E-commerce Accounting & Finance Manager (Contract to Hire)
Budget: $100 – $300 USD
Accounting & Finance Manager (E-commerce) — Contract to Hire
About Us
We are a new ecommerce business selling through Amazon FBA and Shopify. We’re building a modern, data-driven financial foundation to support sustainable growth. We’re seeking an experienced Accounting & Finance Manager who understands the unique challenges of e-commerce operations and can act as both a hands-on bookkeeper and a strategic finance advisor.
Engagement: ~10 hrs/month to start, with room to scale as the business grows.
Role Overview (Why We’re Hiring Now)
You will help manage the financial backbone of our business— keeping our books clean, cash predictable, inventory funded on time, and leadership informed so we scale sustainably without stockouts or surprises. We’re finalizing manufacturers and product designs now. Before placing any orders, we will start scope and want your financial review and approval in a simple, practical cadence.
Important: We (founders + operations team) will provide the numbers (quotes, COGS/DDP, fees, ad targets, etc.). Your job is to track, sanity-check, and advise so we don’t operate backwards and we stay compliant.
When Your Scope Starts
Pre-launch. As we receive quotes and finalize packaging, you’ll review our cost breakdowns and confirm that plans and spending are financially sound.
Core Responsibilities
Bookkeeping & Accounting
Maintain accurate books in QuickBooks Online (QBO).
Reconcile Amazon and Shopify payouts using A2X (or Link My Books).
Record COGS and landed costs (product, freight, duties, packaging) by batch/sku.
Categorize expenses (ads, freelancers, software, FBA fees, etc.).
Reconcile bank and credit card accounts weekly.
Complete monthly close by BD+5 and deliver clean P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow.
Handle basic invoicing and payables/receivables.
Cash & Working Capital (Guardrails)
Track cash on hand and maintain a simple 12-week cash forecast (inflows/outflows).
Confirm we can fund the current order and the next reorder before we commit.
Plan conservatively (assume payout lags; include free units/UGC, lost/damaged, refunds/returns).
Keep a 10–20% cash buffer to cover freight/fee variance.
Approvals & Decision Support
Provide clear “Yes / No / Not yet” on:
Supplier / Alibaba orders (size & timing).
Ad budget adjustments (daily caps, temporary spikes).
New tools/contracts (recurring software/services).
Financing (LOCs, revenue-based funding, early payout services) — draw/repay timing.
Short notes/analysis when helpful (e.g., impact to runway, margin, reorder timing).
Financial Management & Process Improvement
Evaluate and improve financial processes and SOPs for efficiency.
Build simple budgeting/forecasting models to support planning.
Provide insights on ad spend ROI, gross margins, and cash-flow cycles.
Track key metrics and design a monthly KPI pack (margin %, MER/ROAS/TACoS, cash runway).
Pricing & Margin (Collaborative)
Help keep ad spend at or below breakeven ACoS unless we pre-approve a short ranking push.
If margins drop below target, collaborate on fixes (pricing tests, fee-tier checks, packaging tweaks, bundles).
Tax Planning & Compliance
Manage sales tax reconciliation (Amazon Marketplace Facilitator, Shopify Tax).
Coordinate with our remote tax advisor/CPA for quarterly reviews and year-end filings (NJ).
Identify eligible deductions and maintain clean records for audit-readiness.
Partnership & Communication
Present financial results in plain, actionable terms.
Advise on pricing, ad budgets, and reinvestment strategy.
Support scale decisions (when to reinvest vs. take distributions).
Note: The E-commerce & Web Operations Lead handles day-to-day Amazon/Shopify operations, inventory tracking, and ad execution. You will not need to work inside those platforms. You are the financial guardrail and second set of eyes to keep spend aligned with budget and cash goals.
What You’ll Monitor (Weekly)
Cash & runway: cash on hand + 12-week forecast.
Payouts: Amazon/Shopify timing and any reserves/holds.
Inventory funding: cash required for current orders + next reorder (assume lags).
Ad spend vs. targets: daily/weekly spend vs TACoS/MER; margin impact.
Operating expenses: subscriptions, software, freelancers, freight, duties, FBA fees, prep/labels.
Shrink: free units (seeding/UGC), lost/damaged, refunds/returns trends.
What We Expect From You (Short, Clear Answers)
“Safe to place X units now. If not, safe size/timing is ___.”
“Safe to raise ads to $Y/day. If not, cap at $___ for ___ days.”
“Delay PO/promo ___ to protect cash.”
“Red flag spotted (fees, returns, payouts). Recommended fix: ___.”
Savings & Profit Policy (Founder Directive)
Early phases: no founder distributions. Managing members are in full-time jobs and are bootstrapping.
We’ll operate from a business checking account until stability is proven.
Once cash is strong, we’ll open a business savings account and build reserves; after that, we’ll discuss recuperating investments and future distributions.
Possible Deliverables (Flexible)
We want simple, useful reporting — not busywork. Examples:
Monthly summary: cash/runway, upcoming payouts, open POs & reorder needs, ad spend vs cap, risks, recommendations.
Monthly accounting basics (by BD+5): clean P&L, BS, CF + brief commentary (“what changed, what’s next”).
Tax & compliance coordination: with our remote tax advisor to ensure NJ sales tax and quarterly/year-end filings are accurate and on time.
Inputs We’ll Provide (You Analyze)
Final cost options and DDP quotes
Lead times and packaging details
Fee tier information (FBA, Shopify, etc.)
Ad budget targets
Free-unit and loss assumptions
Software/freelancer/service costs
Your role: analyze, flag risks, and recommend changes if needed.
Qualifications
Strong background in accounting or finance (CPA/ACCA or equivalent preferred).
Proven experience with Amazon/Shopify e-commerce brands.
Hands-on with QBO + A2X (or similar).
Understanding of inventory management, FBA fees, landed costs.
Familiar with e-commerce KPIs (MER, ROAS, CAC, IPI, etc.).
Budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling experience.
Skilled in tax strategy and compliance for small businesses/startups.
Detail-oriented, analytical, proactive communicator.
Tools
QuickBooks Online, A2X/Link My Books, Amazon/Shopify finance dashboards, Google Sheets/Excel (forecasting), banking/LOC portals.
Compensation
Flat monthly retainer based on experience and scope (~10 hrs/month to start).
WE OFFER Performance-based incentives as the business scales.
LONG TERM POTENTIAL to evolve into a Fractional CFO role.
Confidentiality & Data Protection
By accepting this role, the contractor agrees to:
Maintain strict confidentiality over all company financials, client data, and proprietary information.
Use company data solely for the purpose of performing agreed services.
Not disclose, share, or retain any sensitive information after the contract ends.
Acknowledge that all data, reports, and files created during the engagement remain the exclusive property of the company.
Comply with applicable data privacy laws and securely handle all financial credentials (QBO, banking, A2X access, etc.).
How to Succeed Here
Keep it simple, accurate, on time.
Communicate in plain English with clear Yes/No/Not-yet recommendations.
Protect cash, prevent stockouts, and help us scale without surprises.
We will not be reading through AI automated replies. Only reach out if you have thoroughly read through the scope and are interested in growing with us in future. Reach out by telling us a bit about you and why you think you can assist in this role.
Best,
About Us
We are a new ecommerce business selling through Amazon FBA and Shopify. We’re building a modern, data-driven financial foundation to support sustainable growth. We’re seeking an experienced Accounting & Finance Manager who understands the unique challenges of e-commerce operations and can act as both a hands-on bookkeeper and a strategic finance advisor.
Engagement: ~10 hrs/month to start, with room to scale as the business grows.
Role Overview (Why We’re Hiring Now)
You will help manage the financial backbone of our business— keeping our books clean, cash predictable, inventory funded on time, and leadership informed so we scale sustainably without stockouts or surprises. We’re finalizing manufacturers and product designs now. Before placing any orders, we will start scope and want your financial review and approval in a simple, practical cadence.
Important: We (founders + operations team) will provide the numbers (quotes, COGS/DDP, fees, ad targets, etc.). Your job is to track, sanity-check, and advise so we don’t operate backwards and we stay compliant.
When Your Scope Starts
Pre-launch. As we receive quotes and finalize packaging, you’ll review our cost breakdowns and confirm that plans and spending are financially sound.
Core Responsibilities
Bookkeeping & Accounting
Maintain accurate books in QuickBooks Online (QBO).
Reconcile Amazon and Shopify payouts using A2X (or Link My Books).
Record COGS and landed costs (product, freight, duties, packaging) by batch/sku.
Categorize expenses (ads, freelancers, software, FBA fees, etc.).
Reconcile bank and credit card accounts weekly.
Complete monthly close by BD+5 and deliver clean P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow.
Handle basic invoicing and payables/receivables.
Cash & Working Capital (Guardrails)
Track cash on hand and maintain a simple 12-week cash forecast (inflows/outflows).
Confirm we can fund the current order and the next reorder before we commit.
Plan conservatively (assume payout lags; include free units/UGC, lost/damaged, refunds/returns).
Keep a 10–20% cash buffer to cover freight/fee variance.
Approvals & Decision Support
Provide clear “Yes / No / Not yet” on:
Supplier / Alibaba orders (size & timing).
Ad budget adjustments (daily caps, temporary spikes).
New tools/contracts (recurring software/services).
Financing (LOCs, revenue-based funding, early payout services) — draw/repay timing.
Short notes/analysis when helpful (e.g., impact to runway, margin, reorder timing).
Financial Management & Process Improvement
Evaluate and improve financial processes and SOPs for efficiency.
Build simple budgeting/forecasting models to support planning.
Provide insights on ad spend ROI, gross margins, and cash-flow cycles.
Track key metrics and design a monthly KPI pack (margin %, MER/ROAS/TACoS, cash runway).
Pricing & Margin (Collaborative)
Help keep ad spend at or below breakeven ACoS unless we pre-approve a short ranking push.
If margins drop below target, collaborate on fixes (pricing tests, fee-tier checks, packaging tweaks, bundles).
Tax Planning & Compliance
Manage sales tax reconciliation (Amazon Marketplace Facilitator, Shopify Tax).
Coordinate with our remote tax advisor/CPA for quarterly reviews and year-end filings (NJ).
Identify eligible deductions and maintain clean records for audit-readiness.
Partnership & Communication
Present financial results in plain, actionable terms.
Advise on pricing, ad budgets, and reinvestment strategy.
Support scale decisions (when to reinvest vs. take distributions).
Note: The E-commerce & Web Operations Lead handles day-to-day Amazon/Shopify operations, inventory tracking, and ad execution. You will not need to work inside those platforms. You are the financial guardrail and second set of eyes to keep spend aligned with budget and cash goals.
What You’ll Monitor (Weekly)
Cash & runway: cash on hand + 12-week forecast.
Payouts: Amazon/Shopify timing and any reserves/holds.
Inventory funding: cash required for current orders + next reorder (assume lags).
Ad spend vs. targets: daily/weekly spend vs TACoS/MER; margin impact.
Operating expenses: subscriptions, software, freelancers, freight, duties, FBA fees, prep/labels.
Shrink: free units (seeding/UGC), lost/damaged, refunds/returns trends.
What We Expect From You (Short, Clear Answers)
“Safe to place X units now. If not, safe size/timing is ___.”
“Safe to raise ads to $Y/day. If not, cap at $___ for ___ days.”
“Delay PO/promo ___ to protect cash.”
“Red flag spotted (fees, returns, payouts). Recommended fix: ___.”
Savings & Profit Policy (Founder Directive)
Early phases: no founder distributions. Managing members are in full-time jobs and are bootstrapping.
We’ll operate from a business checking account until stability is proven.
Once cash is strong, we’ll open a business savings account and build reserves; after that, we’ll discuss recuperating investments and future distributions.
Possible Deliverables (Flexible)
We want simple, useful reporting — not busywork. Examples:
Monthly summary: cash/runway, upcoming payouts, open POs & reorder needs, ad spend vs cap, risks, recommendations.
Monthly accounting basics (by BD+5): clean P&L, BS, CF + brief commentary (“what changed, what’s next”).
Tax & compliance coordination: with our remote tax advisor to ensure NJ sales tax and quarterly/year-end filings are accurate and on time.
Inputs We’ll Provide (You Analyze)
Final cost options and DDP quotes
Lead times and packaging details
Fee tier information (FBA, Shopify, etc.)
Ad budget targets
Free-unit and loss assumptions
Software/freelancer/service costs
Your role: analyze, flag risks, and recommend changes if needed.
Qualifications
Strong background in accounting or finance (CPA/ACCA or equivalent preferred).
Proven experience with Amazon/Shopify e-commerce brands.
Hands-on with QBO + A2X (or similar).
Understanding of inventory management, FBA fees, landed costs.
Familiar with e-commerce KPIs (MER, ROAS, CAC, IPI, etc.).
Budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling experience.
Skilled in tax strategy and compliance for small businesses/startups.
Detail-oriented, analytical, proactive communicator.
Tools
QuickBooks Online, A2X/Link My Books, Amazon/Shopify finance dashboards, Google Sheets/Excel (forecasting), banking/LOC portals.
Compensation
Flat monthly retainer based on experience and scope (~10 hrs/month to start).
WE OFFER Performance-based incentives as the business scales.
LONG TERM POTENTIAL to evolve into a Fractional CFO role.
Confidentiality & Data Protection
By accepting this role, the contractor agrees to:
Maintain strict confidentiality over all company financials, client data, and proprietary information.
Use company data solely for the purpose of performing agreed services.
Not disclose, share, or retain any sensitive information after the contract ends.
Acknowledge that all data, reports, and files created during the engagement remain the exclusive property of the company.
Comply with applicable data privacy laws and securely handle all financial credentials (QBO, banking, A2X access, etc.).
How to Succeed Here
Keep it simple, accurate, on time.
Communicate in plain English with clear Yes/No/Not-yet recommendations.
Protect cash, prevent stockouts, and help us scale without surprises.
We will not be reading through AI automated replies. Only reach out if you have thoroughly read through the scope and are interested in growing with us in future. Reach out by telling us a bit about you and why you think you can assist in this role.
Best,