About Us

Shorelight is reinventing the international education experience for students worldwide. Based in Boston, the company works directly with top-ranked, nonprofit American universities to build innovative programs and high-touch, technology-driven services that help talented students thrive and become global citizens.

 

Job Overview

The Senior Accountant manages all accounting activities for multiple partnerships and, under the direction of finance leadership, helps lead the finance team in monitoring of annual and monthly budgets and transition to actual reporting. They also are heavily involved in training, supervising, and developing Staff Accountants. He or she is fiscally responsible and looks for opportunities to improve operational practice to align with financial goals. The Senior Accountant reports directly to the Senior Accounting Manager.

 

The Senior Accountant is a strategic thinker and problem solver with strong attention to detail and a proven customer service approach to working with others.  He/She/They has outstanding oral and written communication skills that allows for effective communication at all levels in the company.  The Senior Accountant is comfortable multitasking, changing priorities to fit business needs, and manages time efficiently.  He/She/They is an energetic team player who can work independently, takes initiative, and has excellent interpersonal skills.

 

Essential Functions

Accounting

• Prepare and enter journal entries for the monthly financial close of select university partnerships. Areas include cash, prepaids, fixed assets, revenue, and all required cost accruals.
• Work closely with campus team and Managing Directors to ensure accurate invoicing of students and sponsors
• Review, reconcile, and approve university invoices for payment
• Collaborate with corporate and campus staff on all financial aspects of assigned partnerships, including maintaining KPI’s on student enrollment, operational expenses, student invoicing, discounts, and progression invoicing

 

Data Management, Compliance and Process Improvement

• Prepare monthly and ad-hoc financial reporting for senior leadership
• Assist management with monthly and quarterly financial reviews by documenting analysis explaining swings or adjustments of the financials
• Help to improve internal control processes and procedures
• Support the annual audit process with Big 4 audit firm by preparing assigned schedules and pulling testing selections
• Work with Finance, Analytics, and IT team members to identify ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of month end processes and assist in initiatives to implement the improvements for financial reporting

 

 

 

 

Supervisory

• Review flux analyses, journal entries and reconciliations for Staff Accountants prior to Senior Accounting Manager sign off each month as part of the monthly financial close
• Train and supervise new Staff Accountants on month end processes and reconciliations
• Regularly meet with Staff Accountants to ensure they are understanding content, processes and are comfortable with workflow

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting
• 4+ years of experience in accounting or finance
• Proven expertise using Microsoft Office products, primarily Excel
• At least 1-2 years of budget, month end, and accrual experience
• Eligibility to work in, and travel freely to and from, the United States without sponsorship

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with a CRM system such as Salesforce
• Experience working with accounting software such as NetSuite
• Experience working successfully with non-native English speakers
• CPA
• Prior experience with FloQast or other close management software

 

Application Process

To apply for this position, please visit the Shorelight Careers page to submit an application with a resume and cover letter.

 

Background Check Required–Education, Criminal, Identity

 

Shorelight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.