Senior Accountant, APS

Who We Are

About Ascend

At Ascend, we recognize the struggles that accounting & finance professionals face in traditional firms—from rigid hierarchies and overwhelming workloads to the elusive work-life balance. We believe your ambition should not be constrained by outdated practices or opaque career paths. Here, you're not just a number but a valued member of a community that champions both your professional and personal fulfillment. Our mission is to transform the public accounting experience into one where work-life harmony is a reality, and where your career advancement is supported by a nurturing network and robust resources. 

We partner with regional, entrepreneurial firms and provide them with the resources and support necessary to thrive in today's dynamic market. This includes access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition, top-tier technology, transformative leadership, shared back-office services, & more. Founded in January 2023 and backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend attained revenues to sufficiently qualify as a Top 100 U.S. accounting firm within six months of operation. Explore Ascend, where your career soars without sacrificing your quality of life.

About Alpine Investors

Alpine Investors is a people-driven private equity firm that is committed to building great companies by working with, learning from, and developing exceptional people. Alpine prides itself on fostering cultures where people value empowerment, diversity, fairness, integrity, and intellectual honesty. Founded in 2001, Alpine specializes in investments in companies in the software and services industries. Alpine has over $10 billion in AUM and has offices in San Francisco, New York, and Salt Lake City.

For more information on the firm, visit www.alpineinvestors.com

The Role

Reporting to the Assistant Controller, this Senior Accountant will be a key member of our growing Finance team and business partner. This role will have strategic support in financial statement preparation, integrating acquired Partner Firms into Ascend’s systems & reporting processes, and coordination of key accounting projects. This individual will work closely with the Assistant Controller to support crucial financial processes, help drive automation & efficiency, and contribute to various projects with internal & external partners.

This role represents a unique opportunity for an accounting professional to join a startup company with ambitious goals, along with the sophistication, resources, and leadership caliber of a much larger firm. The Senior Accountant will work in an exciting, fast-paced, and entrepreneurial environment, and will help add to a team-oriented atmosphere that prioritizes treating people well.

The role will be based in Northern Virginia (Arlington), with flexibility to work remotely as needed (expectation of ~3 days in office, most weeks).

Key Responsibilities

• Support month-end close process for consolidated (corporate & subsidiaries) monthly three-statement financials, including reconciling all bank accounts, credit cards, posting and reconciling payroll, month-end accruals, general ledger and sub-ledger entries, and departmental review and reporting.
• Work with the Assistant Controller and team to publish monthly GAAP financial statements and operational reports within 15 days of month-end, including MD&A and variance analysis that is both concise and clear.
• Prepare work papers and month-end reconciliations for balance sheet accounts and select income statement accounts to support amounts reported in financial statements and general ledger.
• Support the Payables and Expense Reimbursement processes to ensure vendors and employees are paid and reimbursed in an accurate and timely manner.
• Assist with seamless integration of acquired Partner Firms into Ascend’s reporting systems.
  • Help consolidate the financial reporting of acquired accounting practices within 30 days of deal closing and assist in the purchase accounting process.
• Handle daily and weekly cash reporting.
• Participate in implementation and maintenance of new accounting standards (ASC 606 and 842), as applicable.
• Assist in business registrations, licenses, and establishing payroll tax accounts in various states.
• Help ensure weekly and monthly deliverables are met from offshore accounting team, and suggest training & process improvements.
• Contribute to the implementation and utilization of system-based reporting software to manage both financial and operational data within the ERP system and leverage automated management reports in a real-time environment.
• Assist in completing the company’s annual audits and annual and quarterly tax filings (local, state, and Federal).
  • Work closely with the Assistant Controller and Controller to prepare for annual audits and ensure that the company moves through them efficiently.
  • Identify policy and process improvements throughout the year that simplify audit work and tax preparation and filings.

Key Relationships

• Reports to: Assistant Controller
• Business Partners: Ascend CFO, Controller, senior management, and employees, finance & accounting teams at Partner Firms, vendors, external financial and tax auditors, and lenders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting
• 4+ years of progressive accounting experience
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Accounting
• CPA Licensee or actively sitting for CPA exam
• Public accounting experience with a large regional or Big 4 firm within the assurance or advisory practice
• Experience working with ERP, payables, T&E, and banking systems

Who We Look For

• An accomplished accounting professional with strong GAAP accounting and financial statement prep knowledge.
• An analytical individual, committed to self-improvement and possessing unquestionable integrity, a strong work ethic, and demonstrated success implementing and improving reporting processes. 
• A ‘can-do’, solution-oriented team-player who is intellectually curious and an initiative-taking problem solver.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks and initiate, manage, and execute projects with minimal supervision in a dynamic environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal), with the ability to interact with all levels of the organization.

What We Offer

Join our team and enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that supports well-being, health, and ongoing professional growth:

• Medical, dental, vision, life, disability insurance options
• Unlimited PTO
• FSA & HSA
• 401(k) matching
• Parental leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Commitment to professional development

We live by our values:

• Own it. We seize growth opportunities with the passion, speed, and accountability of an entrepreneur.
• Serve wholeheartedly. We love our people and serve them with positivity and kindness.
• Be excellent. We set a high bar because our mission matters.
• Win together. We stay in sync, achieve as a team, and celebrate each other.
• Bring the sunshine. We have fun and bring enthusiasm to make the journey joyful.

How to Apply

Submit your information in the application section directly below! This will include:

• Basic contact information
• Resume/CV and optional cover letter upload
• Work eligibility, credentials, and compensation
• Voluntary demographic & self-ID questions

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.