Senior Accountant – Payroll & Small Business Services (Manager Track)

Schwan Financial Group

Aberdeen, SDonsite$57K - $62K/yr

Posted July 8, 2026

Job Description

Company Overview

Since 1984, Schwan Financial Group has been helping individuals, families, and businesses protect and grow their financial futures. Today, we proudly serve clients in more than 40 states, providing expertise in portfolio management, estate planning, insurance, tax planning, and business services.

Our mission is simple: help clients understand, grow, secure, enjoy, and distribute their family legacy. We believe great client service starts with great people, which is why we invest in building a collaborative, supportive workplace where employees can grow their careers while making a meaningful impact.

If you're looking for an opportunity to step into a leadership role with an established, growing firm—and develop under an experienced leader as part of a planned succession—we'd love to meet you.

Position Summary

Schwan Financial Group is seeking a Senior Accountant to lead our Small Business Services department. This is a unique leadership opportunity designed as part of a planned succession. During your first year, you'll develop under the guidance of the current Manager, gaining firsthand knowledge of our clients, systems, and operations before transitioning into the department's leadership role.

In this position, you'll oversee a small team while managing bookkeeping, payroll, financial reporting, and client accounting services. You'll also play an important role in improving processes, mentoring staff, strengthening client relationships, and helping shape the future of our growing accounting services division.

This is an excellent opportunity for an accounting professional who enjoys leadership, continuous improvement, client interaction, and building long-term solutions within a well-established financial services firm.

Key Responsibilities

Develop under the guidance of the current Manager during a planned succession before assuming leadership of the department.
Lead and support a team responsible for bookkeeping, payroll, and accounting services.
Oversee bookkeeping functions, including bank and investment reconciliations, journal entries, depreciation schedules, accrued expenses, prepaid expenses, related-party transactions, and financial statement preparation.
Manage payroll processing and related compliance, including payroll deposits, EFTPS, quarterly payroll reports, W-2s, W-3s, 1099s, 1096s, and other required filings.
Prepare annual and quarterly financial reports for clients.
Assist new clients with QuickBooks setup and accounting system implementation.
Develop, improve, and standardize processes for Small Business Services.
Create and maintain departmental procedures and training documentation.
Streamline billing processes for small business clients.
Provide bookkeeping and payroll training and ongoing support to accounting and tax staff.
Supervise and mentor bookkeeping staff and interns.
Make recommendations to improve accounting, payroll, and tax procedures.
Complete annual reports, monthly transactions, account reconciliations, journal entries, and required payroll filings for assigned entities.
Build strong client relationships while serving as a trusted accounting resource.
Stay current on accounting, payroll, and industry best practices.
Prepare reports, correspondence, and client documentation.
Communicate effectively with clients, staff, and leadership.
Participate in meetings, educational opportunities, and special projects.
Contribute to a collaborative, professional team environment.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or a related field.
3+ years of professional accounting and payroll experience.
Strong understanding of accounting principles, bookkeeping procedures, payroll processing, and financial reporting.
Experience preparing reconciliations, journal entries, payroll tax filings, and financial statements.
Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage confidential financial information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with QuickBooks.
Experience using payroll and accounting software.
Previous leadership, mentoring, or supervisory experience.
Public accounting or client-service experience is a plus.

Compensation, Benefits & More

Compensation

$57,000-$62,000 annually

Benefits

100% employer-paid health insurance
100% employer-paid dental insurance
401(k) with 4% company match
Paid holidays
Six paid Summer Fridays in addition to PTO
Medical reimbursement toward deductibles
Paid time off
Long-term disability insurance
Tuition reimbursement

Schedule

Monday-Friday
8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Job Type

Full-Time

Location

Aberdeen, South Dakota (On-site)

Responsibilities

Under General supervision, Interpreting, analyzing and making recommendations based on bookkeeping/payroll/financial statements of considerable confidentiality and difficulty requiring judgment and discretion including but not limited to QuickBooks entries (monthly bank statements, monthly investment statements), reconciliations( bank and credit card accounts, loan activity, cash receipts and disbursements, related party transactions, accrued expenses, prepaid expenses, and investment expenses), general journal entries input financial statements, guide new clients in QB setup, annual and quarterly financial reports, new hire reporting for clients, general bookkeeping, client payrolls, payroll reports, preparation and filing of 1099’s, 1096’s, W-2’s and W-3’s for clients, payroll deposits/ EFTPS etc.
Develops and implements processes for management of Small Business services for all SFG clients
**Streamlines billing process for all small business clients and executes across the board
**Develop and maintain a small business manual with procedures for but not limited to training, QuickBooks, 1099/1096, W2/W3, billing and payroll in relationship to the small business area.
Oversee payroll/1099/W-2 process and implementation for clients.
Primary person to provide books and payroll training and support to tax and bookkeeping staff
Supervises and trains tax and bookkeeping interns
**Makes recommendations to management on modifications that could improve small business, tax and accounting procedures.
Complete annual reports, enter monthly transactions and reconcile bank account, complete and file appropriate payroll forms (940, 940, 943, 1099, 1096, W-2, W-3, quarterly wage, etc.), make journal entries, etc. for assigned entities.
Correspondence with clients as needed.
Data entry, financial statements, amortization and depreciation schedules as assigned.
**Special projects as assigned.
Provide expertise in the areas of payroll and bookkeeping
Build client relationships and deliver relevant knowledge to clients.
Build on technical competence by keeping up-to-date on trend and developments and apply them to situations at hand.
Demonstrate professionalism through positive and cooperative attitude.
Contribute to the overall success of the team to enhance service delivery; actively seeking assignments when unassigned; proactively seeking opportunities to provide service.
Prepare, draft, scan, distribute, edit and proof reports, letters, memos and correspondence as required.
Communicate information to appropriate staff.
Attend meetings as appropriate.
Establish and maintain a positive rapport and cooperative working relationship with all staff, partners and clients.
Expands job-related knowledge and skills to improve performance.
Participates in educational activities.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Senior Accountant – Payroll & Small Business Services (Manager Track)

Job Description

Company Overview

Position Summary

Key Responsibilities

Required Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Compensation, Benefits & More

Responsibilities

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

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