Staff Accountant – Wine, Beer & Spirits Importing
San Clemente, CA
Staff Accountant – Wine, Beer & Spirits Importing
Hands-on accounting role handling day-to-day accounting, month-end close, AP/AR, inventory, and an ERP transition from QuickBooks to Encompass. Requires 3-5 years of accounting/bookkeeping experience, QuickBooks and Excel, and a bachelor's degree is preferred.
Staff Accountant
We are seeking a hands-on Staff Accountant to own our day-to-day accounting, keep accurate financial records, support our import and distribution operations, and help us move to a new ERP system.
This is a working accountant role, not a reporting role. You will prepare the monthly close and work directly with our outside CPA, who reviews and signs off on the monthly financials. We are not looking for someone who simply prepares reports. We want someone who understands the numbers behind the business, solves problems, and takes responsibility for getting things done.
Key Responsibilities
General Accounting and Month-End Close
- Maintain the general ledger and accounting records in QuickBooks.
- Prepare journal entries, accruals, and bank, credit card, and account reconciliations.
- Prepare the monthly close package (P&L, balance sheet, and supporting reconciliations) for review by our outside CPA.
- Monitor cash balances and upcoming payables.
- Maintain organized financial records and supporting documentation.
- Coordinate with our outside CPA on year-end, tax matters, and other accounting requirements.
Accounts Payable, Receivable, and Expenses
- Handle daily accounts payable and accounts receivable.
- Review and reconcile supplier invoices, vendor statements, customer payments, credits, chargebacks, and deductions.
- Follow up on outstanding receivables and payment discrepancies.
- Reconcile corporate credit cards, employee reimbursements, and expense categorization.
- Record payroll and related reconciliations.
Inventory and Landed Cost
- Reconcile inventory between accounting records, warehouse systems, and third-party logistics providers.
- Track inventory in transit, inventory valuation, and cost of goods sold.
- Calculate landed cost on imported product, including international freight, duties, tariffs, brokerage, and domestic freight.
- Record customs duties, excise taxes, and CBMA credits as provided by our logistics team.
- Identify and resolve inventory and cost discrepancies.
ERP Transition and Process Improvement
- Play an active role in our transition from QuickBooks to Encompass, a beverage distribution ERP.
- Assist with data cleanup, chart of accounts development, data migration, and reconciliations.
- Help connect accounting with purchasing, inventory, sales, and warehouse operations.
- Identify ways to simplify and improve accounting workflows, and document the procedures that result.
- Flag unusual transactions, discrepancies, or issues that need attention.
- Pull financial information requested by ownership, lenders, and outside advisors.
Qualifications
Required
- 3 to 5 years of hands-on accounting or full-charge bookkeeping experience, preferably in wholesale distribution, importing, or another inventory-based business.
- Experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and month-end close.
- Solid understanding of general ledger accounting, accruals, inventory accounting, and COGS.
- Strong working knowledge of QuickBooks and Excel.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving ability.
- Comfortable doing the routine work and the harder work. Nothing is beneath this role.
Preferred
- Experience in wine, beer, spirits, or beverage distribution.
- Experience preparing a close for review by an outside CPA.
- Familiarity with importing, landed cost, or inventory reconciliation across multiple warehouses.
- Experience with Encompass or a similar distribution ERP, or with an accounting system transition.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Compensation: $70,000 to $85,000, depending on experience. Full-time, in office, Orange County, CA.
Job category: Finance and Accounting
We are seeking a hands-on Staff Accountant to own our day-to-day accounting, keep accurate financial records, support our import and distribution operations, and help us move to a new ERP system.
This is a working accountant role, not a reporting role. You will prepare the monthly close and work directly with our outside CPA, who reviews and signs off on the monthly financials. We are not looking for someone who simply prepares reports. We want someone who understands the numbers behind the business, solves problems, and takes responsibility for getting things done.
Key Responsibilities
General Accounting and Month-End Close
- Maintain the general ledger and accounting records in QuickBooks.
- Prepare journal entries, accruals, and bank, credit card, and account reconciliations.
- Prepare the monthly close package (P&L, balance sheet, and supporting reconciliations) for review by our outside CPA.
- Monitor cash balances and upcoming payables.
- Maintain organized financial records and supporting documentation.
- Coordinate with our outside CPA on year-end, tax matters, and other accounting requirements.
Accounts Payable, Receivable, and Expenses
- Handle daily accounts payable and accounts receivable.
- Review and reconcile supplier invoices, vendor statements, customer payments, credits, chargebacks, and deductions.
- Follow up on outstanding receivables and payment discrepancies.
- Reconcile corporate credit cards, employee reimbursements, and expense categorization.
- Record payroll and related reconciliations.
Inventory and Landed Cost
- Reconcile inventory between accounting records, warehouse systems, and third-party logistics providers.
- Track inventory in transit, inventory valuation, and cost of goods sold.
- Calculate landed cost on imported product, including international freight, duties, tariffs, brokerage, and domestic freight.
- Record customs duties, excise taxes, and CBMA credits as provided by our logistics team.
- Identify and resolve inventory and cost discrepancies.
ERP Transition and Process Improvement
- Play an active role in our transition from QuickBooks to Encompass, a beverage distribution ERP.
- Assist with data cleanup, chart of accounts development, data migration, and reconciliations.
- Help connect accounting with purchasing, inventory, sales, and warehouse operations.
- Identify ways to simplify and improve accounting workflows, and document the procedures that result.
- Flag unusual transactions, discrepancies, or issues that need attention.
- Pull financial information requested by ownership, lenders, and outside advisors.
Qualifications
Required
- 3 to 5 years of hands-on accounting or full-charge bookkeeping experience, preferably in wholesale distribution, importing, or another inventory-based business.
- Experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and month-end close.
- Solid understanding of general ledger accounting, accruals, inventory accounting, and COGS.
- Strong working knowledge of QuickBooks and Excel.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving ability.
- Comfortable doing the routine work and the harder work. Nothing is beneath this role.
Preferred
- Experience in wine, beer, spirits, or beverage distribution.
- Experience preparing a close for review by an outside CPA.
- Familiarity with importing, landed cost, or inventory reconciliation across multiple warehouses.
- Experience with Encompass or a similar distribution ERP, or with an accounting system transition.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Compensation: $70,000 to $85,000, depending on experience. Full-time, in office, Orange County, CA.
Job category: Finance and Accounting