Plant Accountant

Job Overview

Purpose of the Position 

Maintains the integrity of production and costing transactions. Analyzes costing and inventory variances to management for review.

Essential Position Responsibilities 

Maintains production units and raw materials usage in the system. Collects, reviews, and verifies shop floor documents. Calculates production units and raw material usage, enters into the ERP system. Collaborates with production staff to resolve discrepancies. Communicates issues to accounting or operations management as appropriate. 

Reconciles manufacturing variances and/or inventory reports and transactions. Generates manufacturing variance, finished goods and material inventory reports and tracks difference between actual and projected. Ensures compliance to established cycle count procedures. Collaborates with production or warehouse staff to resolve discrepancies. Elevates unresolved issues to manager for further direction or support. Ensures timely submission, accuracy, and validity of cost variances. Verifies balances reconciles to the general ledger at month-end and may maintain balance sheet accounts, including posting journal entries and preparing account reconciliations. Prepares weekly and monthly variance and inventory analysis and distributes to management. Responds to queries from upper plant management. 

Provides additional accounting support. Prepares multiple reports and analyses. Assists plant management team in understanding costs variances and other operating measures. Prepares supporting documentation for audits and assists auditors as needed. Maintains spreadsheets and other records to support budgeting process. Frequently supports special projects for accounting and other departments. 

Participates as a member of the Team. Participates in the ongoing development, communication and implementation of team concepts, programs and policies; coordinates work to ensure best practices with all team members. Attends appropriate team meetings. As a member of the Team, fosters strong cohesiveness regarding all major issues; e.g., direction, annual plan, budget, policy changes, etc. Accepts responsibility to quickly identify any areas that lack cohesiveness, bringing them to the attention of the team leader and working with the team in a supportive manner to resolve issues and actively look for ways, and reinforce actions needed, to achieve synergy possible within the larger organization. 

Simmons Operating systems principles and objectives: Is familiar with Simmons’ established operating systems (e.g. quality, security, office environment, company policies, LEAN); understands the responsibility to maintain familiarity with the systems and this position’s role in support of these systems - including a consideration of the impact of individual actions on the systems and the responsibility to communicate concerns and improvement ideas. 

Performs other duties as necessary in support of business objectives: This position description is intended to guide the activities of the person in this position and is not intended to limit the thinking and creativity of the person as to the work of this function nor is it intended that this describe all the work that may be required of the person in this  position.

Physical Activities: Enters and locates information on a computer. Visually verifies information, often in small print. Presents information to small or large groups. The employee is frequently required to talk and hear. Communicates with Customers, Vendors, or Employees via telephone, in person, and/or electronic mail. Requires ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist or reach out to file documents into (or pull from) cabinets. The employee must  occasionally lift and/or move up to 10lbs.  

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): As required by visiting facility.  

Travel: May at times need to travel to and from multiple facilities or work-sites, possibly requiring overnight stays. 

Technical Experience: 0-3 years’ accounting experience. Preference for experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning system. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel. 

Industry Experience: Strong preference for manufacturing experience, with preference for food processing. 

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business. 

Preferred Education: N/A