Supervisor, Accounting Operations

Description

Summary

The Supervisor, Accounting Operations leads a team responsible for accurate, timely, and compliant execution of critical accounting operations that support the credit union’s financial integrity, operational efficiency, and member service outcomes.

The position oversees daily workflows across check processing, remote deposit and ACH activities, wire preparation and balancing, card settlement and reconciliation, payroll accounting, ATM, teller, branch, and vault balancing, vendor payments and expense management, tax withholding and submission, and Federal Reserve-related compliance activities.

This role supervises staff performance, monitors controls, resolves operational issues, supports audits and regulatory requirements, and drives continuous improvement in processes, systems, and service delivery.

Essential Functions

• Supervise the day-to-day operations of the Accounting Operations team, including workflow distribution, priority setting, scheduling, quality review, and issue resolution to ensure timely and accurate completion of assigned responsibilities.
• Oversee processing and reconciliation activities for checks, remote deposit and ACH, wire preparation and balancing, card settlement, payroll accounting, ATM, teller, branch, and vault balancing to maintain strong internal controls and accurate financial records.
• Review and support vendor payments and expense management activities, including systems such as Avid and Concur, ensuring appropriate approvals, coding accuracy, timely payment, and compliance with internal policies.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, internal controls, IRS tax withholding and submission requirements, Federal Reserve regulations, and other regulatory or audit expectations relevant to assigned operations.
• Monitor balancing, exception items, outstanding reconciling entries, and operational variances; conduct root cause analysis; implement corrective actions; and escalate material risks, losses, or control concerns as appropriate.
• Coach, train, and develop team members by setting clear expectations, providing feedback, reinforcing procedures, supporting skill development, and addressing performance or conduct issues in partnership with leadership and Human Resources as needed.
• Support implementation, maintenance, testing, and updates of accounting operations systems and related processes, including management and use of FloQast for close management, reconciliations, task tracking, and documentation; participate in change initiatives; validate results; and help ensure effective adoption with minimal operational disruption.
• Identify, evaluate, and promote appropriate use of artificial intelligence and automation within accounting processes to reduce manual effort, strengthen review procedures, improve data accuracy, enhance variance analysis, and increase efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining required controls and oversight.
• Collaborate with Finance, Retail, Operations, Information Technology, vendors, and other internal partners to resolve issues, improve processes, and support organizational priorities while maintaining a strong service orientation toward internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum 4 years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in accounting operations, finance operations, cash management, payments, reconciliations, or a related financial institution environment.
• Experience in operational oversight of high-volume, deadline-driven processes such as check processing, ACH, wires, card settlement, payroll accounting, general ledger reconciliations, balancing activities, or vendor payment administration is strongly preferred.
• Prior experience leading or coordinating the work of others, including coaching, training, workflow management, performance accountability, and supporting adoption of accounting technology or process improvement tools, is preferred.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field OR directly relevant work experience in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.

Leadership Competencies

Outcome & Results

Own your deliverables and KPIs-meet or exceed them by giving outcomes and overcoming obstacles.

Commitments

Treat W3s as promises – execute early, follow through consistently and renegotiate transparently when priorities shift. Reliability builds trust.

Business Maturity

Know your business – manage financials, operations and experiences with discipline and in full alignment with Sunward’s key results.

Growth Mindset

Be a learner not a knower – stay curious, ask questions, adapt quickly and embrace daily learning.

Preparation and Presence

Respect others by being early, prepared, and fully tuned in – never distracted or multitasking.

Feedback

Fuel growth by inviting, giving and acting on feedback – always candid, respectful and forward-focused.

Talent & Culture

Build culture through people – hire top talent, coach relentlessly, celebrate wins and manage performance though our Culture of Accountability. Model the culture and values of Sunward.

Experience and Craftsmanship

Set the bar at “the best” – deliver experiences that stand apart and never compromise on quality.

Knowledge

• Operational knowledge of accounting processes, reconciliations, internal controls, and financial institution payment channels, including checks, ACH, wires, card settlement, payroll accounting, and balancing functions.
• Knowledge of applicable regulatory and compliance requirements, including IRS withholding and reporting obligations, Federal Reserve-related requirements, audit expectations, and sound risk management practices.
• Working knowledge of accounting operations systems, reconciliation tools, general ledger interfaces, close management platforms such as FloQast, and vendor expense platforms such as Avid and Concur, as applicable to business needs.
• Knowledge of responsible AI and automation concepts and applications in accounting workflows, including appropriate use cases for improving accuracy, efficiency, documentation, quality review, exception identification and review, internal controls, data integrity, and appropriate human review of AI-assisted outputs.
• Understanding of team operations, workflow controls, policy enforcement, issue resolution, and service expectations in a regulated financial services environment.

Skills/Abilities

• Strong leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to coach staff, manage daily workflow, reinforce accountability, and support employee development.
• Strong analytical, balancing, and reconciliation skills with attention to detail and the ability to identify trends, variances, and root causes.
• Ability to interpret policies and procedures, exercise sound judgment in daily operations, and make timely decisions within established guidelines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work across departments, resolve operational issues, and communicate priorities, changes, and expectations clearly.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment, adapt to change, and support systems implementation, maintenance, and updates.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and relevant accounting, reconciliation, payment, expense management, close management, and workflow systems, including FloQast or similar tools.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Work is generally performed in a standard office environment with regular use of a computer, telephone, and other office equipment.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods and frequently communicate with employees, members, vendors, and internal partners.
• Must be able to review detailed information, operate standard office technology, and occasionally move files or materials of light to moderate weight.