accountant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents systems accountant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Systems Accountant	Description	Hourly rate
   Systems 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	$20-39
   Accountant Internship	An accounting intern is responsible for assisting an organization's accounting department, observing practical applications and processes, and performing accounting duties under the supervision of tenured accounting staff. Accounting interns support the accounting operations by preparing and organizing financial reports, helping with accounts reconciliation, researching financial and stock market trends, utilizing various accounting software, and managing feedback from their mentors... Show more	$11-21
   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:

   • General Ledger
   • Internal Controls
   • Reconciliations
   • Payroll
   • Internal Audit
   • Journal Entries
   • Treasury
   • Financial Data
   • Financial Reports
   • Balance Sheet
   • SQL
   • Fixed Assets
   • Financial Management Systems
   • Federal Agencies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the review, enhancement, and creation of department policy and procedure documentation require for Sarbanes-Oxley auditing and compliance.
   • Prepare journal entries and monthly account reconciliations.
   • Project manager for financial system support, integrating AR, funds control, and payroll subsidiary systems.
   • Develop the concept and reconciliation of the gross-to-net for active duty (navy), civilian payroll and retire payroll process.
   • Complete internal audits and reconciliations of government/grant appropriation of funds for compliance with propose regulations.
   • Collaborate with team to spearhead installation of ERP financial system, improving efficiency and accuracy.

   More systems accountant duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, systems accountants' average salary in north dakota is 55% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level systems accountants 48% less than senior-level systems accountants.
   • Certifications. A systems 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 systems accountant's salary.

   Average systems accountant salary

   $60,010yearly

   $28.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level systems accountant salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average systems accountant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$97,308	$47
   2	Georgia	$73,649	$35
   3	New Jersey	$72,940	$35
   4	New York	$72,778	$35
   5	California	$65,097	$31
   6	Virginia	$64,361	$31
   7	North Carolina	$61,684	$30
   8	Illinois	$60,736	$29
   9	Wisconsin	$57,690	$28
   10	Pennsylvania	$57,231	$28
   11	Texas	$57,039	$27
   12	Louisiana	$55,797	$27
   13	Tennessee	$53,580	$26
   14	Minnesota	$49,001	$24
   15	South Carolina	$47,829	$23
   16	Florida	$47,617	$23

   Average systems accountant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	AstraZeneca	$102,691	$49.37
   2	Citrix	$82,397	$39.61
   3	University of California	$75,157	$36.13	4
   4	INDO	$69,495	$33.41
   5	Defense Finance and Accounting Service	$65,527	$31.50
   6	United States Army Corps of Engineers	$62,587	$30.09
   7	Nj.com	$62,482	$30.04
   8	*n/a*	$62,065	$29.84
   9	Swift Denim Services Inc	$62,063	$29.84
   10	SugarShot	$62,044	$29.83
   11	Datapoint Corp	$62,044	$29.83
   12	Kerry Holding Co.	$62,044	$29.83	1
   13	Agriculture	$62,044	$29.83
   14	ARServices	$62,043	$29.83
   15	Cordia	$61,811	$29.72
   16	Sdc	$61,629	$29.63
   17	Hexcel	$61,029	$29.34
   18	Robert Half	$60,320	$29.00	1,320
   19	Genesis HealthCare System	$60,295	$28.99
   20	avanti	$60,033	$28.86

4. Writing a systems accountant job description

   A job description for a systems accountant 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 systems accountant job description:

   Systems accountant job description example

   BASIC DESCRIPTION:
   
   The Power Systems Division is part of ITW's North America Welding Industrial Platform. The Accountant will be responsible for driving results by accurately preparing, interpreting and communicating all division financial information. This individual will be an active member of the division core accounting team and will assist in adhering to and applying all ITW principles and procedures and internal controls. We are looking for a detail oriented, positive professional with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well as a team and individually. Candidate must be a fast learner and be able to balance multiple projects. This position is based in Appleton, WI.
   
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   
   Lead the monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial closing process effectively and efficiently
   
   Prepare accurate financial statements and maintain/reconcile ledger accounts
   
   Be analytical, inquisitive, and crisp in explaining the story behind the numbers and a strong ability to understand macro and micro trends and quickly discern inaccuracies
   
   Provide various sales analysis reports as needed to help support the division and provide timely data for managers to assist with decision-making
   
   · Assist in developing monthly and quarterly outlooks as well as annual plan
   
   Present an objective opinion as input for business decisions based on facts, data and analysis
   
   Inventory management including participation in cycle counting program
   
   Maintain the standard cost files in accordance with ITW policies/procedures. Participate in annual standard cost roll-up
   
   Oversee the accounts payable function, related vendor management, and sales and use tax reporting and compliance
   
   Assist in capital expenditure requests and audits, and manage fixed assets within the division
   
   Keep the leadership team informed of important developments, potential problems, and related information necessary for effective management
   
   Help other employees understand how their choices and decisions will impact the financials and identifies, communicates, and trains others on key business drivers
   
   Leverage available tools and new technologies to compile relevant useful information to support process improvements and operational decisions
   
   Participate in and lead cross-functional Toolbox projects
   
   Be a strong motivational champion of the ITW Toolbox; utilizing 80/20 in all critical thinking toward applying sound judgement to analyze processes, identifying and acting upon opportunities to reduce complexity and simplify processes
   
   Perform related work as apparent or assigned
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find systems accountants 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 systems accountants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level systems accountants 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 systems accountant job on Zippia to find and recruit systems accountant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with systems 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 systems accountant

   Once you've decided on a perfect systems accountant 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 systems accountant 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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