Client Accounting & Advisory Services Associate

Who We Are About Sweeney Conrad At Sweeney Conrad, our foundation of “people first” begins with our employees—because we know the success of our firm stems from the relationships within it. We consider our employees family and foster a positive work culture, encouraging a healthy balance between work and life; building a career over having a job; continuing education and skill development; and being actively involved in the Puget Sound community where we live, work, and play. We’re proud of our employees and our culture and have been recognized by Accounting Today as one of the “Best Accounting Firms to Work For” and by Puget Sound Business Journal as one of “Washington’s Best Workplaces”. For more information, visit www.sweeneyconrad.com. About Ascend Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a dynamic platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a Top 25 firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition and training, leading quality management resources, best-of-breed technology, AI tools, an offshore captive, shared back-office services, a catalytic leadership system, and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.ascendtogether.com. Client Accounting & Advisory Services Associate This position is part of our Client Accounting & Advisory Services group, which provides outsourced accounting services for small and medium companies and family offices, with focus on small and medium closely held businesses primarily throughout the Pacific Northwest. This is a full-time hourly role, with overtime available, but generally limited to the month of January. This position reports directly to the Partner of the Client Accounting & Advisory Services Department. We’re looking for an accountant who doesn’t just do the work but looks for ways to do it better. Specific Duties Will Include Maintain a portfolio of approximately 15 clients, working alongside the Senior and/or Manager in a client-facing role Perform monthly transactional accounting in QuickBooks Online (QBO), including accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank reconciliations, and credit card reconciliations Prepare and process payroll, along with quarterly and annual payroll tax reporting Prepare and file state and city excise tax returns Organize and analyze large volumes of client data, distilling it into accurate, usable information for bookkeeping, payroll, and excise tax preparation Maintain clean, accurate, and consistent books across all assigned clients Anticipate client needs and respond to client emails and calls promptly and professionally Assist with month-end close procedures, with opportunities to take on greater ownership over time Continuously evaluate existing workflows and processes, identify inefficiencies, and take the lead in designing and implementing better solutions Perform other duties as assigned by department management The successful candidate will have BA/BS in Accounting or a related field 1–2 years of experience in client accounting, bookkeeping, or a similar role, preferably in a public accounting or outsourced accounting environment Working knowledge of AP/AR, bank and credit card reconciliations, payroll processing, payroll tax reporting, and excise tax filings, with the ability to perform these tasks with minimal training Solid understanding of accounting principles Ability to work with large data sets and turn them into clear, accurate information Strong skills in QuickBooks Online (QBO), Excel, Word, and Outlook Ability to quickly learn new software applications Effective written and verbal communication skills, with comfort interacting directly with clients Detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to manage deadlines across multiple clients at once A problem-solver’s mindset: someone who questions the status quo, isn’t satisfied with “the way it’s always been done,” and actively seeks out faster, smarter, and more efficient ways to get the work done While not required, the following skills would be considered an asset CPA designation or other technical certification, or progress toward one Month-end close experience Experience using Bill.com, Paychex, and Expensify Familiarity with Slack and Monday.com Benefits: The pay range for this role is $28.00/hr - $44.00/hr. This range includes the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on various factors, including experience, education, and/or skill level. For employees working 30 or more hours per week, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as dependent coverage; Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts; and employer-paid life and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan with employer match. We also provide flexible time off (PTO) and 13 paid holidays. At Ascend, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Ascend hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.