Sr. Accountant

Overview

The Senior Accountant (Clinical Research Revenue) owns revenue recognition and related accounting for Forefront industry-sponsored clinical trials, applying ASC 606 to site-level agreements. The research revenue function is being built now, so this role will shape the process, reporting, and internal controls as the program scales. The position also supports the broader monthly close through journal entries, account reconciliations, and analysis, and works closely with research coordinators, study staff, and Finance leadership, including through the company's ERP transition from Great Plains to Workday.

Responsibilities

Research Revenue (Primary Focus)

• Own the monthly revenue recognition for all industry-sponsored clinical trials, applying ASC 606 to site-level agreements: identifying performance obligations, allocating the transaction price across study activities, and recognizing revenue as those obligations are satisfied.
• Read and abstract clinical trial agreements and study budgets, including per-subject and per-visit payment schedules, screen-failure provisions, start-up and close-out fees, IRB and regulatory pass-throughs, invoiceable items, and holdback or final-reconciliation terms.
• Maintain deferred revenue and unbilled receivable balances by study, and reconcile them monthly with supporting detail at the protocol level.
• Track enrollment and visit activity against contracted budgets, partnering with research coordinators and study staff to confirm that recognized revenue reflects actual completed study activity.
• Prepare and review sponsor and CRO invoices, monitor aging, and drive resolution of past-due and disputed amounts.
• Account for pass-through and reimbursable costs, subject stipends and travel reimbursements, and investigator and site payments.
• Maintain study-level profitability reporting (budget versus actual by protocol) and flag studies trending unfavorably.
• Recognize research revenue in the correct legal entity and support intercompany treatment across the multi-entity structure.
• Build and maintain the close checklist, documentation, and internal controls for the research revenue cycle as the program scales.

General Accounting (Supporting)

• Prepare and post journal entries and accruals as part of the monthly close.
• Complete balance sheet account reconciliations and clear reconciling items timely.
• Prepare assigned schedules, variance explanations, and fluctuation analyses for management.
• Provide supporting documentation and testing samples to external auditors.
• Contribute to process documentation and improvement, including work related to the company's ERP transition.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum 3–4 years of progressive accounting experience, including direct hands-on responsibility for clinical research or life sciences revenue. Experience at a research site, health system research office, academic medical center, CRO, or sponsor all qualify.
• Working knowledge of ASC 606 as applied to milestone-, enrollment-, and activity-based contracts.
• Demonstrated ability to read a clinical trial agreement and translate its payment terms into a revenue recognition schedule.
• Strong Excel skills, including building and maintaining models with lookups, pivot tables, and large data sets, and working with data pulled from source systems.
• Full-cycle monthly close experience: journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations.
• Strong attention to detail, with the judgment to know which differences matter and which do not.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain accounting outcomes to non-accountants such as research coordinators and operations leaders.

Preferred:

• CPA or CPA candidate.
• Experience in a multi-entity, private-equity-backed healthcare organization.
• Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (GP) experience (current ERP).
• Workday Financials experience (future ERP).
• Exposure to a CTMS or clinical trial financial management platform (preferably RealTime) and its reconciliation to the general ledger.
• Familiarity with Medicare Coverage Analysis and the research versus standard-of-care billing distinction.
• Experience supporting an ERP implementation or finance systems conversion.
• Exposure to Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, SQL, or similar reporting and data tools.

For this position, the base pay range is $90,000 - $110,000 per year. Individual pay is determined by role, level, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training.

Disclosure Forefront Dermatology is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants that is free from discrimination based upon age, race, religion, color, disability, marital status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact hr@forefrontderm.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Forefront will never request personal information, such as your social security number or banking information, via text or email. In addition, Forefront does not use external messaging applications such as WireApp or Skype to communicate with candidates. If you receive communication or requests of this nature, delete them. Forefront Dermatology is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants that is free from discrimination based upon age, race, religion, color, disability, marital status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact hr@forefrontderm.com  to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.