Swearingen Development Partners — a growing technical and business growth consulting firm serving high-tech and industrial sectors — is hiring a full-time Accounting & Payroll Manager in Newport Beach, California. This hybrid role is responsible for managing core accounting functions including expense tracking, account reconciliation, state tax compliance, payroll administration, and financial reporting. CPA certification required. 4–7+ years of experience. Located in the South Orange County area with up to 2 days per week in office.
About Swearingen Development Partners — High-Tech & Industrial Consulting
Industry: Technical and Business Growth Consulting — High-Tech and Industrial Market Sectors
Expertise: Architecture, Engineering, Planning, and Construction professionals network
Mission: Support development of physical assets, vertical facilities, and infrastructure for clients
Partners: Owners, Consultants, Developers, Contractors, and Investors across multiple project types
Location: Newport Beach area, South Orange County, California — hybrid work model in place
Accounting Systems & Tools Required
Accounting Software: QuickBooks, NetSuite, or comparable accounting platform — proficiency required
Payroll Platforms: Gusto, ADP, Paychex, or similar — preferred for multi-state payroll administration
Reporting Tools: Microsoft Excel — advanced proficiency for financial analysis and internal reporting
Compliance: State and local tax filing knowledge — California and multi-state experience preferred
Certification: CPA or equivalent professional accounting certification is required for this role
Position Overview
This Accountant / Accounting & Payroll Manager role at Swearingen Development Partners in Newport Beach, CA is a high-responsibility finance position for an experienced accounting professional who thrives in a growing, entrepreneurial consulting environment. You will manage the full spectrum of daily accounting operations — from processing and categorising expenses and maintaining the general ledger, through to payroll administration, state tax filings, financial statement preparation, and ongoing cash flow monitoring. The role is designed for someone with a start-up mentality who is equally capable of rolling up their sleeves and comfortable advising leadership on financial strategy. This is a hybrid position requiring up to 2 days per week at the South Orange County office.
Why This Role Matters: As the Accounting & Payroll Manager at Swearingen Development Partners, you will be the financial backbone of a fast-growing consulting firm serving high-tech and industrial clients, build and improve internal accounting systems and controls from the ground up, manage multi-state payroll with precision and compliance expertise, and grow your accounting leadership career within a dynamic, project-based professional services organisation that is actively expanding its scope and client base across California and beyond.
Key Responsibilities
Core Accounting Operations
- Manage day-to-day accounting operations — processing, categorising, and reconciling expenses and maintaining accurate, current financial records across all company accounts
- Perform monthly, quarterly, and year-end account reconciliations covering bank accounts, credit card statements, and all general ledger accounts with full audit-trail documentation
- Maintain and continuously improve accounting systems, workflows, and internal financial controls to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and regulatory compliance as the firm grows
- Monitor cash flow on an ongoing basis and assist the leadership team with budgeting, financial planning, and short- and long-term cash management strategies
Payroll Administration & Multi-State Compliance
- Oversee and administer the full payroll process — ensuring timely, accurate employee payments, correct tax withholdings, and proper benefits deductions for all team members each pay cycle
- Manage multi-state payroll administration using platforms such as Gusto, ADP, Paychex, or equivalent — ensuring full compliance with California and other applicable state payroll regulations
- Prepare and file state and local tax filings accurately and on schedule, ensuring full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local financial reporting and tax requirements
- Maintain organised, audit-ready payroll documentation, tax filing records, and employee compensation histories in compliance with regulatory retention requirements
Financial Reporting & Leadership Support
- Support the preparation of accurate, timely financial statements and internal management reporting packages for leadership review and strategic decision-making
- Assist leadership with financial analysis, performance reporting, and ad hoc financial projects — providing clear, well-structured insights that support business growth planning
- Coordinate with external accountants, independent auditors, and tax advisors as needed to support year-end audit preparation and tax compliance activities
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of accounting and payroll processes as the company continues to expand its client and project portfolio
Systems Building & Process Improvement
- Help design, implement, and refine internal accounting systems, processes, and controls that are appropriate for a growing professional services consulting firm
- Evaluate and recommend improvements to existing QuickBooks, NetSuite, or comparable accounting platform configurations to better support the firm’s reporting and compliance needs
- Maintain well-organised, complete, and audit-ready financial records and documentation that support regulatory compliance and external audit requirements at all times
- Take ownership of process documentation — creating clear, standardised procedures for accounting and payroll workflows that can scale with the firm’s growth trajectory
Required Qualifications
Education & Certification
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field from an accredited institution
- CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or equivalent professional accounting certification is required — active CPA license in California is strongly preferred
- Must successfully pass a criminal and financial background check as part of the hiring process
Experience Requirements
- 4–7+ years of relevant hands-on accounting and/or payroll management experience in a professional services, consulting, or project-based business environment
- Start-up mindset with demonstrated experience managing full-cycle accounting for small to mid-size companies — comfortable building and improving processes with limited overhead
- Strong, proven expertise in expense management, account reconciliations, and general ledger accounting across multiple entity or project structures
- Hands-on payroll management experience — multi-state payroll processing experience is strongly preferred for this role
- Solid working knowledge of California state and local tax compliance, financial reporting requirements, and applicable federal accounting regulations
Technical Proficiency
- Proficiency in QuickBooks, NetSuite, or a comparable cloud-based accounting platform — ability to work confidently within existing systems and evaluate improvement opportunities
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills — for financial modelling, reconciliation schedules, budget tracking, and management reporting deliverables
- Strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy in all financial reporting, reconciliation, and compliance activities
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines in a fast-paced, growing consulting environment while maintaining a high standard of financial accuracy
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience in consulting, professional services, or project-based business environments — architecture, engineering, or construction sector experience is a significant advantage
- Familiarity with multi-entity or multi-state accounting operations and the specific compliance requirements these structures entail
- Experience implementing or significantly improving accounting systems and internal financial control processes within a growing organisation
- Hands-on experience with payroll platforms including Gusto, ADP, or Paychex — and familiarity with the compliance nuances of California payroll law
- Experience supporting or coordinating external audits and working effectively with outside accountants and tax advisors
About Swearingen Development Partners in Newport Beach, CA
Swearingen Development Partners is a specialised technical and business growth consulting firm that partners with owners, developers, contractors, consultants, and investors to optimise strategies, delivery approaches, and resources across high-tech and industrial project sectors. The firm’s team brings deep professional expertise in Architecture, Engineering, Planning, and Construction — supporting clients with engagements that range from short-term advisory projects to longer-term on-site project management support across California and beyond.
As the firm continues to grow its client base and project portfolio, Swearingen is investing in the internal infrastructure needed to support that growth — and the Accounting & Payroll Manager is a critical hire in that journey. This is a genuine opportunity to shape the financial operations of a professional services firm from the inside, build scalable systems, and grow with the organisation into an expanded financial leadership role over time.
Career Excellence: Join Swearingen Development Partners in Newport Beach as their Accounting & Payroll Manager — where your CPA credentials, multi-state payroll expertise, and systems-building mindset will directly support a growing consulting firm and position you for long-term career advancement in California’s thriving professional services sector.
Who Should Apply?
- CPA-Certified Accountants: With 4–7+ years of full-cycle accounting experience looking for a hybrid role in Newport Beach or South Orange County, California
- Accounting & Payroll Managers: With multi-state payroll experience and proficiency in QuickBooks or NetSuite seeking a leadership role in a growing consulting firm
- Start-Up & SMB Finance Professionals: Comfortable building accounting systems and processes from the ground up within a fast-growing, entrepreneurial professional services environment
- Consulting Sector Accountants: With architecture, engineering, or construction industry accounting experience and a background in project-based financial management
- Orange County CA Finance Professionals: Based in or near Newport Beach / South Orange County and ready for a hybrid accounting leadership role with clear growth potential
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