Acceptance Testing, Accounting, Accounting Close, Accounting Policies, Accounting Software, Agile Programming Methodologies, Business Processes, Business Solutions, Communication Skills, Consulting, Contract Management, Customer Acquisition, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), Finance, Financial Accounting, Financial Operations, Financial Reporting, Financial Systems, Focus Groups, General Ledger Accounting, Identify Issues, Industry/Trade Analysis, Information Technology & Information Systems, Journal Entries, Leadership, Organizational Skills, Payroll Software/Services, Physical Demands, Product Management, Professional Services, Reconciliation, Requirements Management, Revenue Accounting, Revenue Recognition, Software Administration, Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), Team Player, Training/Teaching
Product Specialist (Contract to Hire)
Summary of Duties & Responsibilities
The Product Specialist serves as the critical bridge between core accounting operations and our software development lifecycle. This role is ideal for an experienced accounting professional with deep accounting expertise and a strong passion for using technology to optimize financial workflows. We will train the right domain expert on our specific product management and software delivery methodologies.
This role requires a strong foundation in general ledger (GL) accounting and financial operations. The ideal candidate will have five or more years of hands-on experience in GL accounting, including financial close processes, journal entries, account reconciliations, financial reporting and multi-entity accounting structures. A deep understanding of accounting principles and financial workflows is essential for success in this role.
The Product Specialist should also understand basic payroll systems, multi-currency accounting concepts, intercompany accounting, project-based accounting and revenue recognition principles. Experience working with ERP systems is strongly preferred.
We are looking for a self-motivated, highly organized and collaborative professional who thrives in a team environment and brings a passion for business systems. This role will endorse our products' capabilities and drive customer adoption and success.
Essential Functions
- Serve as Support escalation point for the FAM product portfolio
- Research FAM product issues and identify potential solutions
- Record, document and manage FAM product issues and modifications
- Translate real-world accounting challenges and compliance workflows into clear software requirements and user stories for the Development team
- Design and execute user acceptance testing (UAT)
- Ensure new software releases accurately support complex multi-currency and intercompany transactions
- Collaborate with internal teams and customers to support financial and accounting business processes
Skills & Competencies
- Leadership: Demonstrate extreme ownership of the decisions, actions and outcomes related to personal and team activities
- Professional: Demonstrate a high level of personal responsibility, preparation and pride in work product, team and organization
- Effectively communicate FAM product issues, feedback and recommendations to colleagues, verbally and in writing
- Domain Knowledge: Understand and increase knowledge of the finance and accounting business domain, product area features and capabilities, market landscape (competitor software products) and industry trends
- Engage FAM end users to understand product usage and capture product feedback via feedback sessions, focus groups and other forums
- Execution: Analyze and document requirements for targeted FAM product modifications in the context of existing functionality.
- Identify and troubleshoot software issues and provide effective solutions in collaboration and communication with internal and external stakeholders
- Technical Aptitude & Curiosity: Possess a natural curiosity for how software systems work under the hood and strong, logical troubleshooting skills, along with a desire to learn software product management frameworks, agile methodologies and system design
Education or Prior Work Experience
- Five or more years of general ledger accounting experience required
- Strong understanding of core accounting principles and financial processes required
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, information systems or related field preferred
- Experience implementing, supporting, facilitating and/or testing financial accounting systems preferred
- Experience working with ERP platforms a plus
- Experience with project-based accounting or professional services environments a plus
Reports To
Associate Director, Finance and Accounting Management
Number Supervised
0
Travel
Up to 15%
Classification
Contract to Hire
Work Environment & Physical Demands
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.