Lead Accountant

About you and the role:

We are seeking a detail-oriented, hands-on Accounting Lead to join our growing finance team at Passport, a shipping and logistics platform for e-commerce brands. This hybrid role leads our day-to-day accounts payable function, including our freight carrier network, vendor invoices, and corporate card compliance while also owning a defined slice of our general ledger and month-end close. The ideal candidate is as comfortable managing invoices, vendors, and payment cycles as they are in the technical detail of a reconciliation and reports directly to the Accounting Manager.

What you’ll be doing:

• Own the end-to-end accounts payable process — invoice intake, coding, approval routing, and payment batch preparation — ensuring vendors are paid accurately and on time.

• Ensure freight carrier and vendor invoices are coded and recorded accurately, resolving data discrepancies across AP systems before invoices reach payment.

• Review completed payment batches for policy compliance and appropriate approvals before submitting them to the Accounting Manager for final approval and release.

• Maintain AP controls that prevent duplicate, inaccurate, or unauthorized payments.

• Manage vendor onboarding, tax documentation, and vendor master data, escalating banking or payment-detail changes for independent verification.

• Monitor upcoming cash requirements and payment timing, flagging funding needs to the Accounting Manager ahead of due dates.

• Supervise and review the work of the AP Coordinator, and direct and quality-check the output of the external data-entry resource.

• Manage corporate card compliance in Ramp, including coding accuracy, receipt enforcement, and policy adherence.

• Support annual 1099 filings and related vendor tax compliance.

• Lead process and automation improvements across QuickBooks Online, Tipalti, Bill.com, and Ramp to strengthen controls, improve accuracy, and shorten the close.

• Partner with other departments to resolve invoice discrepancies and improve cost visibility.

• Own assigned general ledger accounts and month-end close tasks end to end, ensuring compliance with U.S. GAAP and SOX-aligned controls and meeting the close calendar.

• Prepare journal entries, accruals, and supporting schedules for assigned areas, and review entries prepared by others where relevant.

• Prepare and review account reconciliations — including the AP subledger to the general ledger — investigating variances and clearing reconciling items before they age.

• Prepare recurring cost and shipping-spend reporting, partnering with Operations to explain variances and trends.

• Maintain up-to-date process documentation for the accounting procedures you own.

You have many of the following:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.

• 4–6 years of accounts payable experience, including 1–2 years directly supervising AP staff or an outsourced resource, at a U.S.-based company, along with hands-on general accounting experience (journal entries, reconciliations, month-end close).

• Solid working knowledge of U.S. GAAP, experience operating in a SOX-aligned or otherwise controls-conscious environment is a plus.

• Hands-on experience with QuickBooks Online, Tipalti, Bill.com, and Ramp; advanced Excel skills.

• CPA or active progress toward CPA is a plus, not required.

• Strong analytical and organizational skills with a high attention to detail.

• Ability to communicate effectively across departments and time zones.

• Self-starter with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a remote environment.

• Experience in shipping, logistics, or e-commerce is a plus.