Senior Grower Accountant

The Role: The Senior Grower Accountant position plays a key role in accounting for our grower contracts. The ideal candidate must possess an eagerness to learn, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external customers. This position manages accurate and timely payments to our growers as well as providing accounting support and analysis corresponding to growing expenses, crop yields, and end of season settlement cost.

Location(s): Salinas, CA

Areas of Responsibility:

• Provide comprehensive accounting and financial support corresponding to various complex farming grower agreements
• Perform period end closing procedures, including monthly accruals & allocations, journal entries, and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Maintain accurate growing cost expenses by crop/grower/growing location and analyze yields and growing expenses against budget and contracted cost.
• Run weekly processes regarding closing planting work orders and lost cartons provided by Harvest Supervisors.
• Work collaboratively with farm managers, colleagues, and growers as needed to resolve discrepancies.
• Prepare period end Farming reporting and analyze variances against budget.
• Assist with special projects and ad hoc Reporting as assigned.
• Must have reliable, predictable attendance and punctuality.
• Review and balance weekly grower reports for accuracy.
• Manage cash flow payments for multiple growing locations and grower partners.
• Assist with Year End Audit Grower's Reporting Packets

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree with concentration in Accounting and a strong familiarity with Cost Accounting and US GAAP.
• Ability to communicate effectively and respond to questions, including over the phone, email and in person.
• Must have excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills to communicate and work with employees, team-members, supervisor, and management.
• Must have the ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Able to troubleshoot and problem-solve.
• Must be proficient in Excel, (e.g. pivot tables, lookups, index, if statements, and data manipulation) databases and queries. JDE Edwards or ERP Systems experience preferred.
• Must be able to work full-time during normal business hours. On occasion, this position will require working on the weekends and outside normal business hours to assist with closing duties, audit process, and special projects as required and approved by supervisors
• Compensation is commensurate with education, years of experience, and past history relative to the preferred qualifications

Ideal Candidate:

• Previous experience in a similar role (Grower Accountant, Senior Cost Accountant, or equivalent.
• Promotes a positive Company image, and supports the Finance Department efforts.
• Must be able to maintain and abide by confidentiality.
• Must be a team player with a can-do attitude and ability to collaborate effectively with internal Farm Managers, growers, and partners.
• Must work well with minimal supervision, take initiative, be a self-starter, have a sense of urgency and be driven.
• Must prioritize workload, track and follow-up with pending matters.
• Must be able to work independently and in a team environment, have excellent communication and organizational skills and great attention to detail.