Accounting Manager Resume Example

A concise, ATS‑friendly resume with measurable outcomes you can adapt.

Accounting Manager Resume Sample

Robert Chen
robert@chen.com
(415) 555-0397
linkedin.com/in/robert-chen-cpa
Accounting Manager
Accounting Manager with 7+ years leading accounting teams and financial operations for mid-size companies. CPA with expertise in month-end close, financial reporting, audits, and team leadership. Reduced close time from 15 to 7 days, implemented new ERP system (NetSuite), and led audits resulting in zero findings. Skilled in managing 5-person team, preparing budgets/forecasts, and implementing process improvements that saved $250K annually. Strong technical skills in GAAP, SOX compliance, and financial analysis.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Accounting Manager
Jan 2021 – Present
MidSize Tech Solutions
  • Team Leadership: Lead 5-person accounting team managing full accounting cycle for $50M revenue SaaS company, reducing month-end close from 15 to 7 days and reducing team turnover from 40% to 5%
  • Process Improvement: Led NetSuite ERP implementation and process automation initiatives saving $250K annually through reduced manual work ($100K), early payment discounts ($50K), and eliminated write-offs ($100K)
  • Audit & Compliance: Manage annual external audits with Big 4 firm and SOX compliance program, achieving zero findings for 3 consecutive years and maintaining 25+ key controls
  • Financial Planning: Lead annual budgeting process and monthly rolling forecasts, identifying $500K in cost overruns early and enabling corrective management actions
Senior Accountant
Jun 2018 – Dec 2020
Growth Industries LLC
  • Month-End Close: Managed month-end close activities including reconciliations, journal entries, and financial statement preparation for $30M revenue company, completing close within 10 business days
  • Team Collaboration: Trained and mentored 3 junior accountants on accounting policies, system usage, and technical accounting topics, improving team efficiency by 25%
  • Audit Support: Coordinated external audit process preparing PBC schedules and responding to auditor inquiries, contributing to clean audit opinion with no material weaknesses
Staff Accountant
Jul 2016 – May 2018
Regional Manufacturing Corp
  • General Ledger: Maintained general ledger for $20M revenue manufacturing company, processing 150+ monthly journal entries and performing account reconciliations
  • Financial Reporting: Prepared monthly financial statements and variance analysis reports for management review, identifying cost savings opportunities
  • Process Documentation: Created accounting procedures manual and month-end close checklist, reducing close time and improving team coordination
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
Team Leadership and Development | Month-End Close Management | Financial Reporting and Analysis | GAAP and Accounting Standards | External Audit Management | SOX Compliance and Internal Controls | Budgeting and Forecasting | NetSuite ERP System | QuickBooks and SAP | Process Improvement and Automation | Power BI and Tableau | Cross-Functional Collaboration
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
May 2018
State Board of Accountancy
NetSuite Administrator Certification
Mar 2022
Oracle NetSuite
Power BI Data Analyst Associate
Sep 2023
Microsoft
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
2012-2016
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California
  • Financial Accounting
  • Audit

Tools to build your Accounting Manager resume

Copy and adapt these proven examples to create a resume that stands out.

Resume Headlines

Use these attention-grabbing headlines to make a strong first impression.

Accounting Manager | CPA | Leading Teams & Financial Operations
CPA-Certified Accounting Manager | Reducing Close Time by 50%
Accounting Manager | SOX Compliance | Financial Reporting Expert
Team-Oriented Accounting Manager | Saved $250K Through Process Optimization
Accounting Manager | ERP Implementation | Leading 5-Person Team
CPA | Accounting Manager | Audit Leadership | Zero Findings
Accounting Manager | Month-End Close | Financial Analysis | Team Leadership

💡 Tip: Choose a headline that reflects your unique value proposition and matches the job requirements.

Power Bullet Points

Adapt these achievement-focused bullets to showcase your impact.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead 5-person accounting team including 3 staff accountants and 2 AP/AR specialists, conducting performance reviews, mentoring junior staff, and reducing turnover from 40% to 5%
• Hired and onboarded 4 team members in 18 months, developing training program that reduced ramp-up time from 90 to 45 days
• Implemented weekly team meetings and monthly one-on-ones, improving team communication and increasing employee engagement scores by 35%
• Cross-trained team members on multiple accounting functions, improving team flexibility and ensuring 100% coverage during absences

Month-End Close & Financial Reporting

• Reduced month-end close from 15 to 7 business days by standardizing processes, implementing checklists, and automating reconciliations
• Prepare monthly financial statements including P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, and management reports for $50M revenue company within 7 days of month-end
• Implemented automated variance analysis reporting, reducing reporting time by 60% and improving accuracy of budget-to-actual analysis
• Coordinate with operations, sales, and executive teams to ensure timely and accurate financial close, achieving 100% on-time delivery for 24 consecutive months

Process Improvement & Automation

• Led NetSuite ERP implementation for finance department, migrating from QuickBooks and reducing manual data entry by 70%
• Automated bank reconciliations using NetSuite workflows, reducing reconciliation time from 8 hours to 2 hours monthly
• Implemented paperless AP process using Bill.com, reducing invoice processing time by 50% and eliminating $15K in paper/filing costs
• Saved $250K annually through process improvements including early payment discounts ($50K), automated workflows ($100K in labor), and reduced errors ($100K in write-offs)

Audit, Compliance & Controls

• Manage annual external audit process coordinating with Big 4 auditors, preparing PBC schedules, and achieving zero findings for 3 consecutive years
• Established SOX compliance program including documentation of controls, quarterly testing, and remediation tracking for 25+ key controls
• Perform monthly financial statement reviews identifying and correcting errors before management review, improving first-pass accuracy from 85% to 98%
• Implemented dual authorization controls for payments over $10K, reducing payment errors and fraud risk while maintaining vendor payment timelines

Budgeting, Forecasting & Analysis

• Lead annual budgeting process for $50M revenue company, coordinating with 8 department heads and presenting to executive team and board
• Prepare monthly rolling forecasts and variance analysis, identifying $500K in cost overruns early and enabling management to implement corrective actions
• Developed department-level P&Ls and KPI dashboards using Power BI, improving department visibility into financial performance
• Analyze pricing and margin trends across 50+ products, recommending pricing adjustments that improved gross margin by 3 percentage points

💡 Tip: Replace generic terms with specific metrics, technologies, and outcomes from your experience.

📝

Resume Writing Tips for Accounting Managers

1

Lead with Leadership Impact

At manager level, start with team leadership and organizational impact. Use phrases like "Lead 5-person team," "Reduced close time by 50%," "Saved $250K through process improvements." Show you drive results through people and processes, not just technical skills.

2

Quantify Process Improvements

Document measurable improvements: close time (15 → 7 days), cost savings ($250K), time reduction (60%), accuracy improvement (85% → 98%). Managers are measured on efficiency gains, not just transaction accuracy.

3

Show System Implementation Skills

Highlight ERP implementations, automation projects, and process redesigns. Phrases like "Led NetSuite implementation," "Automated bank reconciliations," or "Implemented paperless AP process" demonstrate technical savvy and change management ability.

4

Emphasize Audit and Compliance Leadership

At this level, you should be managing audits, not just supporting them. Use language like "Manage annual external audit," "Established SOX compliance program," "Coordinate with Big 4 auditors," "Zero findings for 3 years."

5

Balance Technical and Soft Skills

Show both accounting depth (GAAP, financial reporting, audit) and management breadth (budgeting, forecasting, team leadership, cross-functional collaboration). Managers need to be strong accountants AND effective leaders.

🎯

Essential Skills & Keywords

Include these skills to optimize your resume for ATS systems and recruiter searches.

Leadership & Management

Team Leadership and Development Performance Management Staff Training and Mentoring Cross-Functional Collaboration Project Management Change Management

Technical Accounting

GAAP and Financial Reporting Month-End Close Management General Ledger Oversight Financial Statement Analysis Account Reconciliations Journal Entry Review

Audit & Compliance

External Audit Management SOX Compliance Internal Controls Design Control Testing and Documentation Risk Assessment Audit Preparation (PBC)

Financial Planning & Analysis

Budgeting and Forecasting Variance Analysis Financial Modeling KPI Development and Tracking Department P&L Analysis Cost Analysis and Reduction

Systems & Process Improvement

NetSuite ERP QuickBooks Enterprise SAP or Oracle Financials Bill.com and Expensify Power BI and Tableau Process Automation and Workflow

💡 Tip: Naturally integrate 8-12 of these keywords throughout your resume, especially in your summary and experience sections.

Why this resume works

Role-Specific Strengths

  • Team leadership and development: Successfully manages 5-person accounting team, demonstrating ability to lead, train, and develop staff while maintaining operational excellence
  • Process optimization: Reduced month-end close from 15 to 7 days and saved $250K annually through automation and process improvements
  • System implementation: Led successful ERP migration to NetSuite, demonstrating project management skills and technical accounting system expertise
  • Audit and compliance: Managed SOX compliance and external audits with zero findings, showcasing deep understanding of controls and accounting standards

✓ ATS-Friendly Elements

  • Management keywords: "team leadership," "staff development," "performance management," "cross-functional collaboration"
  • Technical accounting: "GAAP," "SOX compliance," "financial reporting," "budgeting," "forecasting," "variance analysis"
  • CPA credential prominently featured
  • Clear progression from Senior Accountant → Accounting Manager showing upward mobility
  • Software keywords: NetSuite, QuickBooks, SAP, Power BI, Tableau
  • Quantifiable metrics throughout (close time, cost savings, team size, audit results)

✓ Human-Readable Design

  • Mid-level appropriate metrics: team size (5 people), close time improvement (15 → 7 days), cost savings ($250K)
  • Balance of technical accounting skills and leadership competencies
  • Shows progression from individual contributor to people manager
  • Real examples of process improvements and system implementations
  • Demonstrates both GAAP expertise and compliance knowledge (SOX)
  • Summary emphasizes leadership, technical skills, and business impact

💡 Key Takeaways

  • At manager level, balance technical accounting skills with people leadership and process management
  • Highlight team achievements: reduced close time, successful audits, cost savings from process improvements
  • Show both depth (accounting expertise) and breadth (budgeting, forecasting, analysis, compliance)
  • Emphasize system implementations and automation—demonstrates technical savvy and change management
  • CPA is increasingly expected at this level; highlight it prominently if you have it

📈 Career Progression in Accounting

See how Accounting roles evolve across career stages, from transaction processing to financial leadership.

📊 Staff Accountant → 📈 Accounting Manager (Current) 🏢 Controller →

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