TITLE: Inventory Accountant
DEPARTMENT: Accounting
REPORTS TO: Operations Accounting Manager
LOCATION: Watsonville- Westridge Office
CLASSIFICATION: Full-time, year-round
PAY STATUS: Exempt (Administrative Payroll)
DATE: April 29, 2010

PURPOSE: To ensure accuracy and timeliness of reporting of all inventory related transactions (packaging, CHEP, and shipping supplies) and provide support for the Procurement Department on a National and Regional level.

JOB SUMMARY: Performs accounting and cost accounting duties of a complex nature requiring knowledge of accounting and cost accounting principles and practices. Will be responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of cost accounting systems, so as to properly accumulate the costs of the company’s inventory related items. Directs the development and implementation of new and/or improved costs reporting and analysis, systems policies and procedures through cross-functional teams. Develops and analyzes information to compare budgets to actual expenses. Analyzes various operating costs to determine variances and causes. Through the analysis of unit costs and projection of expenses, may participate in pricing studies under the direction of Procurement and Finance for services and/or products such as packaging. Ensures the reconciliation and analysis of related balance sheet accounts, inventory accounts, ledgers, and journals. Reviews the preparation of various records and reports compiled by lower lever accounting personnel. Directs the year-end audit needs (procedures, reporting) for inventory observations. Provides data to management obtained from the cost accounting system for the purpose of 1) planning and controlling routine operations; 2) non-routine decisions, policy making, and long-range planning; and 3) inventory valuation and income determination.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Education level: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration or equivalent experience.

2. Training: Three years of professional cost accounting experience.

3. Technical skills: Must have an excellent knowledge of various costs systems such as standard costs and activity based costing systems. Good knowledge of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), basic accounting terminology and concepts. Should have strong technology skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, with experience in using these tools to implement and improve cost accounting systems.


4. Other qualifications: Must demonstrate ability to work in a fast-paced unstructured environment. Must be able to utilize technologies to streamline work processes. Must demonstrate analytical skills as well as be able to focus attention on details when necessary. Must have excellent organizational skills. Ability to work independently with little supervision, to initiate new ideas, to create new systems, to audit and correct errors, to train others in on-the-job procedures, to communicate clearly and accurately, to assist in the direction, control or planning of an activity, to make generalizations, evaluations, or decisions based on measurable or verifiable criteria, to keep information confidential, to schedule tasks to meet deadlines, read and write English. Bilingual-Spanish desirable. Some travel is required.


RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
1. Cost Accounting: Will develop and coordinate the monthly and weekly compilation and distribution of management reports. Such reports will include budget vs. actual for various cost centers, analysis of packaging costs and recovery, packaging inventory and adjustments analysis and monthly review of packaging aged, obsolete and slow-moving inventory analysis.
2. Departmental Support: Will support financial and general accounting functions as required. Will assess internal controls. Will work within accounting periods and utilize an accrual process to ensure accurate month-end results. Will maintain the system master files for item numbers and pricing updates.
3. Finance Department Support: Will support the Finance team during the budget process as requested. Will provided costing details as requested.
4. International Support: Will support international subsidiaries in developing and implementing cost systems. Will review packaging cost vs. recovery monthly and quarterly review of packaging aged, obsolete and slow-moving inventory analysis.
5. Process Improvement: Will work in cross-functional teams as required to improve the processes used to complete the responsibilities of the position and other areas in the company that are applicable.
6. General Responsibilities: Will represent Driscoll in an ethical and professional manner in all interactions with co-workers, growers, vendors, governmental agencies, and customers of Driscoll’s and ensure the confidentiality of all financial, proprietary and confidential information. Performs other duties as instructed by supervisor.
This job description is intended to describe the general nature of the work performed by employees in this job. It is not an exhaustive list of all the job's responsibilities. At Driscoll’s, all of our jobs include broad responsibilities for continually improving the processes we use to develop our products.