Senior accountants are the lead "numbers" people in any company with an accounting division. They are responsible for keeping a company financially organized. They must be talented in mathematics and organized so as not to miss any financial information. Even missing one number in the thousands of numbers they see every year can completely change the standing and decisions of their company executives. So, it is imperative that they be accurate. Senior accountants also will often manage teams of accountants when working for larger companies.

Senior accountants usually must have a master's degree in accounting but it is possible for some to work their way up to the position with a bachelor's degree. They must also possess leadership qualities and have success as an accountant for several years.

Senior accountants usually work in an office building. Work supplies for the job are a calculator, computer, telephone, pen and paper, charts, graphs, ledgers and other common office supplies. As senior accountants are the head of their department, they tend to report to an executive such as the vice president or general manager of their business. Senior accountants generally work regular business hours Monday through Friday, from 8 or 9 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. (Copyright 2018 PayScale.com)

Senior Accountant Tasks

• Maintain records of assets, liabilities, profit and loss, tax liability, or other financial activities within an organization.
• Investigate budget and variance issues.
• Analyze financial data in order to prepare financial reports and prepare budget forecasts.
• Maintain general ledger as needed.
• Generate and interpret financial records and statements for management.