Accounting Manager

GHJ Search & Staffing is partnering with a well-established, privately held company in the agriculture and organic produce industry to identify a hands-on Accounting Manager for its Bakersfield headquarters.

Reporting directly to the CFO, this individual will oversee a four-person accounting team while remaining actively involved in the day-to-day accounting function. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced accounting professional who enjoys being both a leader and a doer and is interested in continuing to grow into broader accounting leadership responsibilities.

The ideal candidate will bring strong accounting fundamentals, a hands-on approach to month-end close and general ledger accounting, and experience within agriculture, produce, food production/distribution, or another inventory-based environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and actively participate in month-end and year-end close, including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and general ledger activity.
• Oversee and support a four-person accounting team across accounts payable and accounts receivable.
• Oversee grower accounting, settlements, and related reporting while partnering with operations, sales, and grower relations.
• Prepare and review financial statements, budgets, variance analyses, and management reporting.
• Partner with the CFO on budgeting, cash flow forecasting, financial analysis, and other business initiatives.
• Maintain strong internal controls and ensure compliance with GAAP and applicable accounting requirements.
• Investigate discrepancies, unusual trends, and accounting issues through resolution.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, reporting, systems, and workflows.
• Utilize technology and automation to increase efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
• Maintain accurate financial information and reporting within the company's ERP system.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; Accounting preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience.
• Strong hands-on general ledger and month-end close experience.
• Previous experience leading, supervising, or mentoring accounting staff.
• Strong knowledge of accrual accounting and GAAP.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Experience working within an ERP/accounting system.
• Agriculture, produce, food production/distribution, or other inventory-based industry experience strongly preferred.
• Grower accounting or grower settlement experience is a plus.
• Famous ERP experience is a plus.

What They're Looking For:

We're looking for someone who is naturally curious, takes ownership, and enjoys understanding the business behind the numbers. The right person will be comfortable leading a team while also rolling up their sleeves to prepare journal entries, complete reconciliations, troubleshoot issues, and ensure the close gets completed accurately and on time.

This position offers significant visibility to the CFO and executive leadership, along with the opportunity to take on greater responsibility as the organization continues to grow.

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