Accounting Administrator Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an accounting administrator. Feel free to use our Accounting Administrator job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an accounting administrator.
Who is an Accounting Administrator?
An accounting administrator is someone who helps a firm with accounting tasks like tax reconciliation, bookkeeping, invoicing, and inventory control. Account statements are reviewed and analyzed, deposits are managed, and bank irregularities and financial issues are resolved. Accounting administrators are in charge of an organization’s efficient and accurate financial flow, including payroll releases and petty cash filing.
Their primary responsibilities include overseeing a company’s financial processes and operations, which include invoice scrutiny, payroll processing, budgeting, and tax preparation.
Accounting Administrator Job Description
Below are the Accounting Administrator job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an accounting administrator job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of an accounting administrator include the following:
- Manage supplier, customer, and third-party vendor obligations.
- Deal with bank deposits.
- Reconcile financial records.
- prepare send and store invoices.
- Contact clients and issue reminders to ensure timely payments.
- Return tax forms.
- Identify and correct inconsistencies.
- Report accounts payable and receivable status.
- Update internal accounting databases and spreadsheets.
- Maintain correct coding, invoicing management, and documentation of all procedures and systems.
- Monitor all account payable checks and account updates.
- Manage monthly journals, update entries, and keep track of fixed assets in a sub-ledger.
- Conduct research, reconcile all financial accounts and handle any difficulties that arise during the process.
- Prepare payroll reports on a monthly and biweekly basis.
- Inspect HR personnel for efficiency and tell employees about insurance programs and employee benefits.
- Prepare and keep track of all taxes and filings.
- Ensure effective client services and administrative staff assistance.
- Keep track of all papers and bills, as well as meeting minutes.
- Assist accountants with financial data and report preparation.
- Examine all physical contracts that include merchandise and payment arrangements.
- Organize and review all contracts and invoices with customers.
- Monitor the production manager’s work and provide updates on all business matters.
- Prepare cash flow reports and manage all petty cash.
- Provide operational support and coordinate with management on accounting quality improvements.
- Reconcile all bank accounts and fix any financial statement processing difficulties.
- Maintain effective client services and provide administrative assistance.
- Receive and verify bills and requisitions for products and services.
- Assist with auditing.
- Contact clients to inform them of their outstanding balances.
- Prepare and submit tax forms and related paperwork.
- Update internal accounting databases and spreadsheets.
- Process administrative functions in general.
- Examine all contracts and invoices, as well as customer contracts.
- Apply financial policies and processes to transactions.
- Assist the finance department as needed.
- Create and maintain daily mailing and billing paperwork.
- Assist all accountants with cash flow reporting and data preparation.
- Prepare meeting minutes for recording.
- Maintain monthly journals, update entries, and keep track of the sub-ledger.
- Take care of the company’s assets and finances.
- Create financial papers such as invoices, tax returns, and profit reports every month.
- Keep track of all monetary transactions to manage the flow of petty cash.
- Ensure that any changes to service agreements or payment choices are communicated to vendors.
- Report any financial inconsistencies discovered during tax filing or invoicing tasks to management.
- Follow accounting best practices as established by industry experts and endorsed by the company.
Qualifications
The qualifications required for the role of an accounting administrator include all of the following:
- Work experience as an Accounts Administrator or an equivalent position is required.
- Good understanding of bookkeeping and debt collection methods.
- Working knowledge of accounting software.
- Excel expertise is required (using financial formulas and creating spreadsheets).
- Data entry skills include the ability to spot numerical errors.
- Good time management and organizing skills.
- A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or a related subject is required.
- Tally’s experience will be greatly valued.
- Ability to work both individually and in a group.
- A strong sense of observance.
- Effective communication abilities in both writing and speaking.
- Excellent time management and organizing skills.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to deal with sensitive information.
- Trustworthy, respectful, truthful, and adaptable.
- A thorough understanding of financial operations like bookkeeping and tax preparation.
- Basic mathematical abilities
- Working on numerous projects at the same time while retaining accuracy.
- Collaboration skills with coworkers, clients, and suppliers.
Essential Skills
The Essential Skills needed for this role include all of the following:
Mathematical Skills: This subject is unsuitable for you if you have difficulty with mathematics or dislike numbers. You will be expected to calculate figures fast and properly as an accounting administrator. The majority of financial jobs need complex computations.
Adaptability: As an accounting administrator, you should be able to quickly adapt to your company’s operating initiatives. To accomplish so, you must be a quick learner with a favorable attitude toward new experiences.
Knowledge of Financial Principles: This is one of the most crucial educational needs for accounting administrators. You can’t be an administrator until you understand the fundamentals of financial management. To be able to carry out your normal activities as an accountant, your concepts in this area must be crisp.
Multitasking abilities: Daily, accounting administrators must be able to multitask. You may be required to work on many assignments at the same time. Furthermore, being able to multitask assists you to succeed in work.
Methodical Approach to Working: You should be able to approach all of your duties methodically as an accounting administrator. This will ensure that your task is completed correctly. Methodical thinking is also required for all bookkeeping activities.
Ability to Work Under Pressure: Accounting professionals are under a lot of pressure towards the conclusion of each quarter. You should be able to handle these pressures while still completing your work swiftly and accurately.
Specialized experience: A concentration on regulatory compliance, for example, can be a valuable addition to your accounting skills. Many organizations seek people who have experience with anti-money laundering (AML), Know Your Customer, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Comprehensive Capital Analysis, and Review, and the Dodd-Frank Act, particularly capital adequacy and consumer protection standards.
Companies are also looking for accounting administrators with revenue recognition experience. Courses on revenue recognition are available from organizations such as the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) to assist you in better understanding and applying current and new revenue recognition concepts, as well as making suitable revenue recognition decisions.
General business knowledge: Accounting administrator positions have grown in scope throughout time, particularly in recent years. Accounting professionals, in particular, must cooperate with different departments, therefore it’s critical to understand what other teams do to improve your relationship. Accounting experts with good business acumen can aid in the development of strategy, inform important decisions, and collaborate across departments. The more you know about the broader picture and how you and your team fit into it, the more fruitful your connections outside of your department will be.
Up-to-date technology expertise: Accounting administrators are always working with new technologies because of developments in software, cloud computing, and automation. As a result, familiarity with and increased proficiency in specific software and tools, such as:
Advanced Excel Skills
Enterprise resource planning (ERP): Such as SAP, Oracle, Big data analysis, advanced modeling techniques, and SQL.
Business intelligence software: Such as IBM Cognos, Microsoft Visual Basic, and Hyperion (for the analyst and financial reporting roles).
Microsoft Visual Basic skills such as QuickBooks (for positions with small and midsize firms).
Communication skills: Accounting administrators must be able to explain the data to colleagues in other departments who are unfamiliar with accounting principles and lingo. Communication skills, both verbal and written, are essential for success in any accounting position. Whether you’re writing or speaking, you’ll need to communicate business information in a way that’s easy to understand and act on. If you can’t express your insights in a way that others can understand and act on them, they’ll be useless.
Adaptability and flexibility: Accounting administrators are also known for their adaptability and flexibility. Technological development, such as the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) as a significant corporate tool, is a major driver of this trend. The capacity to pivot and roll with the changes is essential.
Leadership expertise: Accounting administrators with good leadership characteristics and the ability to transition into more senior jobs when the time comes are sought after by managers. They seek people who can avoid or settle conflicts, adapt well to change, mentor others, and value lifelong learning.
Customer service orientation: Accounting administrators, whether in public or private accounting, must have excellent customer service skills. You must be able to keep current clients while also gaining new ones if you work for a public accounting business. If you work in corporate accounting, you must also consider the demands of other departments and management.
Innovation: Accounting has been a critical business tool since the beginning. Without a strict control and technique applied to the numbers, no project can get off the ground. Because the accounting regulations that come with it grow as the business sector does, innovation is required. Recruiters are frequently on the lookout for accounting administrators with innovative ideas who can shape the future of the industry.
Commercial awareness: The importance of commercial awareness cannot be overstated. Commercial awareness is the understanding of how and where your business fits in the market – how it is affected by economic, social, and political events, and how it can go forward and change – and it is essential to be a successful Accounting administrator.
Enthusiasm: Recruiters will look for excitement in any role, including this one. It is critical to be able to contribute positive energy to a team and believe in what you are working for. Enthusiasm is infectious, and it shows that you’re eager to master your craft as an accounting administrator.
Initiative: Initiative is a must-have for Accounting administrators, closely associated with understanding and enthusiasm. It demonstrates your ability to operate alone, as well as your ability to think independently, which will lead to you being given greater responsibilities. It’s especially necessary if you want to work as a freelance accountant later in your career.
Credibility and integrity: Credibility can be exchanged as a commodity. More credibility equals more options. By building a credible brand, you’re laying the framework for a prosperous future as an accounting administrator.
How to Become an Accounting Administrator
Here are some steps you can use to begin your career as an accounting administrator:
- Obtain a college degree: Earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting is the first step toward becoming an accounting administrator. This is because many firms require applicants for accounting administrator positions to have a college diploma. While some firms may hire accounting administrators with only a high school diploma, an associate or bachelor’s degree can help you qualify for higher-paying positions. Completing one of these programs can also teach you to financial ideas that you could encounter on the job, such as financial data analysis methodologies and fundamental calculation formulas.
- Gain experience in accounting: Begin gaining accounting experience after receiving your bachelor’s degree. This might assist you in learning about working in finance and developing your accounting skills. Because there are so many entry-level accounting and finance jobs to choose from, it’s a good idea to look for roles where you may practice skills like data analysis, bookkeeping, and arithmetic that you’ll need as an accounting administrator later. You could apply for positions such as accounting assistant, accounting clerk, or bookkeeper, for example.
- Get your certification: Consider obtaining a specialty certification after gaining a few years of accounting experience. While some accounts administrators may be able to find employment without credentials, possessing one can help you land a job by emphasizing your qualifications to potential employers. The Certified Management Accountant (CMA) accreditation from the Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business, for example, is one of the most common credentials for accounting administrators. Candidates must normally complete at least two years of accounting experience and pass an exam to acquire this certificate.
- Begin to apply for jobs as an accounting administrator: Start looking for open employment for account administrators if you desire. If you already work for an accounting firm or a corporation with a large accounting department, inquire about prospects to move to an accounting administrator position with your supervisor. You can also apply for accounts administrator positions at other companies in your region that are hiring. Another way to uncover open positions is to use a search engine or a job search website.
Where to Work as an Accounting Administrator
The accounting administrator works with the following groups to prepare and organize financial and tax documents:
- Individuals
- small businesses
- Large corporations
- Non-profits and government agencies
Accounting Administrator Salary Scale
In the United States, the average accounting administrator salary is $51,335; however, salaries frequently range from $45,051 to $59,778. Salary ranges are based on a variety of things, including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field. The average accounts administrator pay in the United Kingdom is £22,497 per year or £11.54 per hour. Starting salaries for entry-level professions start at £21,000 per year, with the most experienced professionals earning up to £26,325 per year.
