AP Accounting Specialist

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: Full Time, Typical hours are M-F, between 8:00am-5pm, with flex

Classification: Non-Exempt Reports To: Central Billing Manager

About Us:

Mid-States Distributing is the leading Farm, Ranch, and Home Retail Organization. Our 72+ year old company is owned by 29 independent Farm, Ranch & Home retailers ("Members") who operate approximately 700 stores across the US with combined annual sales in excess of 7.5 billion dollars. Our member/owners retail items such as agriculture parts & supplies, petroleum products, hardware & tools, pet food, lawn & garden, animal health supplies, apparel & footwear, sporting goods, and various other products for the Farm, Ranch, and Home.

We are looking for enthusiastic people who like to win! We place a tremendous amount of emphasis on creating a dynamic and positive company culture. Most of our employees will tell you that Mid-States is the best place they've ever worked. We value high-energy people with positive attitudes who believe in the concept of "serving to wow"! Our consumers are primarily rural people raising kids, pets, cows, and crops so traditional values like God, family, and patriotism are important virtues. So, if you are enthusiastic, competitive, have a great attitude, have excellent written and verbal communication skills, like to build strong relationships, like to win, and refuse to eat meat grown in a lab - Mid-States may be the place for you! If you are not, please apply with our competitors!

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Service oriented professional who takes pride in their ability to manage a portfolio of Supplier Accounts, maintain cordial vendor relationships, process invoices accurately and efficiently, manage business processes, reconcile account statements, collaborate with team members, and perform general accounting functions for the accounts payable group - problem solver, facilitator, communicator. Excellent development opportunity with potential to advance and lead.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage a portfolio of Supplier accounts to ensure accurate and timely accounting of all transactions
• Participate, support, coordinate, or lead daily Invoice Production processes to ensure all aspects are coordinated and completed on schedule, and all invoices are entered into our ERP system
• Review and audit daily EDI batches and manage exceptions; trouble-shoot errors and work with EDI vendor to refine programming, as needed
• Prepare weekly check runs, quality control, backup documentation, and mailings
• Reconcile and resolve account discrepancies and past due items to ensure all vendors are paid on time, every time
• Assist with claims and credits filed by our members
• Assist with the new vendor setup process
• Professional communication with Suppliers via email and phone to build trusted working relationships and solve problems
• Organize your job deliverables, time, office files and space for maximum efficiency
• Perform special projects and duties as requested

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Teamwork - Promote positive, respectful working relationships and working environment
• Service Orientation - Understand that serving the A/P constituents well is essential for our business model
• Process Management - ability to see how individual work fits together into a master production process, ensure all individual elements are completed with quality, and constantly look for new ways to opitmize
• Language and reasoning skills - Ability to identify problems, develop solutions, and facilitate implementation among multiple parties
• Combination of Accounting education and/or experience to ensure all transactions are processed in accordance with GAAP
• Must possess the ability to recognize and appropriately handle confidential materials
• Great communication and listening skills
• Organized, detail oriented, and motivated to succeed
• Proficient computer skills using Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook and Word)
• Proficient 10-key and keyboard aptitude, data entry accuracy and speed
• Strong attention to detail
• Proficient with the use of office equipment (label machines, copiers, fax, scanners and printers)

Required Education and Experience:

• Accounting, Finance, or Business Degree preferred
• College level course work in Accounting
• Accounting or financial internship or work experience preferred

Supervisory Responsibility: This position has no immediate supervisory responsibilities

Physical Demands and Work Environment: Generally the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean environment. The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling, some stooping and significant fine finger dexterity.

Travel: There is no travel required for this position.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

A few words from our COO:

I have had the pleasure to work for some incredible companies during my career, but Mid-States is truly the best company I have ever worked for. Lead by our dynamic CEO, Tom Mahlke, our team strives to provide a unique, exciting, fun, and fulfilling work environment for our staff. Things like drama, laziness, and entitlement have no place in Mid-States, which makes Mid-States a refreshing place to work. We offer competitive salaries, have a fantastic benefits package, and believe in rewarding those who produce. We serve a wonderful industry, and we are financially sound and growing rapidly. If you are an enthusiastic, high-energy person with a positive attitude and the skills described above, you may have just found the last job you will ever apply for! I look forward to meeting you. - Jeff Rash, COO