Client Accounting Division Manager

Burkland's core purpose is to Accelerate Dreams. So often, turning dreams into reality helps change the world. We thrive at the forefront of this transformation. Startups desire our professionals as they are the best in the business. Startups seek our content because we are an industry thought leader. Startups trust our expertise, so founders can focus on their companies, products, and value-add. Because of our demonstrated value, our clients have raised more than $17.8B!

At Burkland, we lead with our Core Purpose. We do this for both our clients and our employees. We believe that leaning on our Core Values (Fresh Perspectives, Exponential Value, Empathy, Trusted Partner) will lead to happy clients and happy employees.

We are a remote-first company with over 185 team members, more than 800 clients, and a culture built on doing meaningful work with people who genuinely care about helping our clients grow. Come build something with us!

The Client Accounting Division Manager runs their division as a self-contained business unit within Burkland. The role owns the division's P&L and staffing, and is accountable not only for its own scorecard but for the aggregate performance of every KPI held by roles within the division. Success is measured by both business and people outcomes: revenue, margin, utilization, service quality, and client retention, alongside the growth and engagement of the people doing the work. The division supports consumer and product-based startups, so the manager brings deep inventory and cost accounting expertise to guide the team’s technical work and client advice.

This is a hands-on people leadership role. The manager is expected to understand strengths and development needs of each team member in their business unit, set clear expectations, give consistent feedback, address performance issues early, and build a team that can deliver both accounting and proactive advisory work at a high standard. The manager also owns key client relationships and serves as the first-line escalation point for client issues, with a defined handoff path for anything beyond their resolution.

This job description outlines the core of the role, but it isn't meant to cover everything you'll do. As Burkland grows, your responsibilities may shift and new projects, tasks, or priorities may be added along the way. We hope you'll see that as a chance to stretch, learn, and broaden your contributions.

Division Performance and KPI Accountability

• Own the business unit's P&L, including revenue, margin, and utilization targets.

• Drive aggregate performance across all KPIs assigned to Accounting Associates and Client Accounting Advisors, in addition to the manager's own scorecard.

• Track division performance regularly, identify gaps early, and take corrective action at the individual and team level.

• Report on division results to the Director of Accounting Advisory, including risks, trends, and planned actions.

• Manage capacity and workload distribution across the division as well as assigning clients.

• Contribute to pricing and fixed-fee scoping, and monitor engagement profitability.

• Maintain awareness of AR and collections for division clients and address issues with the appropriate teams.

People Leadership and Staffing

• Set clear role expectations and performance goals tied to the KPIs each team member owns.

• Lead regular, structured 1:1s focused on goals, workload, development, and wellbeing, not only status updates. Use them to give direct, ongoing feedback that recognizes strong work and addresses gaps as they appear, rather than waiting for review cycles.

• Create clear growth plans and provide ongoing coaching to develop each team member, in partnership with the Director and People Team

• Conduct performance reviews, manage performance concerns directly, and contribute to compensation and promotion recommendations.

• Monitor team capacity and engagement to support retention and prevent burnout.

• Apply company policies consistently, manage time-off and leave requests, and bring performance concerns, employee relations matters, and escalations to the Director and People Team for guidance and resolution.

• Plan staffing against current and forecasted client demand and build the business case for new headcount.

• Lead hiring for the division through interviewing and selection, and onboard new team members so they reach full productivity within expected timelines.

Inventory Accounting and Technical Oversight

• Oversee inventory valuation, reconciliation, and physical and cycle count processes across the division’s client portfolio, making sure variances are investigated and resolved quickly.

• Set standards for costing methods (FIFO, LIFO, weighted average) and ensure the team applies them correctly by client and industry.

• Ensure the team delivers accurate GAAP financial statements, inventory reporting, and COGS and gross margin analysis tailored to each client’s business model.

• Guide ERP and inventory software implementations, migrations, and improvements (partnering with ERP specialist where needed), and ensure client records stay audit-ready (as appropriate for the engagement size and scope).

• Coach the team to help clients reduce shrinkage, obsolescence, overstocking, and stockouts, and to improve working capital through metrics like inventory turnover and days on hand.

• Strong understanding of supply chain methods such as contract manufacturing and 3PL operations

Client Relationships and Service Quality

• Act as an escalation point for client relationship issues.

• Oversee quality control to ensure deliverables meet firm standards.

• Shift the team's work from solely report delivery toward proactive advisory.

Growth and Operations

• Own growth of the division's book of business through business development efforts to expand existing client relationships and identify service-expansion opportunities

• Maintain accurate, current portfolio information in Knownwell

• Drive full adoption of firm tools, systems, and processes, including AI-enabled workflows

Group and Company Success

A One Burkland mindset:

Our clients are best served when teams work together, not in silos. Partner closely with Tax, CFO, HR, and other service lines to create consistency, share knowledge, and deliver a seamless client experience across Burkland.

• Comfort with an increasing pace of change:

Today's pace is the slowest we will experience going forward, not a finish line before things settle. As AI and related tools evolve, our processes evolve with them. This allows for more chances to learn, grow, and shape how the work gets done.

• Genuine enthusiasm for AI-driven efficiency:

Proactively look for smarter ways of working as new tools come online. This is about changing how the work gets done, not reducing the need for skilled people to do it.

• A constructive attitude:

Attitude is contagious in both directions, across the team and with clients. Approach change with curiosity and enthusiasm. Help to set that tone for others rather than defaulting to resistance.

• Full adoption of firm tools and processes:

Systems are critical to growth and often fail to be effective when only part of the team uses them well.

• Delivery and proactive advisory:

Build real understanding of where each client's business is headed and advise ahead of it. Clients need the why behind their numbers, not just the numbers.

Core Competencies & Skills

• Financial Acumen — cost management, margin analysis, fixed-fee scope adjustments, and AR/collections awareness.

• Client Relationships— Client relationship management, escalation handling, and spotting cross-sell and service-expansion opportunities.

• Advisory mindset — Moving teams from report delivery alone to proactive advisory.

• Leading Change — Champions of change, including AI-driven efficiency, leading by example in the consistent adoption of firm tools, systems and processes and reinforcing them across the team.

• AI Fluency — Hands-on comfort using AI tools in accounting and operational work, with sound judgment about where AI adds value, where human review is required, and how to protect client data.

• Cross-functional collaboration — Build strong working relationships across Service Delivery, partnering with other teams on shared client work and aligning with Growth on new client onboarding and cross-sell opportunities

• Inventory and Cost Accounting Expertise — Deep knowledge of inventory accounting, costing methods, COGS, and GAAP, with the ability to guide a team through complex inventory work and system implementations. Strong understanding of supply chain methods such as contract manufacturing and 3PL operations as well as eCommerce operations and cash flows through Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and other marketplace solutions.

Minimum Requirements / Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, finance, or a related field, and 5+ years of progressive professional experience

• Direct people management experience, including conducting performance reviews, managing underperformance, and developing team members

• Exceptional client relationship management skills and the ability to understand client needs

• Strong project management skills, including the ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality results

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with clients, team members, and leadership

• Curiosity, strong problem-solving skills, and an eagerness to take on new challenges involving emerging technology and industries

• Strong command of GAAP and cost accounting, including inventory accounting (FIFO, LIFO, landed costs, shrinkage, and valuation adjustments)

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA or CMA credential

• Experience owning or significantly contributing to a team budget, P&L, or book of business

• Prior experience leading a team within a professional services or client accounting environment

• Hands-on ERP and inventory system experience (NetSuite, QuickBooks, Cin7, Fishbowl, or similar)

• Experience leading or overseeing ERP or inventory software implementations

This is a remote position. Work is primarily performed at a computer for extended periods, requiring the ability to use a keyboard, view a screen, and communicate via video and phone. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Burkland Associates is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Burkland Associates is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or another legally protected status. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please visit our careers page https://burklandassociates.com/careers/. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

The base pay range target for the role described in this job description is 120,000-140,000. Final offer amounts depend on multiple factors such as candidate experience and expertise, geographic location, total compensation, and market data. In addition, full-time regular positions are eligible for, 401(k), health benefits, and other benefits; some of these benefits may be available for part-time.