--- title: 'General Ledger Manager at Topstep' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/general-ledger-manager-topstep-chicago-qp7ket7wayw1' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-11' --- # General Ledger Manager at Topstep - **Company:** Topstep - **Location:** Chicago, IL - **Posted:** 2026-09-01 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/topsteptrader/jobs/7982239003 ## Job description Summary The GL Manager is a hands-on people leader who owns payroll accounting, prepares equity rollforwards, oversees accounts payable (coding and payouts), and performs monthly flux/variance analysis (including COGS vs. SG&A classification review), while also serving as the reviewer of all work performed by the Senior GL Accountants and, by extension, the GL Accountants who report into them. This role manages a team of three -five (two Senior GL Accountants, an AP Specialist, and the GL Accountants) and is accountable for the accuracy, timeliness, and audit-readiness of the general ledger areas owned by the team. This is a leadership role that combines direct ownership of several close areas with day-to-day coaching, review, and prioritization of the broader accounting team's work. As Topstep's finance organization continues to mature, the specific accounts and processes owned by this role may shift; the GL Manager is expected to flex into new areas (e.g., intercompany, cash/bank accounting, leases, or other balance sheet areas) as priorities evolve and to help define ownership as the team scales. ## Key Responsibilities - Leadership & Team Management - Directly manage and develop the two Senior GL Accountants and the AP Specialist, including workload prioritization, coaching, and performance management. - Provide second-level review and sign-off on work performed by the GL Accountant(s) who report into the Senior GL Accountants, ensuring consistency and quality across the full team. - Set daily and monthly priorities for the team in line with the month-end close calendar established with the Assistant Controller and Controller. - Identify staffing, training, and process gaps within the team and recommend solutions to the Assistant Controller. - Hold the team accountable for timely, accurate, and well-documented deliverables; escalate risks or resourcing constraints proactively. - Payroll Accounting - Own execution of all payroll-related journal entries, including regular payroll, subsidiary expense allocations, fringe benefits, and management fee allocations. - Partner with People/HR and Payroll on GL mapping, coding of new departments/entities, and resolution of payroll data discrepancies. - Reconcile payroll-related balance sheet accounts (e.g., accrued payroll, payroll clearing, benefits) on a monthly basis. - Maintain and continuously improve payroll accounting SOPs, including CSV upload templates for payroll, accruals, and subsidiary expense allocations. - Accounts Payable Oversight (Coding & Payouts) - Oversee AP coding accuracy across vendors, departments, and entities, including review of the AP Specialist's day-to-day coding. - Provide guidance and approver training so that vendor coding is applied consistently and correctly at the point of entry. - Oversee payout-related AP activity in partnership with the Senior GL Accountants, including bill creation, payout returns, and related AP reconciliations. - Review and approve AP aging, prepared by the Senior GL Accountant, on a recurring basis and ensure aging ties to the trial balance; drive resolution of long-outstanding items. - Monthly Flux / Variance Analysis - Perform monthly period-over-period (and budget-to-actual, as applicable) flux analysis for accounts owned by the team, including payroll, AP-driven expense accounts, and COGS/SG&A lines. - Investigate and document explanations for significant fluctuations; distinguish true business drivers from coding or classification issues. - As part of this analysis, review COGS vs. SG&A classification across the chart of accounts to ensure new vendors, expense types, and cost-sharing arrangements are mapped and coded appropriately. - Summarize flux commentary for the Assistant Controller and Controller ahead of monthly and quarterly reporting deadlines. - Equity Accounting - Prepare and maintain monthly equity rollforward schedules for Topstep LLC and applicable subsidiaries, capturing contributions, distributions, in-kind transfers, and net income allocations. - Ensure equity rollforwards tie to the trial balance each month and are supported by underlying agreements, board/member approvals, and intercompany documentation. - Partner with Legal, Tax, and outside advisors on the treatment of in-kind contributions, intercompany transfers, and entity restructurings impacting equity. - Provide a quarterly summary of equity activity to the Assistant Controller and Controller for review. - Review of Senior GL Work & Balance Sheet Ownership - Review and approve balance sheet reconciliations, journal entries, and supporting schedules prepared by the Senior GL Accountants prior to Assistant Controller review. - Ensure every account owned by the team has a clearly identified preparer/reviewer, a documented process, and audit-ready support. - Resolve or escalate aged and complex reconciling items surfaced by the team. - Audit & Compliance - Prepare and/or review audit schedules and support requests related to owned general ledger areas, as requested by the Assistant Controller and Controller. - Maintain documentation standards that are audit-ready at all times across the team's owned areas. - Adhere to internal controls and company accounting policies; identify and flag control gaps to management. - Process Improvement & Systems - Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and consistency across owned close areas and the broader team's workflow. - Leverage NetSuite and related tools (e.g., CSV import templates, reconciliation tools) effectively; support system improvements as directed by the Assistant Controller and Controller. - Partner with cross-functional teams (People/HR, FP&A, Treasury, Product/Engineering) to ensure payroll, AP, and other data flows accurately into the general ledger. - Additional Responsibilities - As Topstep's finance team continues to grow and evolve, the responsibilities of this role may expand or shift over time. Depending on business needs, this may include additional ownership areas such as equity rollforwards, intercompany accounting, cash/bank reconciliations, leases, fixed assets, or other balance sheet areas currently owned elsewhere on the team. - The GL Manager may be asked to take on ad hoc projects or other duties as assigned by the Assistant Controller or Controller. This role requires flexibility and a willingness to support the team's needs as the organizational structure develops. Required Qualifications and Key Competencies - Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance. - 6-8 + years of progressive accounting experience, including: - Hands-on experience with month-end close across multiple GL areas. - Experience with payroll accounting, accounts payable, and expense classification (COGS vs. SG&A). - 2 + years directly managing or supervising accounting staff. - Experience reviewing the work of others and providing constructive feedback. - Experience with NetSuite or a similar ERP system required. - Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, etc.). - Experience with high-volume, multi-entity, or multi-processor environments preferred. - Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple close deadlines and direct reports simultaneously. - Detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. - Effective communicator with the ability to coach staff and work cross-functionally. - Demonstrated ability to bring structure and process discipline to evolving or ambiguous areas of ownership. - CPA or active pursuit of CPA preferred. Company Culture & Perks - Topstep is an engaging working environment which ranges from fully remote to hybrid. We foster a culture of collaboration with cameras on during meetings and a robust Slack environment for communication. - Seven Company-paid Holidays and generous Family Leave. Paid time off is front-loaded. - Competitive 401(k) matching, health, dental, and vision insurance is offered for full time employees. - Vacations are encouraged with a bonus for taking 5 consecutive days. Employee referrals are bonused. Topstep offers a food and groceries budget and contributes towards health and wellness. New Hire Base Salary Range - $140,000 - $160,000 annually. - The compensation offered will take into account the internal compensation structure and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other factors. - This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents. ## Equal Opportunity Employer Topstep is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees and applicants are valued. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Interested in the role? Apply today with your resume! The collection, use, and handling of your data provided in response to this job posting is described further in our Privacy Policy. If you are a California resident, please review our California Notice at Collection. Notice of Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment and Hiring: Notice Pursuant to 775 ILCS 5/2-102(L). Topstep LLC uses artificial intelligence ("AI") in connection with its recruitment and hiring process. Examples include, but are not limited to, AI tools used to improve job descriptions, generate interview questions, draft communications, assist with scheduling, and source candidates, as well as AI features built into third-party platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor. Topstep will not use AI that has the effect of subjecting employees or applicants to discrimination on the basis of any protected class under the Illinois Human Rights Act. The collection, use, and handling of your data provided in response to this job posting is described further in our[Privacy Policy](https://www.topstep.com/job-candidate-privacy-notice). If you are a California resident, please review our[California Notice at Collection](https://www.topstep.com/job-candidate-privacy-notice#info-for-california-residents). ## About Topstep ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Topstep is a proprietary trading firm that provides simulated evaluation and funded trading programs, along with a futures brokerage and educational media, to help traders build discipline and earn capital. - **Entity Type**: Private (Bootstrapped) - **Headquarters**: Chicago, Illinois, United States - **Founded**: 2010 (as Patak Trading Partners); Topstep entity established 2012 - **Founders**: Michael Patak ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Financial Services – Proprietary Trading, Futures Brokerage, Trading Education - **Target customers**: B2C – individual retail traders and aspiring funded traders (B2B component for brokerage services) - **Mission or purpose statement**: “To turn market access into opportunity to learn, trade, and earn profits more safely whether you trade our money or your own.” ## Products & Services - **Topstep Trader (Prop Firm)**: A simulated evaluation program where traders prove their discipline and risk management to earn the opportunity to trade live futures markets with the firm’s capital. Traders keep up to 90% of profits and receive weekly payouts. - **Topstep Brokerage**: A registered futures introducing broker (NFA ID# 0567079, CFTC registered) that allows traders to trade live markets with their own capital, with the option to directly transfer prop earnings from the Topstep program. - **TopstepX**: A proprietary trading platform built for futures traders, featuring TradingView charts, real-time CME data, and customizable risk management tools. - **TopstepTV**: A digital media network delivering live market education, analysis, and entertainment to the global trading community. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (privately held) - **Key Metric**: $1.4B+ paid out to prop firm traders (cumulative); annual revenue reported as $4.0M by third-party data (conflicting – likely understated; actual revenue not disclosed) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: No external funding rounds disclosed; firm is bootstrapped. Key partners include TradingView (chart integration), CME Group (data feeds). - **Growth Signals**: 52.1% year-over-year headcount growth (2,125 employees); 174,000+ members on Discord; 27,533 LinkedIn followers (+58.8% YoY); acquired TS TFD Buyer, LLC (April 2026); 15 active job openings with +150% monthly posting growth. ## Competitive Advantages - **First-mover in the prop trading combine space** – Topstep claims to have created the retail funded‑trader model. - **Integrated ecosystem** – Combines evaluation, brokerage, trading platform, and education in one platform, enabling seamless progression from simulated to live trading. - **Trader-first philosophy** – Emphasis on discipline, accountability, and continuous improvement, supported by a strong community and 24/7 support. - **High retention and employee satisfaction** – Employer rating of 4.6/5 on Glassdoor (88 reviews), with culture scored 4.6 and work-life balance 4.7. ## Strategic Focus - **Expanding the brokerage business** – Topstep Brokerage aims to make futures trading more accessible and integrate seamlessly with the prop firm program. - **Deepening educational content** – TopstepTV and live coaching are central to building trader habits and loyalty. - **Technology enhancement** – Continued investment in the TopstepX platform and data infrastructure (e.g., hiring Senior Data Engineer, Staff Platform Engineer). - **International growth** – Operates in 95+ countries; headcount growth driven by remote and global hiring. ## Why Work Here - **Culture & Values**: People-first, accountability, continuous improvement, and diverse perspectives are core values. Rating 4.6/5 for culture. - **Remote/Hybrid Policy**: Not explicitly stated, but the workforce spans 95 countries with 1,238 employees in the US (Chicago headquarters). Likely a hybrid or remote-friendly model. - **Notable Perks**: Fast-paced, growth-oriented environment; opportunity to work in a fintech company that created its own market category. Recent job postings include roles in engineering, risk, compliance, and product. - **Engineering Culture**: High emphasis on technology – open roles for Senior Software Engineer, Staff Platform Engineer, Senior Mobile Engineer, and Senior Data Engineer. The tech stack is modern (TypeScript, full stack, data engineering). ## Sources 1. [topstep.com](https://www.topstep.com/about-us) 2. [topstep.com](https://www.topstep.com) 3. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/topstep) 4. [Greenhouse Careers](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/topsteptrader) ## Other roles at Topstep - [Accounts Payable Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/accounts-payable-specialist-topstep-chicago-d9p6ff0cp1xz) — Chicago, IL - [Senior General Ledger Accountant](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-general-ledger-accountant-topstep-chicago-mn6v8x7nt76h) — Chicago, IL - [Payment Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/payment-operations-specialist-topstep-chicago-c43pcne32ghy) — Chicago, IL - [Software Support Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-support-engineer-topstep-united-states-exbvxwp6a2sj) — United States - [Senior Physical Security Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-physical-security-manager-topstep-chicago-91sm5v31krg3) — Chicago, IL - [Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-topstep-united-states-cc4mpab76sts) — United States - [Sr. Trading Platform Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-trading-platform-operations-specialist-topstep-united-states-689ckgmwq5fm) — United States - [Senior Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-topstep-united-states-ntyx7dmtwm09) — United States - [Assistant Controller](https://feeny.ai/job/assistant-controller-topstep-chicago-1qsve1jzrter) — Chicago, IL - [Controller](https://feeny.ai/job/controller-topstep-chicago-ffnswttjyjhw) — Chicago, IL