Accounting Assistant

ABOUT ICT

Intercontinental Coffee Trading Co. (ICT) is a specialty coffee importing and trading company headquartered in downtown San Diego, CA, with additional team members in Washington, D.C. Founded locally in 2009 and backed by a German parent company with roots going back to 1987, ICT has grown to approximately $100M in annual revenue while maintaining the agility and collaborative culture of a small team. Our San Diego office operates with a tight-knit group of 6–8 professionals working across trading, operations, and finance.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Accounting Associate is the operational backbone of ICT's day-to-day finance activity. This role owns the full cycle of accounts receivable and accounts payable, manages customer and vendor communications, owns the weekly payment run, processes customer payments, and supports monthly close activities. Reporting to the Controller, you will work directly with the Controller and Senior Accountant in a fast-paced, transaction-heavy environment where accuracy, follow-through, and clear communication are essential.

This is a fully on-site position based in our downtown San Diego, CA office.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounts Receivable

•    Review and record customer invoices received from the traffic/operations team

•    Run or schedule customer payments for same-day invoices via credit card and e-check, review customer orders and trader/payment notes

•    Acknowledge and apply payments received by ACH, wire transfer, and check

•    Conduct weekly AR outreach: send past-due and coming-due payment updates to specific accounts and non-responsive customers

•    Handle trade credit reference requests — complete and return incoming references promptly; process outgoing inquiries, track progress, document results, and update credit terms in relevant systems

Accounts Payable

•    Enter vendor bills in QuickBooks

•    Review potential vendor billing errors with the traffic team; manage disputes through resolution

•    Reconcile vendor statements regularly to keep accounts accurate and current

•    Own weekly AP payment runs from preparation to executing payments, including getting appropriate approvals and ensuring remittance communications are sent to vendors

•    Collect vendor W-9s and support annual 1099 preparation

Customer & Vendor Communications

•    Serve as a primary point of contact for customer and vendor inquiries by email and phone

•    Respond to incoming calls and requests professionally and in a timely manner

•    Coordinate with the internal traffic/operations team on invoice and billing questions

Monthly Close Support

•    Reconcile all bank accounts and ICT credit card accounts

•    Own recording of all credit card expenses incurred by ICT team members on corporate cards

•    Enter any outstanding vendor bills for the closing month

•    Own the collection of data as needed for global carbon footprint reporting

•    Support the Controller and Senior Accountant with additional close tasks and documentation as needed

Systems & Tools

•    Work daily in QuickBooks Desktop for all AP/AR transaction entry, payment processing, and reconciliation

•    Work within a Microsoft environment (Outlook, SharePoint, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) for communication, reporting, and record-keeping

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•    Associate's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent — OR — equivalent combination of relevant coursework and hands-on work experience

•    2 years of experience in an AP/AR or general accounting role with direct transaction processing responsibilities

•    Experience reconciling bank accounts and credit card statements

•    Proficiency in QuickBooks Desktop or a comparable accounting platform

•    Solid Microsoft Excel skills — comfortable working with multi-tab workbooks, formulas, and data reconciliation

•    Experience processing electronic payments (credit card, e-check, ACH, wire)

•    Professional written and verbal communication skills — you will be in regular contact with customers and vendors

•    Highly organized with strong attention to detail; able to manage a structured daily and weekly workflow independently

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

•    Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field

•    Experience with QuickBase or similar operational database tools

•    Experience with Bill.com

•    Bilingual in Spanish or Portuguese — a plus given our trading partner relationships

WHO THRIVES IN THIS ROLE

Our finance team is lean and experienced. The person who succeeds here is someone who:

•    Runs a structured daily routine and takes ownership of their task list without being reminded

•    Communicates proactively — with customers, vendors, and internal teammates — when something needs attention

•    Handles a high volume of transactions accurately and stays organized across multiple open items

•    Is comfortable picking up the phone and having a professional, friendly conversation

•    Brings a team-player attitude to a small office where everyone's work is visible and matters

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

•    Annual salary: $60,000-$68,000, depending on experience

•    Annual Bonus (amount dependent on individual and company performance)

•    401(k) with company match

•    Generous medical coverage

•    3 weeks (15 business days) paid vacation, plus paid holidays

•    A stable, profitable company with 35 years of international history

Note: This job description is not exhaustive and is subject to change depending on circumstances