Summary

The GL Manager is a hands-on people leader who owns payroll accounting, prepares equity rollforwards, oversees accounts payable (coding and payouts), and performs monthly flux/variance analysis (including COGS vs. SG&A classification review), while also serving as the reviewer of all work performed by the Senior GL Accountants and, by extension, the GL Accountants who report into them. This role manages a team of three -five (two Senior GL Accountants, an AP Specialist, and the GL Accountants) and is accountable for the accuracy, timeliness, and audit-readiness of the general ledger areas owned by the team. The general ledger areas owned by the team include, but are not limited to: bank transaction coding/uploading, cash reconciliations, prepaid expenses, fixed assets (including capitalized software) leases, accrued expenses, accounts payable, expense reports & corporate credit cards, and payout expenses and returns and intercompany clearing.

This is a leadership role that combines direct ownership of several close areas with day-to-day coaching, review, and prioritization of the broader accounting team's work. As Topstep's finance organization continues to mature, the specific accounts and processes owned by this role may shift; the GL Manager is expected to flex into new areas (e.g., intercompany, cash/bank accounting, leases, or other balance sheet areas) as priorities evolve and to help define ownership as the team scales.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

Directly manage and develop the two Senior GL Accountants and the AP Specialist, including workload prioritization, coaching, and performance management.
Provide second-level review and sign-off on work performed by the GL Accountant(s) who report into the Senior GL Accountants, ensuring consistency and quality across the full team.
Set daily and monthly priorities for the team in line with the month-end close calendar established with the Assistant Controller and Controller.
Identify staffing, training, and process gaps within the team and recommend solutions to the Assistant Controller.
Hold the team accountable for timely, accurate, and well-documented deliverables; escalate risks or resourcing constraints proactively.

Payroll Accounting

Own execution of all payroll-related journal entries, including regular payroll, subsidiary expense allocations, fringe benefits, and management fee allocations.
Partner with People/HR and Payroll on GL mapping, coding of new departments/entities, and resolution of payroll data discrepancies.
Reconcile payroll-related balance sheet accounts (e.g., accrued payroll, payroll clearing, benefits) on a monthly basis.
Maintain and continuously improve payroll accounting SOPs, including CSV upload templates for payroll, accruals, and subsidiary expense allocations.

Accounts Payable Oversight (Coding & Payouts)

Oversee AP coding accuracy across vendors, departments, and entities, including review of the AP Specialist's day-to-day coding.
Provide guidance and approver training so that vendor coding is applied consistently and correctly at the point of entry.
Oversee payout-related AP activity in partnership with the Senior GL Accountants, including bill creation, payout returns, and related AP reconciliations.
Review and approve AP aging, prepared by the Senior GL Accountant, on a recurring basis and ensure aging ties to the trial balance; drive resolution of long-outstanding items.

Monthly Flux / Variance Analysis

Perform monthly period-over-period (and budget-to-actual, as applicable) flux analysis for accounts owned by the team, including payroll, AP-driven expense accounts, and COGS/SG&A lines.
Investigate and document explanations for significant fluctuations; distinguish true business drivers from coding or classification issues.
As part of this analysis, review COGS vs. SG&A classification across the chart of accounts to ensure new vendors, expense types, and cost-sharing arrangements are mapped and coded appropriately.
Summarize flux commentary for the Assistant Controller and Controller ahead of monthly and quarterly reporting deadlines.