Junior Staff Accountant

Job Title:

Junior Staff Accountant

Job Description

The Junior Staff Accountant plays a key role in managing complex expense accounts payable for the company's vehicle fleet, leased buildings, medical and liability insurance, and owner-related expenses. This position oversees detailed invoice review and coding, supports general ledger reconciliations and journal entries, and serves as a resource for multi-state tax compliance. The role also manages primary trade accounts payable, credit card administration, and a variety of expense payments, while maintaining accurate records and positive vendor relationships in a collaborative, family-oriented office environment.

Responsibilities

+ Manage more significant and complex expense accounts payable vendors related to the company's vehicle fleet, leased buildings, medical and liability insurance, and owner's expenses.

+ Review monthly invoices for accuracy and completeness, perform detailed and sometimes complex coding, and ensure proper allocation to general ledger accounts.

+ Understand lease commitments and vehicle registrations, and incorporate this understanding into accurate expense coding and tracking.

+ Communicate effectively with vendors and internal stakeholders to resolve questions, discrepancies, and issues related to invoices and payments.

+ Perform monthly general ledger account reconciliations, including bank reconciliations, miscellaneous expense accounts, accounts payable and accounts receivable clearing accounts, and prepaid accounts.

+ Conduct general ledger reconciliations as needed for any account involved in research or changes in use, ensuring accuracy and proper documentation.

+ Prepare and enter general ledger journal entries, including routine monthly journals and correcting entries identified during account reconciliation.

+ Serve as a resource for state and local tax rules and for the software setup required to maintain compliance across multiple states.

+ Support and help maintain compliance for state and local taxes in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, California, Texas, Arizona, and Utah, with the potential to add additional states.

+ File all required sales tax, business and occupation (B&O) tax, and property tax returns in a timely and accurate manner.

+ Initiate and renew business licenses as required in relevant jurisdictions.

+ Manage the primary trade accounts payable function, including reviewing all invoices from the company's primary manufacturing business partner.

+ Track and communicate invoice-related issues with the purchasing department and register disputed invoices with the manufacturer.

+ Process payments from a monthly Excel statement for the primary trade account, ensuring alignment with internal records and vendor statements.

+ Review, prepare, and input expense invoices from utility bills, professional services, and credit card statements for multiple locations, including Portland, Tri-Cities, Spokane, Seattle, and Anchorage.

+ Develop and maintain a strong understanding of the company's general ledger accounts and overall account structure.

+ Review, prepare, and perform purchase order matching for a high volume of invoices from the company's largest vendor.

+ Act as the primary administrator and bank contact for approximately 80 company credit cards, ensuring proper setup, usage, and oversight.

+ Process monthly employee expense reports, review them for accuracy and completeness, ask clarifying questions when needed, and process payments and reimbursements.

+ Process various recurring and ad hoc payments such as 401(k) fees, legal invoices, accounting firm invoices, owner membership fees, building and fleet maintenance and repair costs, insurance bills, and company phone bills.

+ Research invoice and payment issues thoroughly and maintain positive, professional working relationships with expense vendors.

+ Update and maintain numerous spreadsheets throughout the month to track expenses, reconciliations, and other accounting data.

+ Perform general office duties including inventorying and ordering office and housekeeping supplies to support smooth office operations.

+ Provide excellent customer service and professional phone support to internal and external contacts.

+ Follow established processes and procedures, while identifying opportunities for improvement within the existing framework when appropriate.

+ Collaborate with colleagues, share information, and contribute to a supportive, team-focused office culture.

Essential Skills

+ Minimum 2 years of experience in accounting with a strong emphasis in accounts payable.

+ Hands-on experience with general ledger accounting, including account reconciliations and journal entry preparation and posting.

+ Proficiency in accounts payable processes, including invoice processing, coding invoices, and purchase order matching.

+ Solid bookkeeping skills and understanding of month-end processes.

+ ERP software experience, with the ability to navigate and use an enterprise resource planning…