Part-Time Bookkeeper

Origin Fisheries is a Bellingham-based startup. Our chart of accounts and class structure are already designed; we are now standing up the QuickBooks Online instance, approval controls, and month-end close from that blueprint — and we want an experienced bookkeeper in at the ground floor, so the books are built right the first time rather than cleaned up later.

About the role

This is a contract engagement of 4–8 hours per week to start, on a steady weekly rhythm, working with our fractional CFO. As operations ramp up, the hours grow with them — this is a good fit for an independent bookkeeper who wants a long-running client relationship, not a one-time cleanup project. Most work is remote; we would like someone in the Bellingham area for periodic in-person working sessions.

What you’ll do

• Set up the QuickBooks Online instance from our approved chart of accounts and class design — import accounts, configure classes and locations, connect bank feeds, and link the Gusto integration
• Own weekly transaction processing in QuickBooks Online — coding to our chart of accounts, accounts payable, invoicing, and receipt documentation
• Run payroll in Gusto (Plus plan), including Washington State filings (L&I, Employment Security, Paid Family & Medical Leave)
• Reconcile bank and credit card accounts monthly and keep the close checklist on schedule
• Keep the connections healthy — maintain the bank feed links and the integrations between our banks, QuickBooks Online, and Gusto, and troubleshoot sync issues when they break
• Help stand up new processes as we grow: vendor onboarding, W-9 collection and 1099 tracking, expense documentation, and approval workflows
• Flag anything that looks off — miscodings, missing documentation, unusual transactions — before it becomes a problem
• Build and maintain our accounting knowledgebase: every non-routine or challenging transaction gets documented with how it was resolved, so the learning stays in-house and we don’t depend on tech support to solve the same problem twice

What we’re looking for — required

• 5+ years of full-cycle bookkeeping for small businesses
• Expert-level QuickBooks Online — comfortable standing up a new company file (chart of accounts import, class configuration, bank feeds and rules) and running clean month-end reconciliations (ProAdvisor certification is a strong signal)
• Hands-on payroll processing experience, including Washington State payroll compliance — Gusto is our platform, so Gusto experience is strongly preferred
• Tech-savvy with the tools around the books: comfortable connecting and maintaining bank feeds and app integrations, and resolving sync problems yourself rather than waiting on tech support
• An established independent practice: your own business license/UBI, your own equipment, and availability for a steady weekly engagement
• Located in or near Bellingham / Whatcom County

Nice to have

• Gusto Plus administration experience — running it today for other clients
• Experience writing process documentation or maintaining a knowledgebase (Notion, SharePoint, OneNote, or similar)
• Startup or early-stage company experience — building processes, not just following them
• Seafood, maritime, agriculture, or other seasonal-industry exposure
• Solid Excel skills for schedules and supporting workpapers

Compensation

$35–$50 per hour (1099 contract), depending on experience. 4–8 hours per week to start, with hours expected to grow as the company scales. Invoiced semi-monthly or monthly.

How to apply

Apply through Indeed with your resume and a short note on the QuickBooks Online and payroll clients you support today. We review applications weekly and respond to every qualified applicant.

Pay: $35.00 - $50.00 per hour

Expected hours: 4.0 – 8.0 per week

Application Question(s):
*

1. Describe a payroll setup you have run end-to-end in Gusto or a comparable platform, including Washington State filings. Which agencies did you file with?

2. Do you operate an established bookkeeping practice (business license/UBI) and currently support other clients?

3. Tell us about a time you documented a tricky transaction or process so it could be repeated without outside help.

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bellingham, WA 98225