Accounting Manager

ABOUT CLARKSON GRAIN COMPANY

For over 50 years, Clarkson has been an industry pioneer in the production and supply of identity-preserved grains, oilseeds, and ingredients for food and feed industries worldwide. We work directly with end users to identify, select, and supply hybrids, varieties, and performance characteristics that improve end-product quality, enhance market access, increase process yield, and strengthen client differentiation. Clarkson's transparent and fully traceable system connects Midwest farmers to premium domestic and international markets. Through our aggregation and cleaning facilities, corn and soybeans are prepared for final use; cleaned, conditioned, and shipped in bulk or bagged for delivery worldwide.

Clarkson Specialty Lecithins (CSL) was founded in 2002, offering the world's first certified organic soy lecithin. It used an entirely natural process without any synthetic solvents, offering commercial quantities with excellent quality. Clarkson Specialty Lecithins produces organic and non-GMO lecithins from soybeans and sunflower.

The 'Clarkson Way' is our long-proven approach to serving customers, supporting farmers, and managing quality with care, consistency, and integrity. It reflects the discipline, practicality, and customer-driven problem-solving that have defined Clarkson for more than five decades.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• FINANCIAL REPORTING: Consistently deliver accurate, GAAP-compliant financial statements and maintain a balanced, audit-ready general ledger, ensuring daily/monthly reconciliations and complete supporting schedules, providing the CFO and leadership team with reliable financial visibility for decision-making and compliance.
• FINANCIAL PLANNING, ANALYSIS & BUSINESS PARTNERING: Effectively conduct detailed financial and business performance analysis across margins, expenses, spending trends, capital projects (IRR), working capital, and departmental variances. Prepare and deliver weekly, monthly, and quarterly reporting packages, ad hoc analyses, and financial models that inform operational and strategic decision-making. Work collaboratively with department leaders to validate assumptions, reconcile operational and financial data, and ensure budget inputs, forecasts, and analytical outputs are accurate, complete, and aligned prior to CFO review. Provide clear, concise insights and well-supported recommendations to the CFO and leadership team, translating financial analysis into actionable guidance that supports disciplined planning, resource allocation, and performance management.
• ACCOUNTS PAYABLE & ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE OVERSIGHT: Ensure timely and accurate execution of all A/P and A/R processes, including vendor payments, customer invoicing, credit monitoring, and aging reviews, to maintain strong cash flow and uphold financial discipline as directed by the CFO.
• INVENTORY & COST ACCOUNTING: Accurately manage costing, inventory valuation, grain and product movement reconciliations, and margin verification within AGRIS and QuickBooks, providing the CFO as well as the operations and commercial teams with transparent, decision-ready inventory and profitability insights.
• PAYROLL GOVERNANCE, ACCURACY & FINANCIAL ALIGNMENT: Ensure accurate payroll execution by reviewing, validating, and approving payroll inputs (hours, deductions, adjustments, bonuses, PTO) and by reconciling payroll results to the general ledger. Coordinate with the company's PEO to ensure correct processing, tax filing, and compliance, while maintaining strong internal controls, proper documentation, and timely resolution of payroll-related issues.
• BUDGETING, FORECASTING & CASH FLOW SUPPORT: Prepare accurate budget inputs, projection updates, and cash-flow schedules; analyze performance against plan; and provide clear variance explanations and future-looking financial insights. Deliver structured, reliable information that enables the CFO to lead the company's budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management processes.
• SYSTEMS, PROCESS IMPROVEMENT & INTERNAL CONTROLS: Continuously strengthen accounting processes, AGRIS/QuickBooks workflows, and routine internal controls by identifying and implementing improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency, and data integrity. Ensure consistent application of control procedures across accounting functions to support reliable financial reporting and CFO-led financial governance.
• TEAM LEADERSHIP & CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION: Effectively lead, train, develop, and support staff, providing clear expectations, reviewing work output, and ensuring accuracy and timeliness, while collaborating with operations and commercial teams to ensure accurate financial data flow and alignment between business activity and CFO-level financial reporting.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong working knowledge of GAAP, month-end close processes, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Solid understanding of agricultural accounting, including grain inventory, costing, and margin analysis.

• Ability to prepare, review, and interpret financial analyses (margins, variances, inventory movement, cost drivers) that support CFO-led planning and decision-making.

• Advanced proficiency in AGRIS and QuickBooks, including troubleshooting, data integrity checks, and workflow optimization as the accounting systems subject matter expert.

• High proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, lookups, data analysis) with working knowledge of PowerBI &/or similar analytics tools to support financial reporting and variance analysis.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook to prepare financial documentation, presentations, and cross-functional communications.

• Ability to improve accounting workflows and ensure accurate integration of data across systems.

• Strong analytical ability to evaluate margins, variances, inventory movements, spending patterns, financials trends, and operational drivers.

• High attention to detail with the discipline to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and audit readiness.

• Ability to identify process inefficiencies and recommend practical improvements.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple deadlines, competing priorities, and a structured close cycle.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain documentation, controls, and audit-ready records.

• Effective interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to collaborate with operations, commercial, and other administrative teams to ensure accurate financial data flow.
• High degree of integrity, confidentiality, and sound judgment.
• Ability to guide and support accounting staff, set expectations, review work for accuracy, and reinforce accounting process disciplines.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Financial Acumen

Planning & Organizing

Building Talent

Monitoring Information

Decision Making

Communication

Quality Orientation

Continuous Improvement

Building Partnerships

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Education:
• • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• CPA or CMA preferred, but not required.
• Experience:
• 8 years of progressive accounting experience, preferably in agribusiness, grain handling, ingredients, &/or related industries.
• Demonstrated experience in month-end close, journal entries, reconciliations, financial statement preparation, and audit support.
• Prior involvement in inventory and cost accounting, including valuations, product movement reconciliation, and margin analysis.
• Hands-on experience with AGRIS and/or QuickBooks, or proven ability to rapidly master industry accounting systems.
• Experience providing guidance to accounting staff or overseeing transactional areas such as AP, AR, &/or payroll inputs.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Valid driver's license required; travel up to 10% of the time to company locations or external meetings.
• Occasional extended hours may be required during peak periods such as month-end close, year-end close, budgeting, audit preparation, or special projects.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is:

• Frequently required to sit for extended periods while performing computer-based work, reviewing financial documentation, or participating in meetings.
• Regularly required to talk, hear, and see to communicate with team members, review financial data, and use accounting systems.
• Regularly required to use hands and fingers for keyboarding, data entry, handling documents, and operating standard office equipment.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms, including during visits to operational or administrative areas of the company.
• Occasionally required to travel between company locations, which may involve driving a vehicle.

Specific vision abilities required include:

• Close vision for reviewing spreadsheets, reconciliations, and computer screens
• Color vision and depth perception for reviewing system indicators or paper documentation
• Ability to adjust focus between electronic and printed materials

The noise level in the work environment is typically consistent with a standard office setting, with occasional exposure to moderate facility noise during onsite visits.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• The role is performed primarily in a professional office environment, involving frequent computer and desk work, meetings, and interactions with team members and leadership.
• The noise level in the office environment is generally quiet to moderate.
• The employee may occasionally visit other company locations, including grain facilities or operational areas, where noise levels may be higher, and where appropriate safety protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required.
• Travel between locations is typically minimal and planned in advance.