General ledger clerk | General ledger accountant job description

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The general ledger clerk position is accountable for creating journal entries and assembling supporting documentation, as well as for tracking the contents of accounts, creating portions of the financial statements, and writing related disclosures. The job description for a general ledger accountant is essentially the same, perhaps implying a somewhat higher level of experience or seniority than the clerk title.

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Principal Accountabilities

  • Maintain a list of monthly journal entries. This is critical for ensuring that the monthly closing process is completed correctly, with all journal entries completed.

  • Record journal entry supporting information. The clerk should prepare complete documentation of the reasons for each journal entry, including supporting calculations. This is needed by the auditors when they are reviewing the year-end financial statements.

  • Enter all journal entries. The clerk is responsible for the entry of all journal entries into the accounting system. This concentrates responsibility with one person.

  • Ensure that reversing entries occur. The clerk should track all entries designated as reversing, to ensure that the original entry was flushed out of the system in the following period.

  • Create recurring journal entry templates. The clerk maintains a set of journal entry templates that are reused whenever the same transaction is entered. Doing so reduces the time required to complete journal entries, and increases their accuracy.

  • Maintain account listings. The clerk maintains descriptions of all general ledger accounts and approves the addition of new ones. The intent is to only have a focused set of accounts that reflect company activities.

  • Assist auditors with journal entry examinations. The clerk retrieves journal entry documentation as requested by auditors, and provides them with additional explanations as needed.

  • Assist in the production of financial statements. The clerk is a central figure in closing the books, and assists the controller with many closing activities.

  • Assist in writing SEC disclosures and supporting tables. The clerk may assist a senior accountant in preparing certain disclosures that accompany the financial statements.

Desired Qualifications

3+ years of general ledger experience. Bachelor's degree in business or accounting preferred.  Must be detail oriented.

Supervises

None