Staff Accountant

COLAVITA USA LLC

POSITION: STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Schedule:  Monday-Friday 9 to 5

Edison, NJ

Family-owned Colavita USA LLC, headquartered in Edison, NJ, has been importing and distributing Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil for over 30 years. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil is recognized as the #1 Italian Brand in the United States and has earned awards and accolades from renowned cooking publications such as Fine Cooking and Cook’s Illustrated and general-interest magazines like Men’s Health. Colavita® authentic Italian specialty products, including durum wheat semolina pasta, a full selection of balsamic and wine vinegars, traditional and organic pasta sauces, and olive-canola blended oils are the ingredients of choice for chefs in home, restaurant, and professional kitchens.

The Staff Accountant is a key member of the Finance & Accounting team for a dynamic food importing and distribution company. This role is responsible for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the general ledger, with particular emphasis on executing a thorough and timely month-end close process. The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience with inventory accounting, intercompany transactions, and the complexities of import cost flows, and thrives in a fast-paced environment where attention to detail and deadline management are essential.

Responsibilities include but not limited to:

Month-End Close (Primary Focus)

•       Own and execute the monthly close calendar, ensuring all deadlines are met with accuracy and completeness

•       Prepare and post journal entries including accruals, prepaid amortization, inventory adjustments, landed cost allocations, and intercompany eliminations

•       Perform reconciliations of all assigned balance sheet accounts, including bank accounts, inventory, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and prepaid accounts

•       Analyze actual vs. budget variances for assigned cost centers and provide concise explanations to management

•       Coordinate with logistics, purchasing, and operations teams to ensure all receipts, invoices, and liabilities are captured within the appropriate period

•       Maintain and reconcile the landed cost module, including freight, customs/duties, brokerage fees, and insurance costs associated with imported goods

•       Prepare and distribute month-end close status reports and communicate open items to the Controller

•       Support preparation of monthly financial statements and management reporting packages

Accounts Payable & Vendor Management

•       Review and process vendor invoices for freight forwarders, customs brokers, port fees, and domestic carriers, ensuring proper coding and period accuracy

•       Reconcile vendor statements and resolve discrepancies on a timely basis

•       Coordinate with the procurement team to match purchase orders, receipts, and invoices (three-way match)

•       Manage accruals for goods received but not yet invoiced (GRNI) at month-end and other accruals.

Inventory & Cost Accounting

•       Maintain perpetual inventory records and reconcile to the general ledger on a monthly basis

•       Assist with standard cost updates, FIFO or weighted-average cost layer management, and inventory obsolescence reviews

•       Partner with warehouse and operations teams to investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies identified through cycle counts and physical inventories

•       Allocate and record duty drawback, tariff adjustments, and other import-related cost variances

Intercompany & Multi-Entity Accounting

•       Record and reconcile intercompany transactions across multiple legal entities (domestic and international)

•       Prepare intercompany billing and ensure elimination entries are posted accurately at consolidation

•       Support FX currency translation and remeasurement entries for foreign-denominated transactions

Compliance, Audit & Controls

•       Maintain organized, audit-ready workpapers and supporting documentation for all journal entries and reconciliations

•       Assist in preparation of schedules for external auditors during annual audit and year-end close

•       Support compliance with internal controls, and company accounting policies

•       Assist with sales tax filings, 1099 preparation, and other regulatory reporting as assigned

Systems & Process Improvement

•       Leverage ERP system (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar) to manage transactions and generate reports

•       Identify opportunities to streamline the close process, automate recurring tasks, and reduce close cycle time

•       Assist with system implementations, upgrades, or data migrations as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

•       Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

•       2–4 years of progressive accounting experience, with demonstrated ownership of month-end close activities

•       Experience in an import, distribution, manufacturing, or consumer goods environment strongly preferred

•       Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, financial modeling)

•       Working knowledge of GAAP, including revenue recognition, inventory accounting, and accrual basis accounting

•       Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously

•       Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail

Preferred

•       CPA or CPA candidate (active pursuit a plus)

•       Experience with landed cost accounting and import duty/tariff reconciliation

•       Familiarity with intercompany accounting and multi-entity consolidations

•       ERP experience in NetSuite, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platform

•       Exposure to 3PL logistics accounting and third-party warehouse billing reconciliation

•       Experience with foreign currency transactions and basic FX accounting

Core Competencies

·        Deadline Management & Close Ownership

·        Cross Functional Collab

·        Analytical Thinking & Variance Ana

·        Integrity & Attention to Detail

·        Continuous Improvement Mindset

·        Effective Communication (Written & Verbal)

Benefits:

-        Medical, Vision and Dental Insurance

-        401K Plan with company match

-        Paid Time Off

Colavita USA, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

About Colavita

Family-owned Colavita USA LLC, headquartered in Edison, NJ, has been importing and distributing Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil for over 30 years. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil is recognized as the #1 Italian Brand in the United States and has earned awards and accolades from renowned cooking publications such as Fine Cooking and Cook’s Illustrated and general-interest magazines like Men’s Health. Colavita® authentic Italian specialty products, including durum wheat semolina pasta, a full selection of balsamic and wine vinegars, traditional and organic pasta sauces, and olive-canola blended oils are the ingredients of choice for chefs in home, restaurant, and professional kitchens.