Awe Sum Organics, Inc is a well-established importer and marketer of fresh organic fruit. We’ve been in business since 1985. We are a leader in the organic produce industry, with domestic and international product supply, and we market our growers’ fruit throughout the US and Canada.
The Financial Controller is responsible for oversight of all aspects of accounting and the Accounting Department and Team. This includes Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Grower Accounting, Payroll, Company Ledgers, Banking, and Tax Accounting. The Financial Controller serves as a member of the Awe Sum Management Team, and works closely with the President/CEO, Operations Manager, Program Manager, and Logistics Manager.
Department Structure:
Reports to President/CEO, and also work hand-in-hand with our Sales Team, Logistics Team, and Operations Team. The Accounting Team reports to the Financial Controller.
- Fresh produce experience is desired (ideally, experience with our commodities)
- Strong analytical skills with exceptional attention to detail
- Advanced MS Excel skills
- Ability focus in the midst of an active environment with changing priorities and deadlines
- Excellent mathematical, verbal, written, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work overtime during our peak season (summer and early fall)
Accounts Payable
- Ensure all accounts are up to date and in good standing
- Audit charges to ensure accuracy and proper purchase matching
- Work with Accounting, Sales, Operations, and Logistics teams as needed to resolve billing and purchase matching issues and discrepancies
Accounts Receivable
- Manage aging report and collections
- Identify and resolve payment discrepancies
- Work with Accounting and Sales teams as needed to resolve payment and collection issues and discrepancies
Payroll
- Process payroll
- Manage employee reimbursements
- Manage HSA program and 401K program
- Grower Accounting
- Manage grower advances and lot liquidations and associated payments
- Ensure accuracy of grower charge entries
- Finalize lot liquidations within 60 days of receipt of product (unless product took longer than normal to sell). This requires all payments associated with lot to be received in full and all charges associated with lot to be entered and received
Reporting
- Develop and prepare annual, quarterly, and monthly accounting reports, budgets and forecasts for management to understand and review performance against goals, objectives, and historical performance
- Prepare standard, recurring, and adjustment journal entries for cash, A/R & A/P, inventory, prepaid and accrual expenses, payroll, financing activities, and support documentation for the general ledger system.
- Prepare monthly bank reconciliations
- Maintain and control the charts of accounts
- Review reports for variances, trends & current financial position. Analyze monthly financials and budget variances and prepare monthly variance report.
- Ensure that all accounting systems and processes meet business and regulatory requirements and look for ways to improve the accuracy, efficiency and work flow
- Prepare and provide proper financial information to the outside accounting firm for quarterly and year-end reporting requirements
- Manage and make quarterly tax payments
- Issue monthly P/L and balance sheet financial statements
- Prepare quarterly Fair For Life (our Fair Trade Program) reports and payments
Compliance
- Coordinate provisions of info to external auditors
- Comply with local/state/federal reporting requirements
- Coordinate with Operations Manager on all insurance policies, licenses, permits, and certifications, and make payments for each
Leadership
- Assist with the development of new policies, procedures, and work flow systems, and provide input for continuous improvement of accounting systems and execution
- Manage accounting team, including organizational structure and work schedules
- Establish and maintain excellent relationships with other department team managers and members
General Accounting
- Assist in the maintenance of the inventory and cost accounting systems
- Manage banking accounts, company line of credit and other loan payments
- Provide accounting guidance to President/CEO and other team managers and members
- Other duties to be assigned by President/CEO
- Maintain orderly filing system
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform and manage each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, with a minimum of five years related experience.
- Must hold current CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license
- Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)
- Previous produce accounting experience or knowledge highly desirable
- Computer proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Famous
- Excellent telephone and email communication, analytical and problem solving skills
- Ability to learn new skills and tasks as needed
- Outstanding communication, interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills
- Ability to work and thrive within a team environment
- Strong typing, data entry, and 5-key skills and proficiency level
LANGUAGE SKILLS
- Ability to read, analyze and interpret common industry and accounting information, customer orders, product, and pack information.
- Ability to respond to common inquires or complaints from customers, growers, vendors, service providers, regulatory agencies.
- Ability to write clearly and present numerical data efficiently.
- Ability to communication and effectively present information with management and others.
- Spanish language skills highly desirable
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
- Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
- Ability to calculate and understand rate, ratio, and percent.
REASONING ABILITY
- Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
- Ability to interpret an extensive variety of information and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Variations in conditions may occur under certain circumstances.
ENVIRONMENT:
- This job is performed indoors 100% of the time.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee sometimes works near moving mechanical parts and is occasionally exposed to the risk of electric shock, and moves up and down stairs.
- Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
- The temperature of the work environment is moderate indoors and ranges from 60 to 80 degrees.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- Seldom (0-5%): crawl, kneel, and reach above shoulders
- Occasionally (6-33%): squat, bend, twist, walk stand,
- Frequently (34-66%): sit, reach with hands and arms, grasp with hands and fingers.
- Continuously (67-100%): use hands to finger; see (including close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus); hear and speak; key (i.e., computer, 10-key calculator, writing instrument, and telephone).
MACHINES, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT:
- Occasionally (6-33%): automobile,
- Frequently (34-66%): copier and fax.
- Continuously (67-100%): computer, 10-key calculator, writing instrument and telephone.
MISCELLANEOUS:
- Hours 7:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday
- Possible after-hours calls or emails
- There will be overtime during our peak season (summer)
ACKNOWLEDGMENT & RECEIPT
I acknowledge that I have received, read, and sought clarification of any questions I have about the content of this job description. I further understand that, in order for Awe Sum Organic Inc. to retain necessary flexibility to meet organizational needs, this job description may be modified from time to time.
