What are the responsibilities and job description for the Accounting Specialist position at Western Growers Family of Companies?
Headquartered in Irvine, CA, Western Growers is a multi-faceted service agricultural organization and trade association founded in 1926 that operates a number of companies that offer a wide array of products and services to our member companies and other customers. Visit www.wga.com and watch this company video to better understand our family of companies.
Compensation: $47,463 - $66,703 with a rich benefits package that includes profit-sharing.
Job Description Summary
Under general supervision, the Accounting Specialist is responsible for professional accounting duties including the examination, analysis, maintenance, reconciliation, and verification of financial records; and perform related work as required. This position will work under well-established guidelines to develop sufficient knowledge to independently perform and assume journey-level responsibilities under the supervision of higher-level accountants. This position reports to the Vice President, Finance/Controller.
Q U A L IF IC A TIO NS
- Associate’s degree in accounting, business administration or related field; or a combination of training, education, and three (3) to five (5) years of experience that is equivalent and that provides the required knowledge and abilities preferred.
- Three (3) to five (5) plus years of related professional experience with a basic knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) encompassing fundamental theories, principles, and terminology of accountancy.
- Proficient end-user computer skills with Microsoft Office applications, particularly creating and interpreting excel spreadsheets.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, both measured by the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand, and a friendly, service-oriented attitude including the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal customers at all levels, and representing the organization to external customers, vendors and business partners outside the organization. Communication may be in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Ability to think critically, analyze fiscal data and draw logical conclusions; identify accounting issues and recommend effective solutions; read, understand, and apply administrative and accounting policies to departmental functions; and perform basic to intermediate mathematical calculations.
- Strong work ethic with a critical attention to detail and excellent organizational and time management skills to be able to handle tasks for multiple legal entities with multiple lines of business in a fast-paced environment.
D U T I ES A ND R E S P O N S IB IL ITIE S
Accounting Support
- Timely perform monthly bank reconciliations for bank accounts owned by entities within the WGFC, including ensuring accuracy of reconciling items between bank and ledger balances, research and issue resolution of any discrepancies
- Perform monthly bank reconciliations for all PCMI TPA customer owned accounts established for the payment of self-insured claims, working closely with internal colleagues in the Admin Finance department who maintain individual customer account ledgers, including ensuring that ledger accounts properly reflect all activity (deposits, payment runs, voids, stop payments, reissues, etc.) and reconcile to bank statements.
- Responsible for the timely preparation and posting a variety of detailed accounting entries for all WGFC entities including critical thinking and analysis to determine appropriate allocation and recording within the accounting system for proper financial statement presentation.
- Reconciliation of assigned general ledger accounts to include budget variance analysis, including primary and subsidiary schedules where appropriate.
- May participate in the preparation, evaluation, justification, and maintenance of budgets and budgetary controls.
Treasury Support
- Post daily bank transactions from all banks and for all entities to the Accounting system.
- Research and cancel, where appropriate, stale dated checks according to Company policy for all cash management accounts and upload confirmations to all appropriate systems.
- Provide back-up support to the Senior Treasury Analyst for critical daily functions, which may include updating cash positions, review and decisioning of positive pay exceptions for all banks, provide various bank reporting to colleagues, process intercompany cash transfers and/or external wires as necessary, and respond to other various time sensitive inquiries that may arise.
Administrative Support
- Working closely with colleagues as to form and content, prepare and enter invoice detail into the Company’s Associate Management System (AMS) for services rendered to customers purchasing a variety of services offered by the Company, including H2-A, PACA, and WG University trainings and seminars.
- Maintain the Company’s fixed asset records, including invoice coding, maintenance of depreciation and cap-ex schedules, and determination of expense vs. capitalization in accordance with the Company’s capitalization policy.
- Maintain schedule of property tax filing due dates for all offices and jurisdictions; prepare all property tax returns and ensure accuracy and timely filing in accordance with jurisdictional requirements.
- Prepare or provide support for tax or other regulatory reporting as assigned.
- Assist external audits through preparation of schedules and analyses, document retrieval, and general organization.
Other
- Utilize all capabilities to satisfy one mission — enhance the competitiveness and profitability of our members. Do everything possible to help members succeed by being curious and striving to understand what others are trying to achieve, planning and executing work in a helpful and collaborative manner, being willing to adjust efforts to ensure that work and attitude are helpful to others, being self-accountable, creating positive impact, and being diligent in delivering results.
- All other duties as assigned.
P HY S I C AL D E MA N D S /W OR K E N V I R O N M E N T
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate with others. The employee frequently is required to move around the office. The employee is often required to use tools, objects, and controls. This noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
