What is an Accounting Coordinator?

An accounting coordinator is a professional who assists with the overall operations of an organization’s financial processes, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll. He or she may be employed with an accounting firm which is outsourced by other organizations for their accounting needs, or they may be employed within the accounting department of an organization in any industry.

Under the direction of a supervisor such as an accounting manager or chief financial officer, the accounting coordinator is responsible for most of the accounting communications between an organization and its clients, suppliers, and lenders. He or she might liaise with suppliers and lenders regarding accounts payables, clients regarding accounts receivables, and staff regarding payroll. Someone in this job position does not typically make decisions concerning the time line for collecting and making an organization’s payments, which is usually the decision of the accounting manager and executives.

An accounting coordinator is often assigned bookkeeping responsibilities and required to keep track of all receivables and payables. Upon receiving or sending an invoice, the coordinator will input the information into whichever computer database the organization uses for accounting and file all hard copies. He or she may be responsible for reminding the accounting manager when a payable is overdue, or following up on a receivable. Accounting coordinators are also responsible for ensuring the validity of a payable or receivable, which may include confirming with other members of the organization that an incoming invoice is for legitimate products or services rendered before it is deemed payable.

People in this position might coordinate direct deposit for staff with an outsourced payroll company, or print and distribute paychecks to staff members. Although an accounting coordinator is not responsible for an organization’s financial projections and practices, he or she may be privy to confidential information regarding the organization’s financial state. During tax time or audits, the accounting coordinator is responsible for gathering all pertinent paperwork to be filed with the government, including copies of receipts, pay stubs, and any other material required by the organization to file taxes or provide during an audit.