Finance Associate

At Sherman Research, our mission is to launch financial strategies to propel lives to Christ. That mission shapes not only the work we do, but what we do with the success of our business. We donate 51% of our net profits to organizations advancing the Gospel, so the work of every person on our team contributes directly to something bigger than our company. Our team values are rooted in the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We want those values reflected in how we serve our clients, how we make decisions, and in how we treat one another. We're looking for someone who is excited to bring excellence to their work, cares deeply about the people they work alongside, and wants to use their skills to support the mission Sherman Research exists to pursue. About The Role We’re looking for a detail-oriented Finance Associate to own day-to-day finance operations, balance-sheet reconciliations, and the month-end accounting close. You’ll help maintain reliable financial records, keep AP and AR moving, prepare recurring operating reports, and ensure finance data is complete, current, and well supported. We are flexible but fast-paced. Priorities can shift, and we value people who bring structure, sound judgment, and follow-through while improving the systems around them. This role is hands-on and cross-functional. You’ll work closely with the Head of Finance and partner with employees, customers, vendors, and external finance, tax, banking, and audit partners as needed. What you’ll do Accounting and financial records Process routine transactions using cash basis accounting in QuickBooks, with accurate accounts, dates, payees, classifications, and supporting documentation.Track, collect, match, name, and file receipts and other financial records.Review transactions for missing support, incorrect coding, duplicates, and unusual activity.Maintain an open-question list for judgment items and follow through to resolution. Banking and reconciliations Process assigned activity for company bank and cash accounts.Reconcile assigned bank and credit-card accounts.Reconcile material balance-sheet accounts as applicablePrepare reconciliation schedules and complete reconciliation packages with supporting documentation and unresolved-item tracking.Investigate differences, deposits, transfers, outstanding checks, stale items, and unsupported balances. Corporate card and expense administration Administer cardholder setup and closure, approved limits, spend categories, receipts, and coding.Follow up on missing documentation and review activity against company policy.Flag duplicate, unusual, personal, or out-of-policy transactions.Prepare corporate card and expense data for bookkeeping and month-end close. Accounts payable Receive and organize vendor bills and maintain vendor records and the AP tracker.Verify bill details, coding, support, approvals, terms, and due dates.Prepare payment batches and payment forecasts.Execute approved payments within delegated authority.Track recurring bills and vendor obligations.Independently validate vendor setup and banking changes. Accounts receivable Prepare and send customer invoices and maintain the AR tracker and aging report.Record incoming payments and reconcile them to invoices.Track failed customer payments and maintain a current follow-up list.Contact existing customers regarding failed payments and overdue invoices, documenting outreach, responses, and resolution status.Coordinate payment retries or updated payment methods in accordance with company procedures.Escalate unresolved failed payments and delinquent, disputed, or material balances to the Head of Finance. Reporting and dashboard data Prepare recurring cash-flow reporting, including cash movement, significant drivers, and expected near-term inflows and outflows.Calculate and report accounts receivable days and accounts payable days using agreed company definitions.Prepare burn-rate, runway, revenue, expense, net-profit, and other operating finance reports.Compare current results with prior periods, budget, or forecast when requested, and flag meaningful variances.Review finance dashboard data, trace metrics to source systems, and investigate discrepancies before reporting is relied upon.Maintain documentation for metric definitions, data sources, reporting periods, and refresh timing. Month-end close Own the month-end close calendar, checklist, dependencies, and deadlines.Ensure transactions are entered through month-end and supported by appropriate documentation.Complete all balance-sheet liability account reconciliations.Review uncategorized transactions and correct coding issues.Identify unusual or judgment-based adjustments and present them for review.Prepare initial month-end financial statements and operating reports.Deliver a complete close package for final review and sign-off.Track post-close corrections and incorporate process improvements into the next close. Additional finance support Support 1099 preparation and CPA, audit, tax, banking, insurance, and diligence requests.Track subscriptions and recurring vendor commitments, including renewal dates and potential duplicates or unused services.Maintain finance procedures, checklists, deadlines, and backup instructions.Improve and automate routine finance workflows. What we’re looking for Demonstrated ability to own a month-end close, prepare journal entries, reconcile material balance-sheet accounts, investigate discrepancies, and produce review-ready financial statements.Practical experience with cash basis accounting, including transaction processing, reconciliations, and month-end close.Strong QuickBooks, corporate card, spreadsheet, and document-management skills.Loves systems and is passionate about improving them through cleaner workflows, better documentation, and more reliable recurring processes.High accuracy, organization, follow-through, and comfort working to deadlines.Sound judgment and healthy skepticism when reviewing financial activity.Ability to identify unusual activity, distinguish routine work from judgment items, and escalate appropriately.Clear written and verbal communication with employees, vendors, customers, and finance partners.Discretion and reliability when handling confidential financial information. Success in this role Month-end close is completed accurately and within the first seven days of the following month.Material balance-sheet accounts are reconciled with complete support and timely resolution of open items.AP and AR records are clean, current, and well documented.Cash-flow, AP/AR days, burn-rate, runway, revenue, expense, and net-profit reporting is accurate and timely.Dashboard metrics reconcile to complete and current source data.Failed customer payments and overdue balances receive prompt, documented follow-up.Payment batches, receipts, and transaction support are complete and accurate.Routine finance operations become more efficient and require less executive involvement. Role Boundaries The Finance Associate will work within approved limits and is not the sole approver of their own reconciliations, payment batches, vendor banking changes, material transfers, or unusual entries. Benefits We believe our people are our greatest asset, and we've intentionally built our workplace around that belief. We're a 100% remote company with a Monday–Thursday workweek, giving our team meaningful flexibility and time outside of work while maintaining a high standard for what we accomplish together. We also invest meaningfully in our team's long-term well-being. Our benefits include: 100% employer-paid benefit premiums for employees and their dependents4% employer 401(k) contributionTwo weeks of paid time offFive paid holidaysPaid company time off from Christmas Eve through New Year's DayA fully remote, flexible work environmentCompany-paid employee vacation benefit:5 years: Choice of Mexico, Canada, or anywhere in the continental U.S.10 years: Choice of any 5-year destination, plus Alaska or Hawaii.15 years+: Choice of any previous destination, plus Europe.