Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

**AJW POSTING ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT**

Local interior architecture design studio rooted in Phoenix and known for executing bold, highly crafted spaces across hospitality, retail, and aviation is seeking a Business Operations Manager to support financial and operational health by working closely with firm leadership to ensure financial clarity, operational efficiency, compliance, and developing internal controls.

Responsibilities of the Business Operations Manager include (but are not limited to):

Financial Operations & Accounting Leadership

• Maintain the firm’s general ledger in accordance with GAAP, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and proper account coding across all transactions.
• Lead the period-end close process, including monthly, quarterly, and year-end close activities, reconciliations, and supporting schedules.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports and analytic summaries for leadership review.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors and support audit preparation and execution.

Accounts Receivable & Revenue Management

• Oversee invoicing processes to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with contracts, scopes, and project milestones.
• Monitor outstanding receivables, issue monthly statements, and follow up on overdue balances, including direct collection outreach when needed.
• Prepare regular AR aging and cash flow reports for senior leadership.
• Track reimbursables, markups, consultant billing, and project-related expenses to ensure proper recovery and billing accuracy.

Accounts Payable, Purchasing & Expense Control

• Lead accounts payable functions, ensuring invoices are reviewed, approved, coded correctly, and paid on schedule.
• Manage purchase orders and ensure all purchases are tied to the appropriate project numbers and approvals.
• Cross-check vendor invoices against POs, contracts, and client billings to ensure consistency and accuracy.
• Oversee firm credit cards, loans, and payment schedules with leadership approval.

Professional Services Firm Operations

• Support financial operations specific to a design and architecture practice, including billable time, utilization, consultant coordination, and project financial tracking.
• Ensure accurate and timely timesheet submission, approval, and reporting.
• Maintain project financial records, contracts, change orders, and documentation throughout the project lifecycle.
• Serve as a key operational liaison to vendors, consultants, service providers, etc. by Track vendor contracts, pricing, shipments, and deliverables to ensure alignment with firm standards and project needs.

Payroll, HRIS & Benefits Administration

• Administer payroll processing and reporting in coordination with leadership, ensuring accuracy across regular, overtime, PTO, sick time, and holidays.
• Manage benefits administration through the firm’s HRIS, including medical, dental, vision, PTO, sick time, and 401(k) programs.
• Oversee employee onboarding and offboarding from a payroll and benefits perspective, including final accrual calculations.

What You Bring to the Table

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field; MBA a plus
• 10+ years of progressive experience in office management, accounting, or financial operations, ideally within a professional services firm
• Strong understanding of GAAP, general ledger management, internal controls, and financial reporting
• Advanced Excel skills and the ability to learn and operate within integrated financial systems and reporting tools (Experience with Deltek or similar professional services a strongly preferred)
• Experience administering payroll, benefits, and HRIS platforms (Paylocity or similar preferred)
• Deep familiarity with billable time, utilization, reimbursables, consultant billing, and project-based accounting
• Highly analytical, detail-oriented, proactive with strong problem-solving instincts, exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, and strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain financial information clearly
• High level of discretion and professionalism in handling sensitive financial and personnel information

If you’re energized by building clarity, improving systems, and helping a creative firm run smarter and stronger, we’d love to hear from you!

Relocation and VISA sponsorship are not currently available for this role.

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