Accounting Manager Consultant
Vaco LLC
San Diego, CA
Title: Accounting Manager
Company: Life Sciences Industry
Compensation: $60-70/hr - DOE
About the Role
This is a hands-on Accounting Manager role responsible for core general ledger activities, with a primary focus on monthly close execution and accounting for research and development programs across multiple stages of the development lifecycle. The role is designed for a senior accounting professional who can assume ownership of in-flight work, operate effectively within established processes and controls, and deliver accurate, timely results with minimal ramp time.
Essential Duties and Key Responsibilities
- Own accounting for research and development activities spanning early-stage research through development-phase programs, including progress-to-completion methodologies, accrual models, and program-level reporting cadences.
- Prepare, maintain, and standardize complex accounting schedules; review staff-prepared models for accuracy, scalability, and audit readiness.
- Own methodologies, controls, and supporting documentation related to vendor prepayments supporting development activities, ensuring proper recognition and reconciliation.
- Lead month-end close activities for assigned areas, including journal entry preparation, account reconciliations, and close-related analyses.
- Review research and development schedules and journal entries to ensure completeness, accuracy, and appropriate application of accounting judgment.
- Drive timely, well-controlled close cycles through proactive issue identification, disciplined execution, and effective cross-functional coordination.
- Lead accounting participation in an ongoing ERP implementation, including requirements definition, data mapping, data conversion, user acceptance testing (UAT), reporting validation, and post–go-live stabilization—ensuring system decisions preserve and enhance long-term ownership of the monthly close process.
- Execute assigned accounting workstreams and partner with cross-functional stakeholders on system design decisions impacting controls, workflows, and reporting outcomes.
- Own record-to-report fixed asset accounting, including asset additions, disposals, transfers, impairments, and depreciation.
- Maintain and reconcile the fixed asset subledger, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and alignment with general ledger balances.
- Lead completion of a company-wide fixed asset inventory by building on work already underway, including designing final audit procedures, defining documentation standards, and coordinating execution in partnership with Facilities.
- Review inventory results, investigate and resolve discrepancies, and ensure appropriate capitalization, retirement, or impairment treatment.
- Prepare and maintain fixed asset schedules, policies, and audit-ready documentation.
- Prepare variance analyses and financial reporting packages, providing insight into key drivers, risks, and process performance.
- Identify and implement opportunities for process improvement, automation, and standardization—particularly within Excel-based models—while preserving logic integrity, internal controls, and auditability.
- Operate within a parent-company-aligned internal control framework and support audit and compliance activities as needed.
- Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned, consistent with the scope and level of the role.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Progressive experience spanning public accounting and industry roles within life sciences environments such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or medical devices; large public accounting firm experience strongly preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required; CPA certification preferred.
- Proven ability to interpret and apply authoritative accounting standards (GAAP and/or IFRS) to complex, industry?specific transactions using sound professional judgment.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, including development, maintenance, and ownership of complex, logic?based accounting schedules and financial models.
- Direct, hands?on experience supporting or leading ERP implementations; prior experience with Workday Financial Management is highly desirable.
Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
EEO Notice
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact
HR@vaco.com
.Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
Privacy Notice
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
- Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
- the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
- licensure and certification requirements;
- office location and other geographic considerations;
- other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.