ROLE OVERVIEW
We are a residential interior design firm specializing in design services, renovations, furnishings, and whole-home projects. The Bookkeeper supports the financial health of the company by maintaining accurate financial records, reconciling accounts, organizing backup documentation, supporting Profit First accounting workflows, and preparing timely reporting for the Owner / CEO.
This role requires accuracy, confidentiality, organization, professional judgment, and clear communication. The ideal bookkeeper understands small business bookkeeping, project-based service businesses, client invoicing, vendor payments, interior design purchasing, and the importance of clean financial records for decision-making.
SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE LOOKS LIKE
· QuickBooks is current, accurate, and reconciled monthly.
· The Owner has a clear picture of revenue, cash flow, expenses, payables, receivables, and profitability.
· Profit First allocations and bi-monthly accounting distributions are supported consistently and on schedule.
· Client payments, vendor expenses, design fees, furniture income, and project costs are easy to understand.
· Questions are flagged early and unresolved items are documented clearly.
· Reports are organized, professional, and ready for monthly review.
· Tax preparation is smoother because records and documentation are clean.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. QuickBooks Management
The Bookkeeper is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records in QuickBooks, including:
· Categorizing income and expenses.
· Recording deposits, payments, and transfers.
· Maintaining vendor and client records.
· Reviewing transactions for accuracy.
· Ensuring expenses are assigned to the proper accounts.
· Keeping the chart of accounts organized and appropriate for an interior design business.
· Flagging unclear transactions for Owner review.
2. Bank and Credit Card Reconciliation
The Bookkeeper will reconcile all business bank accounts and credit card accounts on a regular monthly schedule.
· Reconciling bank statements to QuickBooks.
· Reconciling credit card statements to QuickBooks.
· Identifying missing, duplicate, or incorrectly categorized transactions.
· Notifying the Owner of unresolved discrepancies.
· Ensuring reconciliations are complete before monthly financial reports are reviewed.
3. Client Payments and Income Tracking
· Recording client payments.
· Matching deposits to invoices or income categories.
· Tracking design service income separately from furniture/product income when applicable.
· Reviewing open invoices and unpaid client balances.
· Coordinating with the Owner on client payment questions.
· Helping maintain clarity between revenue, deposits, reimbursements, cost of goods, and true profit.
4. Vendor Bills and Expense Tracking
The Bookkeeper supports accurate tracking of vendor expenses, subcontractor payments, project purchases, and operating costs.
· Recording vendor bills and payments.
· Tracking recurring expenses.
· Categorizing subcontractor payments correctly.
· Reviewing receipts, invoices, and backup documentation.
· Identifying project-related expenses versus overhead expenses when applicable.
· Flagging unusual expenses, missing receipts, duplicate charges, or vendor payment questions.
5. Interior Design Industry-Specific Bookkeeping
The Bookkeeper should understand or be willing to learn the financial structure of an interior design business, including:
· Design service revenue.
· Furniture, lighting, art, accessories, and product sales.
· Client retainers, deposits, and progress payments.
· Vendor purchases and trade accounts.
· Freight, delivery, receiving, storage, and installation costs.
· Sales tax considerations.
· Reimbursable project expenses.
· Trade discounts, margins, markups, and cost of goods sold.
· Project profitability tracking where applicable.
DESIGNATED WEEKLY BOOKKEEPING DAY
This is the primary weekly window for bookkeeping work, transaction review, owner questions, documentation requests, reporting updates, and Profit First distribution preparation when applicable.
Monday bookkeeping work should generally include:
· Reviewing new bank and credit card transactions.
· Categorizing and matching transactions in QuickBooks.
· Reviewing open questions from the prior week.
· Requesting missing receipts or clarification from the Owner.
· Reviewing invoices, bills, deposits, and vendor payments.
· Updating reconciliation status.
· Preparing monthly reports or Profit First distribution information when applicable.
· Sending a concise bookkeeping status update before the end of the bookkeeping day.
MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTING
The Bookkeeper will prepare or update monthly reports for review with the Owner. Standard reports may include:
· Profit & Loss Statement.
· Balance Sheet.
· Cash Flow Summary.
· Accounts Receivable Summary.
· Accounts Payable Summary.
· Sales by category, when applicable.
· Expense category review.
· Project-related income and expense summaries, when applicable.
· Profit First distribution summary, when applicable.
Reports should be accurate, organized, easy to read, and ready for discussion.
MONTHLY BOOKKEEPING REVIEW MEETING
The Bookkeeper should participate in a regular bookkeeping review with the Owner. The purpose of this meeting is to:
· Review monthly financial reports.
· Discuss cash flow.
· Identify unusual expenses or trends.
· Review unpaid invoices or bills.
· Clarify unknown transactions.
· Confirm that reconciliations are complete.
· Review Profit First distributions and upcoming cash needs.
· Identify financial issues early.
The meeting should be organized, efficient, and focused on helping the Owner make better business decisions.
COMMUNICATION EXPECTATIONS
The Bookkeeper is expected to communicate clearly, professionally, and proactively. Communication standards include:
· Responding to questions in a timely manner.
· Flagging issues before they become urgent.
· Asking for clarification when needed.
· Providing concise updates on bookkeeping status.
· Documenting unresolved questions clearly.
· Keeping financial information confidential.
· Maintaining a professional and solution-oriented tone.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The Bookkeeper will have access to sensitive business and financial information. Strict confidentiality is required. This includes:
· Business revenue.
· Client payment information.
· Vendor pricing and trade information.
· Bank and credit card information.
· Payroll or subcontractor payment information.
· Internal financial reports.
· Owner financial discussions.
· Business strategy and planning conversations.
No financial information may be shared outside the company without written permission from the Owner, except as required for authorized CPA, tax, banking, or legal coordination.
SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS
The Bookkeeper may work with or reference the following systems:
· QuickBooks.
· Houzz Pro.
· Business bank and credit card portals.
· Microsoft Outlook.
· Excel or Google Sheets.
· Shared folders or document storage systems.
· Receipt, invoice, and backup documentation tools as needed.
QuickBooks certification is required. Experience with project-based businesses, interior design firms, construction-related businesses, furnishings, retail, or professional service firms is strongly preferred.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
· QuickBooks Certification with experience.
· Experience with small business bookkeeping.
· Understanding of project-based accounting.
· Familiarity with sales tax and cost of goods sold.
· Experience supporting Profit First or cash management systems preferred.
· Strong attention to detail.
· Ability to meet monthly deadlines.
· Clear and professional communication skills.
· High level of confidentiality.
· Ability to organize incomplete or complex financial information.
· Comfort working with a creative, service-based business.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: $30.00 - $40.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- You will need to learn Houzz Pro Books. Are you willing to learn?
Work Location: In person
