Assistant Controller
Employment Type : Full-Time
Organizational Background
Columbia Grain International, LLC. is a long time established full-service grain company in the grain and pulse business. We are headquartered in Portland, Oregon and own/operate over 45 elevators, processing plants, and offices throughout WA, ID, MN, MT, ND and NE to support our domestic and export sales program. We are a mid-size company with just over 350 employees overall. The employees at Columbia Grain, at all levels of our organization, represent some of the most experienced and knowledgeable in the industry. We are proud of our ability to attract and maintain talented, efficient, long term, community minded employees who can develop lasting relationships with producers and customers both domestic and around the world.
Overall objectives
- Financial reporting/month end close US GAAP, IFRS reporting package
- Audit management with Controller (external, internal, MC, etc.)
- Fixed asset accounting oversight
- Management of cash desk accountants
- Agronomy accounting oversight
- Internal controls, process documentation
- Direct management responsibility of the following individuals: Accounting Clerks
Duties and Responsibilities
Operational Accounting Oversight
- Develop and maintain a full understanding of Columbia Grains various supply chains and the proper operational and financial accounting in accordance with US GAAP.
- Optimize processes to increase and improve efficiency within the department.
- Assist the Controller in maintaining an internal audit function over inventory, grain payables and receivables.
- Maintain an efficient record keeping and organized filing methodology in order to facilitate record retrieval for audit purposes.
- Manage AgVance application, including commodity and location setup and maintenance, and assist users with AgVance related questions.
- Manage and oversee the daily operations for Agronomy accounting including general ledger, balance sheet reconciliations, and month and year end process.
- Oversee daily processing of sales and purchase transactions.
- Manage inventory control and coordinate routine inventory counts.
- Monitor and analyze accounting data and produce financial reports and analysis.
- Work closely with the Controller and FP&A Manager to estimate month-end results, costings, and accruals to ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Oversee, prepare and file monthly, quarterly, and annual tax reporting.
- Collaborate with Credit department to setup customer credit lines in the AgVance system and monitor credit limits to ensure timely collection of payments.
- Communicate with customers to help settle disputed charges and long outstanding receivable balances.
- Assist with year-end financial audit activities and annual corporate financial controls audit.
- Develops and implements new process and procedures to enhance the workflow and productivity of the department.
- Maintains financial security by establishing internal controls.
- Other duties as assigned.
Financial Reporting
- Collaborate with merchandisers, logistics, and executive teams to deliver accurate reporting, and ensure proper documentation is completed.
- Collaborate with the Controller to estimate month-end results, costings, and accruals to ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Reconcile assigned general ledger accounts and maintain support for those reconciliations.
- Play a supervisory role with the year-end audit, collaborating with the Controller to ensure audit is completed satisfactorily.
- Oversees Fixed Asset Accounting with support from the Staff Accountant.
- Manage bank reconciliation process in collaboration with collaboration with the CFO and PF&A Manager.
- Maintain various lease schedules and payments (land, buildings and equipment)
Accounting/ERP Systems Knowledge
- Develop and maintain an expert level knowledge of AgTech (grain industry specific) and AgVance accounting software systems
- Train and develop new employees on AgTech accounting software know how.
Others
- Various other ad hoc reporting and accounting/management related tasks as deemed necessary by the Companys management team.
- Other duties as assigned.
Skills, Knowledge and Education
- Undergraduate Degree in Accounting, Finance
- Minimum of 4+ years of progressive accounting experience with a portion of it being in a Supervisory role.
- Highly organized with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects and assignments with deadlines.
- Strong conceptual and problem-solving skills to evaluate problems and apply knowledge to identify appropriate solutions; ability to resolve issues effectively and efficiently.
- Knowledge of computer systems and solid PC skills with proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
- AgTech or Agvance accounting software preferred.
- Proficient and hands-on experience with spreadsheets and financial reports.
- High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact with all levels within the company, and with vendors and customers.
- Ability to uphold and maintain discretion and care regarding confidential and sensitive personnel and company information.
- Ability to be flexible and adaptive to successfully achieve the function of the position.
Experience
- CPA preferred but not required
- Experience in export related business a plus
- Eight or more years of accounting experience, including five or more years of supervisory duties
Attributes
- Ethical, honest working style
- Excellent organizational and communication skills, being able to communicate with upper management, as well as junior level employees
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced team environment
- High level of attention to detail, and ability to research and dissect data to solve accounting issues.
- Self-motivated, and effective results driven managerial style
- Demonstrated ability at solving complex operational and accounting challenges
- Strong ability to multitask
- Excellent abilities with MS Office Suite, especially Excel and Word