OPT Staff Accountant Jobs
Staff Accountant roles are among the more OPT-friendly positions in finance, with many mid-size and large employers accustomed to sponsoring CPT and OPT students from accounting programs. Your 12-month OPT window, extendable to 36 months with a STEM OPT extension if your degree qualifies, gives employers enough runway to evaluate you for long-term sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Be the one who makes a difference!
At Vertex Education we are a team of high achievers, courageous leaders, and passionate believers in changing lives through education. As a purpose-led education services provider, our mission is destined to benefit many and yet it starts with just one person inspired to work together with us to make a memorable and meaningful difference for our clients, schools, students, and communities. Be the one who makes a difference—with us.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As the Staff Accountant for Vertex Management Services, you are the guardian of the month-end close for our partner, Legacy Traditional Schools, ensuring the financial integrity that allows them to focus on changing lives. You will operate with a heads-down focus on transactional execution, meticulously preparing audit-proof reconciliations and processing a high volume of journal entries with exceptional precision. Success in this role is defined by an unwavering commitment to meeting every deadline, prioritizing the speed, accuracy, and integrity of the close cycle. This is a critical role for the detail-obsessed professional who finds deep satisfaction in a perfectly balanced ledger and a predictable, on-time close.
Responsibilities / Essential Functions:
1. Month-End Close Execution:
- Execute all assigned month-end close tasks, including journal entries and reporting, in strict adherence to the close calendar for Legacy Traditional Schools.
- Prepare timely, accurate, and well-documented balance sheet account reconciliations using BlackLine, ensuring all supporting evidence is attached.
- Investigate variances identified during the close process, ensuring all discrepancies are resolved and documented prior to deadlines.
2. General Ledger Integrity & Compliance:
- Maintain the accuracy of assigned general ledger accounts in Workday, ensuring all financial activity for LTS campuses is correctly recorded.
- Apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and internal control policies to every transaction to ensure financial compliance.
- Compile and attach comprehensive, audit-ready supporting documentation for all journal entries to ensure a clear audit trail.
- Perform routine and ad-hoc account analysis to validate financial data, identify potential inconsistencies, and escalate material issues.
3. Daily Cash & Treasury Operations:
- Perform daily review of cash reconciliations for all campuses to ensure completeness and accuracy.
- Provide transactional support for merchant account management, including investigating inquiries from LTS campus staff and payment processors.
4. Process Adherence & Documentation:
- Maintain and update detailed documentation for all owned processes and procedures to ensure clarity, consistency, and backup readiness.
- Identify and document opportunities for process improvements, focusing on practical fixes that enhance efficiency within the existing toolset.
- Respond to and resolve assigned finance inquiries from campus staff or internal departments.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
- 2+ years of accounting experience with direct responsibility for general ledger maintenance and month-end close tasks.
- Strong knowledge of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and internal controls.
- Demonstrated ability to consistently meet tight deadlines in a high-volume, transactional environment.
- Hands-on experience with a large-scale ERP system such as Workday, NetSuite, or Oracle.
- Proficiency using Microsoft Excel for data analysis and reconciliation (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUPs).
- Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate, well-documented work.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Direct experience with Workday Financial Management.
- Experience using account reconciliation software, particularly BlackLine.
- Experience in a multi-location or multi-entity accounting environment.
- Background in handling high-volume daily cash reconciliations or treasury operations.
- Experience preparing schedules and supporting documentation for external financial audits.
- Proven ability to create clear and concise process documentation for accounting workflows.
Be excited to be a part of our team and grow your career with us!
Be the one who enables us to positively impact over 258,000 students across multiple states while driving our growth forward so we can enrich even more lives. Be the one who helps us achieve excellence for over 226 schools that we support with academics, finance, technology, human resources, communications, marketing, facilities, construction, and food services. Be the one who is a diverse thinker, a team player, a smart risk taker, an innovator, and a difference maker by encouraging others to climb higher and reach farther to further education.
- Be yourself surrounded by wonderful people who care about you, value your unique skills, and lift you up.
- Be supported in your work by caring leaders and team members who want you to succeed.
- Be empowered to make a difference and climb higher and reach farther to change lives through education.
- Be well in all aspects of your life from your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing to your finances.
- Enjoy industry-leading pay, rewards, referral bonuses, with unlimited flexible paid time-off for performance.
- Be able to care for your health and your family with comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits and invest in your future with 401(k) plans with a 6% employer match on your contributions.
- Enhance your growth and development with mentoring and money to take training classes.
- Thrive in a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment where we treat others with fairness and respect, celebrate diversity, and elevate equality and inclusion as an equal opportunity employer.
Be the one who makes a difference!
With an innovative mind, a hungry heart, and engaging spirit you can change lives through education. Be a part of Vertex Education and let’s make a difference together. Apply Today!
INTRODUCTION
Be the one who makes a difference!
At Vertex Education we are a team of high achievers, courageous leaders, and passionate believers in changing lives through education. As a purpose-led education services provider, our mission is destined to benefit many and yet it starts with just one person inspired to work together with us to make a memorable and meaningful difference for our clients, schools, students, and communities. Be the one who makes a difference—with us.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As the Staff Accountant for Vertex Management Services, you are the guardian of the month-end close for our partner, Legacy Traditional Schools, ensuring the financial integrity that allows them to focus on changing lives. You will operate with a heads-down focus on transactional execution, meticulously preparing audit-proof reconciliations and processing a high volume of journal entries with exceptional precision. Success in this role is defined by an unwavering commitment to meeting every deadline, prioritizing the speed, accuracy, and integrity of the close cycle. This is a critical role for the detail-obsessed professional who finds deep satisfaction in a perfectly balanced ledger and a predictable, on-time close.
Responsibilities / Essential Functions:
1. Month-End Close Execution:
- Execute all assigned month-end close tasks, including journal entries and reporting, in strict adherence to the close calendar for Legacy Traditional Schools.
- Prepare timely, accurate, and well-documented balance sheet account reconciliations using BlackLine, ensuring all supporting evidence is attached.
- Investigate variances identified during the close process, ensuring all discrepancies are resolved and documented prior to deadlines.
2. General Ledger Integrity & Compliance:
- Maintain the accuracy of assigned general ledger accounts in Workday, ensuring all financial activity for LTS campuses is correctly recorded.
- Apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and internal control policies to every transaction to ensure financial compliance.
- Compile and attach comprehensive, audit-ready supporting documentation for all journal entries to ensure a clear audit trail.
- Perform routine and ad-hoc account analysis to validate financial data, identify potential inconsistencies, and escalate material issues.
3. Daily Cash & Treasury Operations:
- Perform daily review of cash reconciliations for all campuses to ensure completeness and accuracy.
- Provide transactional support for merchant account management, including investigating inquiries from LTS campus staff and payment processors.
4. Process Adherence & Documentation:
- Maintain and update detailed documentation for all owned processes and procedures to ensure clarity, consistency, and backup readiness.
- Identify and document opportunities for process improvements, focusing on practical fixes that enhance efficiency within the existing toolset.
- Respond to and resolve assigned finance inquiries from campus staff or internal departments.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
- 2+ years of accounting experience with direct responsibility for general ledger maintenance and month-end close tasks.
- Strong knowledge of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and internal controls.
- Demonstrated ability to consistently meet tight deadlines in a high-volume, transactional environment.
- Hands-on experience with a large-scale ERP system such as Workday, NetSuite, or Oracle.
- Proficiency using Microsoft Excel for data analysis and reconciliation (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUPs).
- Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate, well-documented work.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Direct experience with Workday Financial Management.
- Experience using account reconciliation software, particularly BlackLine.
- Experience in a multi-location or multi-entity accounting environment.
- Background in handling high-volume daily cash reconciliations or treasury operations.
- Experience preparing schedules and supporting documentation for external financial audits.
- Proven ability to create clear and concise process documentation for accounting workflows.
Be excited to be a part of our team and grow your career with us!
Be the one who enables us to positively impact over 258,000 students across multiple states while driving our growth forward so we can enrich even more lives. Be the one who helps us achieve excellence for over 226 schools that we support with academics, finance, technology, human resources, communications, marketing, facilities, construction, and food services. Be the one who is a diverse thinker, a team player, a smart risk taker, an innovator, and a difference maker by encouraging others to climb higher and reach farther to further education.
- Be yourself surrounded by wonderful people who care about you, value your unique skills, and lift you up.
- Be supported in your work by caring leaders and team members who want you to succeed.
- Be empowered to make a difference and climb higher and reach farther to change lives through education.
- Be well in all aspects of your life from your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing to your finances.
- Enjoy industry-leading pay, rewards, referral bonuses, with unlimited flexible paid time-off for performance.
- Be able to care for your health and your family with comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits and invest in your future with 401(k) plans with a 6% employer match on your contributions.
- Enhance your growth and development with mentoring and money to take training classes.
- Thrive in a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment where we treat others with fairness and respect, celebrate diversity, and elevate equality and inclusion as an equal opportunity employer.
Be the one who makes a difference!
With an innovative mind, a hungry heart, and engaging spirit you can change lives through education. Be a part of Vertex Education and let’s make a difference together. Apply Today!
See all 746+ OPT Staff Accountant Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Staff Accountant Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Staff Accountant
Target employers with a history of OPT sponsorship
Public accounting firms, multinational corporations, and regional companies with dedicated HR teams are far more likely to have OPT sponsorship infrastructure in place. Smaller firms often lack the legal resources to support work authorization, so focus your search accordingly.
Lead with your CPA exam progress
Employers hiring Staff Accountants care deeply about CPA candidacy. Mentioning passed sections or active exam enrollment signals long-term commitment and makes sponsorship more appealing, since they're investing in someone building a career, not just filling a temporary role.
Confirm your degree qualifies for STEM OPT
Accounting degrees under CIP code 52.0301 qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you 36 months total. Verify your program's CIP code with your DSO before interviewing, so you can confidently communicate your full authorization window to employers.
Apply before your OPT start date if possible
Starting your job search three to four months before graduation gives employers time to evaluate you without deadline pressure. Hiring managers are less hesitant about OPT when they have adequate lead time to complete onboarding and any required E-Verify steps.
Prepare a clear one-sentence explanation of OPT
Many hiring managers outside of large corporations have never sponsored OPT before. A simple explanation, such as noting that OPT is post-graduation work authorization requiring no employer filing fees or petitions, removes a major psychological barrier during early conversations.
Emphasize technical accounting skills on your resume
Proficiency in ERP systems like SAP or Oracle, experience with month-end close processes, and familiarity with U.S. GAAP are what get Staff Accountant interviews. Strong technical credentials shift the conversation from your visa status to your actual qualifications.
Staff Accountant OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as Staff Accountants in the United States?
Yes. Staff Accountant roles qualify as directly related employment for F-1 OPT students holding accounting, finance, or business degrees. Your work must relate to your field of study to remain compliant with OPT regulations. Most accounting degree programs under CIP code 52.0301 also qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to 36 months of total work authorization.
Do employers need to file any paperwork to hire me on OPT as a Staff Accountant?
No employer petition or filing fee is required during your OPT period. Your employer does need to enroll in E-Verify, which is a free federal employment eligibility system, and you must report the job to your DSO within 10 days of starting. This low administrative burden makes OPT one of the most straightforward ways for accounting employers to hire international students.
Which types of employers are most likely to sponsor Staff Accountants on OPT?
The Big Four accounting firms, large regional CPA firms, and multinational corporations with in-house accounting teams sponsor OPT students most consistently. These organizations have established HR and legal processes for work authorization. Mid-size companies in industries like technology, healthcare, and manufacturing also frequently hire Staff Accountants on OPT. Migrate Mate lists accounting roles at employers with a demonstrated history of OPT sponsorship, so you can focus your search efficiently.
What happens to my OPT if I lose my Staff Accountant job?
F-1 OPT students are permitted up to 90 days of unemployment during the standard 12-month OPT period. If you are on a STEM OPT extension, the limit increases to 150 days cumulative across both periods. You must report any job separation to your DSO promptly and begin your search immediately, since exceeding the unemployment limit terminates your OPT authorization.
Does working as a Staff Accountant on OPT help with future H-1B sponsorship?
Accounting roles are well-established specialty occupations under H-1B visa standards, and Staff Accountant positions at firms experienced with visa sponsorship frequently convert to H-1B petitions. Demonstrating CPA progress and strong performance reviews strengthens the case for sponsorship. Starting in a role at an employer with prior H-1B filing history gives you the best odds of a smooth transition before your OPT authorization expires.