Accounting & Operations Specialist

Location: Syracuse, NY
Employment Type: Full-time | Salaried, exempt | In-office
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 5:00
Salary: $65,000–$75,000, commensurate with experience

Sapphire Recruitment is partnering with a growing Central New York organization to hire an Accounting & Operations Specialist. This is a hands-on generalist role working directly with the CFO and supporting accounting, financial reporting, systems, and day-to-day operations.

This position is a strong fit for someone who enjoys variety, takes ownership of their work, and is comfortable moving between detailed accounting responsibilities, financial analysis, and operational projects.

Responsibilities

• Maintain the general ledger, prepare journal entries, and support month-end and year-end close.
• Manage full-cycle accounts payable and accounts receivable, including vendor payments and customer invoicing.
• Complete bank and credit-card reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Process payroll entries, reconcile payroll liabilities, and maintain related records.
• Prepare monthly profit-and-loss, balance-sheet, and cash-flow statements.
• Support year-end CPA and tax-preparation activities, including 1099 reporting.
• Build and maintain KPI reporting for revenue, cost of goods, and operating expenses.
• Perform budget-to-actual and prior-period variance analysis and communicate findings to leadership.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, financial models, and cost-saving or margin-improvement initiatives.
• Create and maintain advanced Excel workbooks using pivot tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, formulas, and data-management tools.
• Import, clean, and reconcile data from QuickBooks Online, payroll, POS, and other business systems.
• Support software implementations, integrations, data migrations, vendor management, contract tracking, digital records, and special projects.
• Provide additional operational and HR-related support as business needs evolve.

Qualifications

• 2 years of hands-on QuickBooks Online experience, including bookkeeping, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, formulas, and data management.
• Experience managing multiple priorities in a small-business, fast-paced, or similarly hands-on environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify issues and explain financial information clearly.
• High level of accuracy, discretion, integrity, and accountability.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and learn new systems quickly.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Experience

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
• QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor certification or willingness to obtain it.
• Experience with Paychex, ADP, or other payroll platforms.
• Familiarity with POS systems and financial-system integrations.
• Experience in a multi-location, restaurant, franchise, retail, hospitality, or similar environment.
• Exposure to budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, Excel automation, or software implementation.

Position Highlights

• Work directly with the CFO and gain exposure to business decisions and operations.
• Take ownership of a broad range of accounting and operational responsibilities.
• Join a growing organization where initiative and process-improvement ideas are valued.
• Build experience across accounting, reporting, financial analysis, technology, and operations.
• Competitive salary of $65,000–$75,000, health insurance, 401(k), paid time off, and professional growth opportunities.