Sandbox - Associate, Finance and Accounting

A little bit about us...

Sandbox is a boutique, associate-led, partner-backed consulting firm that helps venture-minded and values-aligned organizations navigate growth, transformation, and change across Finance, Recruiting, and Business Operations. We don't just advise. We build, run, and evolve the back-end functions companies depend on. We build, run, and evolve the back-end functions companies depend on.

Our employees, affectionately referred to as Sandboxers, are a mix of repeat entrepreneurs, recovering corporates, reformed consultants, and rogue college grads who believe in a creative approach to traditional consulting. What connects us is a willingness to get our hands dirty, work collaboratively, and do what it takes to help clients succeed. Did we mention, this mindset helped earn us recognition as one of the Best Places to Work in Virginia.

A little bit about the job…

As our client list grows, so does our need for talented, hard-working team members. We are a small, scrappy start-up looking for a numbers-obsessed self-starter who has the chops to support our Finance and Accounting team. As an Associate, we can assure you no workday will be the same, and we mean that literally. You'll carry a portfolio of 10-12 clients at any given time, including early-stage startups, established businesses, and mission-driven nonprofits, spanning different industries, business models, and stages of growth. On any given day, week, or month you will:

• Own the books for a portfolio of clients, including reconciling accounts, managing AP/AR, setting up and maintaining chart of accounts, processing invoices and purchase orders, and keeping everything clean heading into month-end close. This is the backbone of the role, and you'll take pride in doing it well!
• Run monthly close packages and prepare financial statements that give founders and partners a clear, accurate picture of where the business stands.
• Show up as a consistent presence for your clients through weekly check-ins, answering questions, flagging issues early, and keeping things moving. You'll develop real relationships here, not just a task queue.
• Build financial models and forecasts that help clients plan ahead, whether that's a 13-week cash flow model, a headcount plan, or a revenue scenario for an upcoming board meeting.
• Jump into ad hoc projects as they come up, which often means building a one-off analysis from scratch, setting up a new software tool, or migrating data when a client switches systems. You'll figure it out and document what you learn.
• Support capital raises and investor relations by preparing materials, updating models, and helping founders tell a compelling financial story under scrutiny.
• Develop dashboards, reports, and KPI trackers tailored to each client's business so they have visibility into what's working and what isn't.
• Draft financial reports and investor updates that translate complex numbers into clear, decision-ready language for non-financial audiences.
• Conduct research and valuation analyses on companies and competitors to support client strategy and fundraising conversations.
• Keep client documentation, templates, and systems organized and accessible, because good information architecture makes everything else run smoother.
• Collaborate with Sandbox partners, teammates, and strategic affiliates to support firm initiatives and community engagement.
• Stay curious and keep building. The tools, industries, and challenges you'll encounter are constantly evolving, and so should you.

We are excited about you because…

• You hold a bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Mathematics, or a related business field.
• You bring 2-4 years of experience in public accounting, finance, consulting, or a similarly analytical role.
• You have a strong grasp of accounting fundamentals and understand how to interpret balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements.
• You possess a strong analytical mindset and can interpret complex business data while clearly communicating the story behind the numbers.
• You enjoy building and working with financial models that support business insights and decision-making.
• You are highly proficient in Excel or Google Sheets and comfortable using modern finance and collaboration tools such as QuickBooks Online, Stripe, Ramp, Brex, Bill.com, Carta or Pulley, GSuite, and Slack.
• You have strong attention to detail and enjoy improving systems, processes, and workflows through data and technology.
• You communicate financial insights clearly and effectively to leaders, teammates, and clients at all levels.
• You are comfortable working independently, managing multiple priorities, and proactively asking questions when needed.
• You are curious, confident, and hardworking, with a willingness to learn new skills quickly and apply them in real time.
• You enjoy working with people and supporting client-facing engagements.
• Bonus points if you have your CPA (or plan to pursue it) and have an interest in venture capital, startups, or early-stage company finance.
• You value collaboration, community involvement, and contributing to a positive team culture.

You will love playing in the Sandbox if our core values resonate with you:

• Curiosity | Be insatiably Curious. Sandboxers demonstrate a relentless appetite for the pursuit of understanding. We never settle for surface level knowledge, but strive to dive deeper, uncover insights, and explore new possibilities.
• Scrappy & Nimble | We understand the gritty business. Sandboxers are resourceful, creative, and resilient professionals who possess an entrepreneurial spirit, understand how to do more with less, and have a bias for action when it comes to solving startups' greatest challenges.
• Growth | Growth is universal. Sandboxers fail forward through experimentation, innovation, and calculated risk-taking to challenge ourselves, push the boundaries, and constantly evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our team, our clients, and our communities. Growth is exciting. It's also messy. We exist for that part.
• Welcoming & Authentic | Come as you are, we choose you! Sandboxers celebrate and value our employees' and clients' authentic selves to build strong foundations of trust, foster diversity, and create vibrant and inclusive relationships.

Reasons it pays to work at Sandbox (in addition to the pay itself):

• Comprehensive health benefits with employer contribution. It pays to keep your employees healthy.
• Family friendly, flexible work schedule with generous PTO and mental wellness days.  Work life integration is a thing and we are here to support.
• Employer-matched 401K. No time delays & no vesting schedules. Enroll and keep all money on day one.
• Ongoing professional development and networking opportunities.
• Monthly team events - We sure know how to host a happy hour and we are never too busy to break for a volunteer opportunity.
• Bragging rights that you are part of something BIG!
• Most importantly, you get to go to sleep each night knowing you are helping savvy, driven entrepreneurs achieve their goals - how awesome is that??

At Sandbox, we know you're more than just your resume. Research shows women and people of color are less likely to apply unless they meet every qualification and we think that's a problem. If this role excites you, but your experience doesn't perfectly match every requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Our hiring philosophy looks to weed candidates INTO our process, not weed them out! Who knows, you may be just the right candidate for a future role inside or outside of the Sandbox. Just go for it and submit your resume.

We're also committed to transparency and fairness in compensation. Salary ranges are shared intentionally and are based on factors like experience, market conditions, and geographic location. We believe open conversations around pay help build trust, support equity, and empower candidates to make informed decisions.

Sandbox uses CereHive, an AI-supported hiring platform, to help streamline communication and organize candidate information throughout the hiring experience.  We leverage technology to support our process, not replace our humans.  We're proud to say that every application is reviewed by real people, with the goal of creating a match that feels thoughtful, transparent, and human-led from start to finish.