Staff Accountant

Location
Remote
Job Type
Permanent

About Liberty Horizons

Liberty Horizons is a financial consulting and venture capital practice based in Toronto, Canada. We build and manage accounting and finance operations for founder-led startups and small businesses, handling everything from fractional CFO services and bookkeeping to AR/AP, payroll, and venture consulting. We are a small team with high-standards.. That means real ownership, real exposure, and real growth opportunities for the right person.  If you want to own a function, work directly alongside senior leadership, and build something that matters to the businesses you serve, this is the right environment for you.

About the Role

The Staff Accountant owns the day-to-day financial operations of the firm and its clients: full-cycle bookkeeping, payroll, tax compliance, reconciliations, and reporting. You are not a support function. You are the operational backbone of the finance team. This role has a clear growth path. We expect the right person to be operating at the Controller level within 18 to 24 months. 

What the First 90 Days Look Like

Days 1 to 30: Learn and Orient
  • Fully understand the client portfolio: who they are, what they need, and what good looks like for each
  • Get up to speed on all active systems: QuickBooks Online, Google Sheets trackers, payroll platforms, and filing schedules
  • Shadow the Senior Financial Controller on month-end close and reconciliation processes
  • Complete all mandatory onboarding training
Days 31 to 60: Contribute Independently
  • Own full-cycle bookkeeping for an assigned set of clients without daily supervision
  • Complete your first independent bank and credit card reconciliations on time and without errors
  • Identify at least one process or tracker that could be improved and bring a specific proposal
  • Establish clear communication rhythms with internal team members
Days 61 to 90: Own It
  • Own all assigned client bookkeeping, payroll, and reconciliation responsibilities end-to-end
  • Complete your first month-end close cycle independently, on time, and to standard
  • Demonstrate values alignment in real work situations
  • Agree a documented development focus for the next quarter with your manager

Responsibilities

Bookkeeping and General Ledger
  • Maintain accurate financial records including general ledger entries and supporting documentation
  • Perform full-cycle bookkeeping: accounts payable, accounts receivable, invoicing, payments, and expense reimbursements
  • Reconcile bank accounts, credit cards, and balance sheet accounts on a regular cadence
  • Analyze account activity, investigate variances, and resolve discrepancies
Financial Reporting
  • Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements: balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow reports
  • Update and maintain internal financial trackers in Google Sheets
  • Support month-end and year-end close processes, on time, every time
Payroll and Tax Compliance
  • Process payroll including entries, remittances, T4s, Records of Employment, and related filings
  • Support tax compliance and filings: corporate, HST/GST, and payroll taxes
  • Ensure all filings meet regulatory deadlines
Systems and Records
  • Maintain organised electronic records: receipts, invoices, digital files, and compliance documents
  • Use and maintain cloud-based accounting systems, primarily QuickBooks Online, alongside Google Sheets
  • Ensure compliance with company policies, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements
Communication and Collaboration
  • Communicate proactively with internal teams; updates sent before they are requested
  • Surface problems early, with context and a proposed resolution
  • Operate as a reliable, low-maintenance team member in a fully remote environment

What an A-Player Looks Like in This Role

  • Output quality: Every reconciliation, report, and filing is clean before it reaches anyone else
  • Ownership: When something in your area goes wrong, you surface it immediately, own it fully, and come with a fix
  • Accuracy: You catch errors before they become problems
  • Proactivity: You identify inefficiencies and propose improvements without waiting to be asked
  • Systems thinking: You fix root causes, not symptoms
  • Communication: Clear, structured, and specific (both written and verbal)
  • Digital fluency: Tools are how you work, not a barrier you work around
  • Values: You do the right thing when no one is watching

Who This Role Is For

  • Someone who takes genuine pride in clean, accurate financial work
  • Someone who operates with personal accountability
  • Someone who is comfortable in ambiguity and moves without losing quality
  • Someone who thrives in a remote, fully virtual environment
  • Someone who wants to grow into more responsibility over time, with a real path to Controller
  • Someone who finds startup culture energizing

Who This Role Is Not For

  • Someone who needs significant direction to know what good looks like
  • Someone who waits to be asked before flagging a problem
  • Someone who is technically adequate but has no interest in growing
  • Someone who finds fast-moving, remote environments stressful rather than motivating

Qualifications

Must Have
  • 3+ years of experience in an accounting environment
  • 3+ years of hands-on experience with QuickBooks Online
  • Degree (or equivalent) in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
  • Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets
  • Solid understanding of GAAP and Canadian regulatory compliance
  • Experience with HST/GST filings, payroll remittances, T4s, and ROEs
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Proven ability to manage deadlines independently in a remote environment
Nice to Have
  • Experience with Xero, Wave, ADP, or Knit People
  • Prior experience in a startup, fractional CFO, or multi-client accounting environment
  • Familiarity with venture-backed or founder-led business operations
  • Experience building or improving financial tracking systems in Google Sheets

What We Offer

  • $60,000–$70,000 CAD base salary
  • Full benefits package
  • Paid time off
  • Professional development budget
  • Full-time remote with genuine flexibility
  • Direct exposure to a diverse portfolio of founder-led businesses
  • A clear path to Controller within 18 to 24 months for the right person
  • A small, high-standard team where your work is visible and your contribution matters

The Hiring Process

This process is deliberate. We are selective because the standard matters, to us and to our clients.

  • Application and Values Pre-Screen: Written application including structured values questions
  • Screening Interview: 45-minute video call covering values, experience, and fit
  • Hiring Manager Interview: Deep dive on role-specific competency and ownership
  • Reference Checks: Minimum two professional references, at least one direct manager

Apply Now