Senior Accountant

Senior Accountant 
American Public Education, Inc. 

The Senior Accountant is a key contributor to organization’s financial accuracy and operational excellence. This position is responsible for overseeing complex accounting activities and ensuring the integrity of the general ledger. The Senior Accountant provides advanced financial analysis to support leadership decision‑making and partners with cross‑functional teams to improve processes and drive efficiency. This role also leads and contributes to special projects, bringing technical expertise and sound judgment to initiatives that strengthen the company’s financial operations, and provides back-up support to the staff accountants.

Responsibilities:

• Participate in and maintain the accuracy of the general ledger, including month end, quarter end, and year end close activities.
• Prepare, review, and analyze financial statements to ensure compliance with GAAP and internal policies.
• Reconcile complex accounts and resolve discrepancies with minimal oversight.
• Perform and review journal entries, accruals, amortizations, and account reconciliations.
• Research and interpret accounting standards, ensuring proper application across transactions.
• Provide variance analysis, trend insights, and financial commentary to support leadership decision making.
• Identify risks, opportunities, and anomalies within financial data and recommend corrective actions.
• Maintain internal controls, ensuring compliance with regulatory and company standards.
• Evaluate existing processes and lead initiatives to streamline workflows, improve accuracy, and enhance efficiency.
• Partner with departments and business partners such as FP&A, HR, and Procurement to ensure accurate financial data and support business initiatives.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for accounting related questions and provide guidance to non finance stakeholders.
• Review the work of Staff Accountants and provide feedback and training.
• Assist in developing accounting procedures and documentation.
• Respond to auditor requests as requested.
• Lead or support special projects, such as system implementations, and process automation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• 3–5+ years of progressive accounting experience, preferably in a corporate or public accounting environment
• Demonstrated experience with month end close, general ledger management, and financial reporting
• Prior experience mentoring or reviewing the work of junior accounting staff is beneficial
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and ability to apply accounting standards to complex transactions
• Proficiency with ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics)
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis functions
• Familiarity with financial reporting tools and business intelligence platforms is a plus
• Ability to analyze large data sets and translate findings into actionable insights
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills with high attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain accounting concepts to non finance stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision while also collaborating effectively across teams
• High level of integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to maintaining confidentiality
  · Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on process optimization and operational efficiency
• Ability to adapt to evolving business needs, system changes, and new accounting standards
• Comfortable leading or participating in special projects, such as system implementations or process redesign initiatives

 Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution required.
• CPA Certification preferred.
• Minimum 4 years accounting experience.
• Candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills.

About Us: 

Online, on campus and in the workplace, we provide higher education and training to our country’s heroes – military service members, veterans, nurses, government employees, and motivated professionals that want to make a difference. American Public Education, Inc. educates service-minded students, ranging from the military, public service, federal agencies, and nursing communities, through American Public University System (APUS), Hondros College of Nursing (HCON), and Rasmussen University.

It is the policy of American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) to afford equal opportunity to all qualified persons.  We treat all qualified individuals equally as to their recruitment, hiring, assignments, advancements, compensation, and all other terms and conditions of employment. American Public Education, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, or sensory disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you are a resident of a state with designated pay transparency requirements and this role is available remotely, you may be eligible to receive additional information about the compensation and benefits for this role, which we will provide upon request.  Please send an email to recruiting@apei.com.