Senior Accountant (R2997)

Introduction to Shield AIFounded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown a fighter jet (F-16), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (V-BAT), and a quadcopter (Nova). The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington DC and abroad. Shield AI’s products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies.

The Senior Accountant will primarily focus on payroll-related activities, including the accurate and efficient processing of payroll. You will also participate in the monthly and quarterly closing procedures, ensuring compliance with the company's accounting policies and maintaining robust internal controls. Along with payroll, the role will involve various accounting tasks such as debt, leases, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, and intangibles, ensuring compliance with the company's accounting policies and maintaining robust internal controls.

What You'll Do:

• Ensure timely and accurate payroll processing for month-end close and other ad hoc financial reports 
• Work with the team to provide excellent customer service to our employees and business partners including resolving payroll related inquires 
• Build and maintain employee confidence and trust by promptly responding to requests and protecting the confidentiality of payroll operations 
• Book monthly journal entries (accruals, recurring, and adjustments),
• Execute monthly/quarterly closing procedures, 
• Perform analytical evaluation of balance sheet and income statement accounts, 
• Timely completion of assigned balance sheet reconciliations, for debt, leases, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, and intangibles accounts,
• Enforce a strong internal controls environment, 
• Identify enhancement opportunities within existing processes, lead change process when required,
• Participate in different payroll projects and other initiatives as assigned,
• Prepare interim and year-end audit deliverables and support the audit process as needed,
• Support effective internal control environment

Required Qualifications:

• 4-5+ years of relevant experience with payroll processing, policy management, and month-end close, including journal entries, and reconciliations 
• Knowledgeable with employee tax filings and benefit audits
• Intermediate Excel skills and proficiency in working with different systems to retrieve and analyze data.
• Good communicator with strong interpersonal skill and emotional intelligence 
• Able to work autonomously and flexibly 
• Positive enthusiastic approach with a can-do attitude 
• Excellent organizational skills 
• Able to demonstrate achieving success in a deadline driven environment and commitment to continuous improvement. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and be able to liaise with internal and external stakeholders to make general ledger accounting and payroll system enhancements or resolve accounting and payroll issues.
• Attention to details and the ability to professionally interact with all levels of staff 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Deltek Costpoint (timekeeping and accounting functions) and UKG (Payroll processing & BI reporting) a plus.
• Experience with stock-based compensation a plus 
• Experience with international expansions a plus 
• Experience with government regulations preferred 
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP 
• You have a demonstrated record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to others 
• Public Company or PCAOB experience.